Mom: Teen has 'no business' at school

RICHLAND, Mich. (WOOD) - A teen wants to go back to school after he was expelled for bringing a loaded gun to campus. Now, it's up to the school board to decide.

But some parents are already angry at the board. One father described the look of fear on his daughter's face at the thought of that student returning.

Michelle Tombro Tracy said she won't let her son go back to school if the Gull Lake Community Schools Board of Education reinstates the student.

"He has no business coming back to school. I think that he needs assistance," she said.

Police say that in November 2011, a 13-year-old boy stole his parents' loaded gun, 200 rounds of ammunition and car. Then he drove to Gull Lake Middle School, where he hid the gun in the parking lot. He was soon expelled.

"I still remain highly concerned about this board's ability to understand how serious this situation is," one parent said during public comment at the board's regular meeting Monday night.

But superintendent Christopher Rundle said the student is entitled to a chance.

"The law that we're dealing with has a part in it that allows for that consideration to be given," Rundle said.

One parent who works with troubled teens, Clark Hinga, knows the expelled boy. He said he doesn't believe people should be worried.

"Personally, I'd let him come sleep at my house," he said. "All kids go through problems."

The board already voted to reinstate the student once, but had to void that decision when it realized it was too soon to allow the student back.

On Monday, parents voiced their concerns about the student to the board.

"We're sensitive to all sides," said Rundle, acknowledging that some parents were concerned for their children's safety.

That's not good enough for Tracy.

"The legislature put into place a law that said 'you shall.' It's not 'you may' or 'you might' or 'you can think about it,'" said Tracy. "'You shall permanently expel a student when they bring a dangerous weapon to school.'"

The Gull Lake school board appointed a committee to take up the issue. It has 10 days to make a recommendation to the board whether the boy should be allowed back to school unconditionally, conditionally or not at all.