An 18-year-old student has been expelled from a Georgia high school after five cans of unopened beer were found on the floorboard of his car in the school parking lot, according to Channel 2 Action News.
The Bowdon High School senior’s punishment has sparked debate throughout Carroll County and prompted a review of the district’s student code of conduct, the television station reported.
The boy’s mother, Peggy Robinson, is appealing the expulsion, according to Channel 2. She confirmed that her son was a member of the school’s varsity baseball team.
The news station reported that the beer was found during a drug sweep in late March. Robinson said it was left in the car after a party.
“He owned his mistake, and that’s what I’ve always told my children to own their mistakes,” Robinson said. “(The expulsion is) like kicking him to the curb.”
School board member Bart Cater told Channel 2 that the board has directed the superintendent to revisit the code of conduct.
“I feel some punishments need to be tiered,” Cater said, “and not just one size punishment fits all.”
School district spokeswoman Charity Aaron declined to offer any details about the case or the student’s disciplinary history.
"To protect the privacy and confidentiality of our students,” she told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, “we do not release personal information or details regarding disciplinary action.”
Robinson told Channel 2 that her son has enrolled in an alternative school.
“We were all shocked,” she said. “This has knocked the wind out of our sails.”
About the Author
