From http://lee.slh.schoolfusion.us/

Statement from Lee County Schools Superintendent Jeff Moss Regarding Ashley Smithwick

This is in response to the media coverage of the alleged long-term suspension of Ashley Smithwick, a student at Southern Lee High School. The facts recited by the media are erroneous and without foundation.

On October 20, 2010, a faculty member at Southern Lee High School discovered a student on campus with marijuana. Based upon information obtained in the interview between school administration and the student in question, a search of several other students, including Miss Smithwick, was promptly conducted. During this search, a 3-inch paring knife was found on the person of Miss Smithwick in her purse. The knife was not found in Miss Smithwick’s lunchbox as reported by her family and the media.

Miss Smithwick has not been long-term suspended from Southern Lee High School. She is currently enrolled as a student at the school. Over two months after the event it is a mystery to us that the Smithwick’s concerns were not brought to our attention by the family through normal appeal procedures prior to going to the press.

At first I was pissed off at the principal. Now I am pissed off at the student and her father.

Thanks Thomas. Now we have the side of the school. I'm sure the truth may be somewhere around both of those stories. So did reporter Bryan Mims make this up? He quotes school officials as saying they can't comment, but here we see a posting about her on a school website? Being enrolled doesn't mean she is going to that school, or that she is not going to community college. Then they take a shot at her family for not going to them. I'd say Google or not. It smells.

The "purse" was a fancy lunchbag from BYO (for Bring Your Own). My wife has something similar.

For completeness, the principal has not made any public statement.

I don't think any of us has the full story yet.

A suspension will be on her permanent record, and may be of import since this is college application time.

In any case, zero tolerance sometimes has unintended consequences.

I too wonder why this is in the news right now.

http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?section=news/local&id=7872258 This makes it sound like she got suspended for 10 days and then a choice of long term suspension or finishing school on-line.

The truth is out there.

This is such b.s. that I cannot even get into it. The idea that people need to be protected into giving up all their simple rights is maddening.

I wonder if the school folks realize that someone could choke another person to death with a necklace.

I have a piece of pencil lead in my leg where another kid stabbed me when we were in the seventh grade. Maybe they should outlaw pencils.

The idea that people need to be protected into giving up all their simple rights is maddening.

Well, frankly, the more normal, everyday people whose lives are wrecked by our insane "zero tolerance" laws, the better. Perhaps if people speak out in great enough numbers then we'll see a push for change.

Perhaps not. What if seizure of the reins of government under force of arms is the only recourse the little people have left at this point ? Not that I would ever advocate such a thing in private, or in public, of course.

What Cabbie, don't you believe in the real tea party, the one that happened in Boston harbor several centuries ago?

Another example why public education is failing.

In a slightly similar vein, my old high school principal, who openly considered the Bill of Rights only fit to wipe his butt, had a new junior high named after him. In the spirit of keeping up traditions, I'm now waiting for a psychiatric hospital to be named after Charles Manson.

"At first I was pissed off at the principal. Now I am pissed off at the student and her father."
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Plan on your wild swings of pissed-off-edness to continue.

The school board is meeting in exec session this morning. More information to follow, but how much will become public info?

Maybe they should outlaw pencils.

Looks like that has already been tried: http://www.telegram.com/article/20101116/NEWS/101119746

The public stmt after the (private) Exec Session meeting:

"The Lee County Board of Education is legally prohibited from releasing details and commenting on this student discipline matter further. The Board, however, contends strenuously that the related television and newspaper articles are inaccurate and that all relevant laws and board policies were adhered to and followed. Additional information will have to be obtained from the District Attorney and the Sanford Police Department. The Board, however, will be glad to comment further on this matter if the student and her parents will provide the Lee County Board of Education a written release of the school records."
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Q: More information to follow, but how much will become public info?

A: Not much...

"Miss Smithwick has not been long-term suspended from Southern Lee High School. She is currently enrolled as a student at the school."

Enrolled eh? Yeah, but suspended. Enrolled so they still get their state funding most likely. At least she is learning first hand how corrupt government and education is.