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Student Brings Loaded Gun To School

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By Kesshia Peyton Anchor/Reporter

M50o93H7pQ09L8X1t49cHY01Z5j4TT91fGfr Student Brings Loaded Gun To School

Published: Tue, April 08, 2008 - 5:31 pm
Last Updated: Thursday, August 14, 2008 - 6:21 pm

Kesshia Peyton

3:45 p.m. Friday
New 5 viewers have debated on wkrg.com whether the gun a student brought to Clark School of Math, Science and Technology on Monday was loaded or not.
As we reported earlier, Mobile County school officials say the gun, found in the student's book bag, was loaded.

The child's mother contacted News 5 to say school officials were misinformed. She says her son had the gun and a loaded clip in his book bag, but claims the clip was never in the gun.

News 5 investigated her claims. Chickasaw police could not confirm whether the loaded clip was ever in fact in the gun. But Sgt. Gerald Thornton said it doesn't matter. As far as the law is concerned, a loaded clip is the same thing as a loaded gun.

Other viewers said the student would've automatically been charged with a felony, if the gun had been loaded. Not true says Thornton. Possession of a fire arm on school grounds is not an automatic felony. Thornton said the student would only be charged with a felony if he had a prior record.

12:15 p.m. Wednesday
New 5 viewers have debated on wkrg.com whether the gun a student brought to Clark School of Math, Science and Technology on Monday was loaded or not. Mobile County school officials put the debate to rest. Spokesperson Nancy Pierce says the gun, found in the student's book bag, was loaded. Click here to listen to bonus sound from Tuesday's interview.

Click here to read a copy of the letter sent home to parents on Tuesday.

5:31 p.m. Tuesday
An eighth grade student at Clark School of Math, Science, and Technology in Chickasaw has been arrested for bringing a loaded gun to school.
School officials say the gun belongs to the child's father.
Several classmates found out that the child had the gun.. and alerted teachers.
In a letter to parents, the school's principal said the student hid the gun in his backpack.
News 5 was told the school did not go into lockdown because there was no immediate danger.
One parent told News 5 that the school should have told them about what happened yesterday...not today.
"If I hadn't called, If my son hadn't said anything, I wouldn't have known. I wouldn't known. I would've thought it had just been a normal day," said parent Demetria Clark.
"This is something we may have to figure out a better way to handle to let parents know, how soon to let parents know, etcetera," said Mobile County Public School System spokesperson Nancy Pierce.
The student has been arrested and won't be allowed to return..
School officials say the student hasn't had any past disciplinary problems.

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Its scary huh? This is absolutely awful the way they try to cover things up!

Posted by SumOneILove on 05/08/08 - 3:22 pm • Report Abuse

I HAVE A SON THAT GOES TO CLARK AND HE WAS HURT AT A BASEBALL GAME MONDAY NIGHT AND COULDN’T GO TO SCHOOL TUESDAY AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE HEARD ABOUT THIS… THIS IS THE SECOND YEAR MY SON HAS BEEN AT CLARK AND HE BEGGS HIS MOTHER AND I ALL THE TIME TO TAKE HIM OUT OF THAT SCHOOL BECAUSE THERES THINGS GOING ON THERE THAT THEY DONT NOTIFY ANYONE ON… I KNOW ALOT OF HIS FRIENDS ARE LEAVING THE SCHOOL THIS YEAR.....I HAVE CALLED THE SCHOOL BOARD PLENTY OF TIMES CONCERNING THINGS AT CLARK BUT THEY WILL NOT RETURN YOUR CALLS…

Posted by CwhatUwant2C on 05/08/08 - 3:09 pm • Report Abuse

I realized that we have a right to free speech and I know that the media attempts to get everyone’s story but I think it provides an avenue for rumors and falsehoods that lead the general public in many directions. We as a community can only make decisions that are best for all children if we are informed with the correct facts. We also should conduct ourselves in a way that provides good role models for our children in public, at home and in this forum.

Posted by inthesystem on 04/24/08 - 2:18 pm • Report Abuse

I am a mother of a child at Clark. I know that the gun being brought to school is terrifying. I want to say Clark is a good school. There has been other problems that do not get attention. They say to tell of suspicious acts or threats. My child told a teacher when another child took his belt off and hit my child over 40 times. The other child recieved a detention check for horseplaying. It took an hour later for my childs next period teacher to do something. it then toook two days before the other child was suspended. The teacher or the school never contacted me about what had happened. My child didn’t even tell me. I just walked into school the next day and was told I needed to go talk to the vice principal about what had happened. I asked what happened. Then I was told about what happened. That was a full day later. The school doesn’t notify parents about things until they need to. If i would not have went in the next day I don’t know if I would had been told at all.

Posted by rebeldog on 04/12/08 - 9:22 am • Report Abuse

I agree 100%

Posted by motherof3 on 04/09/08 - 3:38 pm • Report Abuse

However, it is a little troubling that a parent would try to minimize the severity of this situation and use the old standard that he is not the only kid at that school with a loaded gun; he is just the one that got caught.

That is what i was trying to say thanks bamabob and motherof3 i understand the point you were making also… i am very upset about this being too close for comfort and it getting downplayed.

Posted by SumOneILove on 04/09/08 - 2:08 pm • Report Abuse

So, this was just show-n-tell gone haywire, huh?

Posted by BamaBob on 04/09/08 - 2:06 pm • Report Abuse

Again, I have gotten the story and his act was directed at no one. I am not dismissing it. It is a very serious thing and he will pay. You are apparently only reading what you choose and not everything I am telling. He will have an evaluation and will not get away with this. Why are you so anxious to make him out to be a monster? You don’t know him. He made a mistake, a serious one. That doesnt make him some demented psycho!!!

Posted by mykid on 04/09/08 - 2:02 pm • Report Abuse

No one is suggesting that a parent should turn their back on any of their children, but this situation can’t be ignored either. He put a lot of people in danger merely by bringing the gun to the school. As a parent you need to get to the bottom of the story and not just dismiss it as a boyish prank.

What possessed him to steal this gun and take it to the school, knowing the risk of doing so? I would not be quiet as willing to except that this was a foolish prank. I would want to know if he has been having problems with any other students in the school. This could very well be a sign of something much deeper that you have not noticed.

Posted by BamaBob on 04/09/08 - 1:52 pm • Report Abuse

Do you not think that one the one visit I have had with my incarcerated child that I have not voiced my disappointment? As you do not know me or anything about me, let me clue you in. I am a very outspoken person, and I am very firm with my children. You can be sure is aware of my feelings, and his room will no longer be private, he will have no privacy. While I am furious at his unacceptable behavior, I am still his mother. I carried him, gave birth to him and have loved and cared for him for 14+ years. I am heart broken. I can’t function because all I can think of is my baby in hand cuffs, my baby in jail. Yes, my heart goes out to any of you who feel your child was endanger, and while it may be no consolation to you, I can assure you there was no danger. Just a stupid, boyish lack of judgement. But would you be able to turn your back on your child? Would you be able to sit back and listen to people say things that are just not true about your family?

Posted by mykid on 04/09/08 - 1:41 pm • Report Abuse