Mother fighting son's expulsion from school after knife found in his truck

ROCK HILL, S.C. — A knife discovered in the bed of a pickup truck in a school parking lot, put a Northwestern High School junior out of class for the year.

Chandler Helms, 16, was expelled from the high school because of the district's zero-tolerance policy on weapons.

The teen's family is fighting the expulsion, arguing that
the policy lacks common sense.

"I think it's nonsense," said Helms' mother, Tabatha Pruitt. "I just really didn't think it was going to be this serious."

Her son told Channel 9 it was a simple accident and he didn't intend to harm anyone.

"It was a mistake and I told them it would never happen again," Helms said.

His mistake was leaving a 4-inch fishing knife in his truck in the parking lot at Northwestern High School on Jan. 20. He was stunned
when an administrator confronted him about it.

"He said, ‘There's a weapon in your tailgate,’ and I said, ‘You got to be kidding me, man. There's not a weapon back there,’" the student said.

The knife was wedged under some pieces of wood in the rear of the bed. Helms enjoys hunting and fishing.

He was sent home and after a hearing four days later, he learned he was expelled.

Expulsion for this kind of offense is for the remainder of the school year.

That means Helms can't transfer to any other school this year either, even out of state, or take classes online.

His mother had planned to enroll him in a Gaston County School in North Carolina but was told she couldn't.

Until last year, Rock Hill Schools allowed some expelled students to attend an alternative-type school called Renaissance Academy.
In 2016, the school board changed that policy and students accused of weapons offenses are no longer allowed to attend class there.

Pruitt said if her son had brought the knife into school, in his pocket, or in a book bag, she would be in favor of expelling him. She feels this rule doesn't take the circumstances into account.

"It's just so ridiculous to me that something that was left unintentionally in the bed of a pickup truck is causing this kid not to be able to go to school," she said.

The Rock Hill Schools district legally can't comment on cases of student discipline.

A spokesman emailed a statement:

“It is our policy to ensure the safety and welfare of students and employees. The presence of a knife with a blade length of more than two inches on school district property poses a severe threat of series harm or injury to students and staff. While on school grounds, students will not possess any item capable of inflicting injury or harm to persons or property when that item is not used in relation to a normal school activity at a scheduled time for the student. No vehicles parked on school property may contain knives or other items which are generally considered to be weapons. Students found in violation of this policy are recommended for expulsion and have a right to appeal the district's decision.”

Pruitt told Channel 9 she sent that letter of appeal to the school district on Monday. In it, is a petition with more than 3,000 signatures collected online urging the school board to overturn the expulsion.

She hopes to appear at the next board meeting later this month.

Cox Media Group