Legal News

Gun possession-related expulsion at local high school garners national attention

By Richard Binder

Last week's expulsion of Gary Tudesko for storing a pair of unloaded shotguns in his truck off-campus has sparked nationwide interest.

Tudesko, a junior at Willows High School, had allegedly been bird hunting and didn't want to be late for class, so he parked his truck on a public street. The guns inside were unloaded, and were discovered via a private company's scent-detection dogs.

Willows High Principal Mort Geivett noted during a hearing that the state Education Code required the district to pursue expulsion. On the Education Department Web site, guidelines state that administrators have some discretion regarding off-campus infractions. Recommendations should be based on the ineffectiveness of other disciplinary methods or if a student poses an ongoing threat to himself or others.  Presumably to that latter end, Geivett read Tudesko's disciplinary record at the hearing.

Tudesko's mother, Susan Parisio, intends to file an appeal as early as next week.

Full story here.

Full post as published by Legal Pad | LA on November 25, 2009 (boomark / email).