Parents upset over school's disciplinary action following alleged threat

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Parents turned to Channel 9 after they said a student threatened to slit their son's throat with a knife.

Officials at Porter Ridge Middle School found the knife on campus and suspended the student.

Those parents told reporter Tina Terry they don't think the district has done enough to protect their child and other students.

Brandi Burke and her husband, Cory Burke, are outraged over that incident two weeks ago at the school.

"This is a form of bullying,” Brandi Burke said. “This is a threat. This is a premeditated measure that a child took on someone's life."

She posted to Facebook saying an eighth-grader brought multiple knives to school and told other students he planned to slit her son's throat.

"My son reported the knife to the librarian," the boy's father said.

A spokesperson for the district said the school investigated the incident and the student was found with one knife on school property.

They said there was not a direct threat made to the Burkes' child.

Although the student was suspended, the Burkes said he is back in school.

"Just yesterday, the kid came up to my son and told him to move for no reason,” Brandi Burke said. “Plenty of room to move around."

They want to see harsher penalties for students who make threats, bring weapons and bully others.

The recommended penalty for bringing a weapon on campus and making a threat to a student is three to 10 days, according to the Middle School Student Handbook.

The Burkes said for something this serious, a child should be expelled.

Union County Public Schools statement:

“The safety and security of our students and staff are critically important. Staff at Porter Ridge Middle is committed to maintaining a safe learning environment for its students. Appropriate action has been taken in this matter, as an active investigation continues to address the concerns.”

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