Student at Douglass High found in possession of knife

COLUMBIA ­— Douglass High School officials are still deciding what action to take against a student who had a knife on campus Tuesday.

“It was not a threat situation, but the police were called,” said Principal Brian Gaub. No one was threatened or harmed in the incident.

“It will be up to the police department whether or not charges are pressed,” Gaub said.

No discipline incidents involving weapons occurred at Douglass High School last year. In the past five years, seven incidents involving weapons have been recorded at the school, according to records on the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Web site. Four of those were in 2006, the highest single-year number in the past five years.

Gaub said the school is still determining what disciplinary action is necessary.

Douglass’ handbook outlines standard consequences for possessing a weapon. On the first offense, a student may receive between 1 to 180 days of in-school or out-of-school suspension or expulsion. For a subsequent offense, a student could receive between 11 to 180 days of out-of-school suspension or expulsion. Any situation could be documented in the student’s discipline record.

For more information on offenses and possible consequences, Douglass’ full Handbook is online at www.columbia.k12.mo.us.