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Students defend classmate expelled for gun
WTVD-TV ^ | Tuesday, April 30, 2013 | Kelli O'Hara

Posted on 05/01/2013 2:15:12 PM PDT by ConservativeInPA

PRINCETON, N.C. (WTVD) -- A Johnston County high school student has been expelled for bringing a gun onto school property, but the school's student body is coming to his defense. David "Cole" Withrow is a senior at Princeton High School. He was set to graduate in just a few weeks, until his arrest Monday for bringing a gun to school. Cole, who is an Eagle Scout and an honors student, said he forgot to take his gun out of his truck after skeet shooting. When he got to school and realized the gun was in his car, he went into school to call his mom so he could leave and take the gun home. The school found out and Cole was arrested and expelled. Now his classmates and members of the community are speaking out in his defense. "He's been taught when you're in trouble, you call your parent, and that's what he did. And now he's being punished for what I consider doing the right thing," family friend Kim Boykin said. "Free Cole" is painted on several cars of Cole's classmates. The "Free Cole" outrage is also going viral on social media. "I do think our faculty did the right thing to protect the students, but I do think it's overdone because he was trying to take it home and do the right thing," Princeton High School student Lacynn Belk said. Still, Johnston County Schools stand by their decision to expel Cole. "A student brought an unloaded shotgun on campus. The shotgun was located in a locked vehicle. Administration reacted promptly and the proper procedures and protocol were followed. The law is very clear when a person knowingly and willingly brings a weapon onto educational property," Johnston County Schools spokesperson Tracey Peedin Jones said.

(Excerpt) Read more at abclocal.go.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events; US: North Carolina
KEYWORDS: banglist; guncontrol; secondamendment
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A fine example of unionized government schools. I really, really dislike educators.
1 posted on 05/01/2013 2:15:12 PM PDT by ConservativeInPA
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To: ConservativeInPA
If it was in his trunk nobody would ever have known.

You have to learn that there are times when you just keep your mouth shut.

2 posted on 05/01/2013 2:19:37 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum (Islam is a religion of peace, and Moslems reserve the right to behead anyone who says otherwise.)
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To: ConservativeInPA

Oy Vey. When, just when, will the stupidity stop?

Rhetorical of course.


3 posted on 05/01/2013 2:20:02 PM PDT by NoGrayZone (For evil to triumph it is only necessary for good men to do nothing.)
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To: ConservativeInPA

He didn’t “knowingly” take the shotgun onto the property.

In fact, the opposite.


4 posted on 05/01/2013 2:20:18 PM PDT by Jewbacca (The residents of Iroquois territory may not determine whether Jews may live in Jerusalem.)
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To: ConservativeInPA

No good deed ever goes unpunished, so an example can be made when there are so few chances for examples to be made.


5 posted on 05/01/2013 2:23:17 PM PDT by LachlanMinnesota
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To: ConservativeInPA

He should have driven home and put it away. Return late instead of inflaming the retarded school employees. A bad decision leads to an arrest.


6 posted on 05/01/2013 2:24:22 PM PDT by Myrddin
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To: ConservativeInPA

Lesson taught to the student: Never trust the authorities; never tell anyone in authority anything important. Is this what they wanted to teach?


7 posted on 05/01/2013 2:25:11 PM PDT by Truth29
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To: ConservativeInPA

Yes, laws have extant to their foundation “Intent” and that is where your argument fails.

The law is very clear when a person knowingly and willingly brings a weapon onto educational property,” Johnston County Schools spokesperson Tracey Peedin Jones said.

This kid remembered it was in the truck and wanted to get permission to go home and store.

He didn’t have any intention of bringing it onto campus.

Personally, though, I do wonder about this whole honesty crap anyway. He didn’t have to inform on himself and risk everything that ensued.

He could have drop the thing behind his back seat and no one would have known.


8 posted on 05/01/2013 2:25:31 PM PDT by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously, you won't live through it anyway)
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To: ConservativeInPA

The Socialists will spin this one for all it’s worth.


9 posted on 05/01/2013 2:26:30 PM PDT by PapaNew
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

In this case, the kid would have better off to say NOTHING, finish out the day and go home. End of story. Too late now.


10 posted on 05/01/2013 2:26:53 PM PDT by DaveA37 (I'm for HONEST government)
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To: ConservativeInPA
BREAKING NEWS - Two administrators at the same school did the same thing as Cole, and NOTHING was done to them.

I will post a link as soon as it becomes available.

11 posted on 05/01/2013 2:30:45 PM PDT by ConservativeInPA (Molon Labe - Shall not be questioned)
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To: Progov

However, he’s learned all there is to learn about Fascism and it’s running dog lackeys. Fear them, hate them ~ they are soulless automatons ~ many have lost every element of humanity.


12 posted on 05/01/2013 2:31:15 PM PDT by muawiyah
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To: ConservativeInPA
Video of students supporting Cole:

http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/html5/video?id=9085266&pid=null&section=null

13 posted on 05/01/2013 2:34:28 PM PDT by ConservativeInPA (Molon Labe - Shall not be questioned)
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To: ConservativeInPA

Back in the 1960’s ( in Pa_) I walked to school every morning and checked my trap lines. I shot all the varmints I caught, dropped them off at my Gramma’s house and proceeded onto the school grounds. I immediately went to the teacher’s lounge and said “Mr. Greer, here’s my pistol.” He said OK and checked to make sure it was clear. He put it in his desk drawer, and nothing was EVER thought about it. At the end of classes I retrieved it and went about gathering my previous catch, checking my traps on the way home, and never once thought about going Muslim. AND...I was bullied, because my brother was an a...hole and I smelled like skunk (or fox) (or mink) piss.


14 posted on 05/01/2013 2:36:32 PM PDT by Safetgiver ( Islam makes barbarism look genteel.)
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To: Safetgiver

You didn’t trust your Gramma with the pistol?


15 posted on 05/01/2013 2:38:32 PM PDT by thackney (life is fragile, handle with prayer)
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To: Truth29
Lesson taught to the student: Never trust the authorities; never tell anyone in authority anything important. Is this what they wanted to teach?

Sounds like what any long haired hippie freak would teach back in the late 60's early 70's. "Never trust anyone over 30." Now they are f'n in charge.

16 posted on 05/01/2013 2:39:51 PM PDT by ConservativeInPA (Molon Labe - Shall not be questioned)
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To: Safetgiver

I went to school with my .22 rifle so’s I could go shooting after school. The teacher stood it in the corner by her desk ‘til school let out and off I went. No one thought anything of it. And that was in Mass.


17 posted on 05/01/2013 2:40:55 PM PDT by Paine in the Neck (Socialism consumes everything)
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To: thackney

She wouldn’t allow a weapon in the house. Reason why my Grandpa drank himself to death.


18 posted on 05/01/2013 2:44:58 PM PDT by Safetgiver ( Islam makes barbarism look genteel.)
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To: ConservativeInPA

My kid is on the school trap team. They were warned loudly and often what could happen if they brought their shotgun onto school grounds. On top of expulsion, possible prosecution, there was the possible cancellation of the whole trap program.

I agree it is overkill but they were warned.


19 posted on 05/01/2013 2:45:20 PM PDT by toast
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To: ConservativeInPA
The law is very clear when a person knowingly and willingly brings a weapon onto educational property,"

It was NOT a weapon. It was an unloaded firearm...thus its only use could be as a club. And not a particularly efficient one.

Do they have the same zero tolerance rules for baseball bats?

20 posted on 05/01/2013 2:48:56 PM PDT by Bloody Sam Roberts (For me, I plan to die standing as a free man rather than spend one second on my knees as a slave.)
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