Jefferson Parish School Board sides with principal, hearing officer in BB gun virtual violations
Second case currently under review
Second case currently under review
Second case currently under review
At a hearing nearly three months in the making, the Jefferson Parish School Board has decided weapons violations against two students will go on their permanent school records.
Ka'Mauri Harrison was recommended for expulsion for moving a BB gun in his bedroom during an online class Sept. 11. He was later suspended. Following today’s hearing, the violation will remain on his record, however the board modified his suspension from six days to three.
“The due process threshold was met, but barely,” said Jefferson Parish School Board member Mark Morgan.
Ka’mauri’s father, Nyron Harrison, told board members that he never received documents about the appeals or expulsion process. He ultimately left the meeting with his son after nearly seven hours of testimony, calling it a “disgrace.” Both returned to hear the board support the violations against Ka’Mauri in its decision.
WDSU Investigates broke the story on the virtual violations this fall, including a second case involving 11-year-old Tomie Brown. The School Board also decided Friday that the weapons violations against Brown will stand.
The hearings at the Special School Board Meeting follows months of litigation and public questions about the school system’s right to consider a student’s home part of school campus, if they are learning online. Ka’Mauri and his father Nyron helped craft the Ka’Mauri Harrison Act during Louisiana’s Special Legislative Session this fall. It requires school systems to write discipline policies for virtual students and notify families of the rules.
Before the hearings began, attorneys for the school board debated with journalists about the right to record public meetings. The cameras were allowed to stay in the room and record the entire meeting, according to open meetings laws. Journalists agreed to record only the voice of any witnesses who said they feared for their safety and had been threatened publicly.
The State Department of Justice is considering referring the Jefferson Parish School System to the Federal Department of Justice for the way they have handled the virtual violations.
The State Solicitor General called the hearing "kangaroo court." She was blocked from testifying during the hearing.
One member said the State Department of Justice being involved was "shameful."