ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Brianna Williams’ 12-year-old son has been out of school for over a month.
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“I was worried about my son’s future,” Williams said. “I’m concerned about how students are able to get weapons on campus.”
Her son was suspended for ten days. Then expelled and now ordered by the district to go to an alternative school, all for what “another” student brought to campus.
“My son was touching keys. And again, had he known that there were weapons on that keychain, my son would not have grabbed it,” Williams said.
According to witness statements from OCPS, Williams’ son pulled that chain, not knowing it was attached to a mace and a small knife.
“Because he was involved in the situation. That’s why he’s being reprimanded,” Williams said. “But the issue is, he didn’t bring the weapon to school.”
The entire incident started after two girls came into his classroom and chased him, taking his phone and hitting him.
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When he grabbed at the girl’s keychain, that’s when the mace and knife, which were attached to the chain, ended up in his possession.
“Continued to insist that because he was in possession of a weapon that he did not bring to school,” Williams said these were the consequences,” Williams said. “There was no way around it. There was no mediating, no negotiating, no nothing.
Her son was cited for horseplay as well as possession of a weapon, the highest offense.
“So because he was horse playing with this student,” Williams said. “he’s now being involved in the level four.”
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The mother said she wasn’t there and did not give permission for her child to sign documents that she learned were later used against him.
“He does not deserve to go to positive pathways,” Williams said. “He deserves to continue his education like any other child.”
Under the OCPS code of conduct, the school stands in as the parent while the student is at school
Employees are authorized to interview students and get witness statements, even without a parent present.
“Statements are being used against him that I feel like he was forced to sign,” Williams said.
The code says a student can refuse, but that won’t stop the investigation.
His witness statements and code of conduct were all signed by him and used in the investigation.
“How can you hold that against him if I was never able to go over the student code of conduct with him?” Williams said.
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Williams said she never received a copy of the code of conduct contract to sign.
“You tell a kid that they’re in trouble for holding pepper spray, and you then turn around and tell him to write a statement they’re going to write they got in trouble for pepper spray,” Williams said, “but then you turn around and say, this is your statement. And this is what you wrote. So this is why you have to go to an alternative school. That’s not right.”
The district’s code also says parents can request that their student not participate in discipline investigations without their permission.
But that has to be submitted in writing ahead of time.
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“You will work harder to put a record behind his name instead of working harder to give him a better education. That’s what I’m frustrated with,” Williams said.
Williams is currently appealing the decision.
Because two other minors were involved, it is unclear what punishments the girls received.
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