By By Micheal Chukwuebuka
A Michigan mother has alleged that her 11-year-old son was expelled after dismantling a loaded gun brought into school by another pupil.
Savitra McClurkin said her son, Sakir Everett, was abruptly removed from Dwight Rich School of the Arts in Lansing in May and has since been unable to secure admission into another school.
“I’m upset with everybody,” McClurkin told reporters. “I’m not just angry with the district; I’m also angry with some of the teachers, administrators, and the city, because they did not handle this properly.”
The Lansing School District, in a statement, said its decision followed “a thorough investigation, including review of video evidence, numerous witness statements, and careful deliberation, as well as a disciplinary hearing.”
Stonix News reports that the incident occurred when another pupil allegedly produced a loaded firearm in a school bathroom and handed it to Sakir. McClurkin said her son, who has some experience with hunting and gun safety through his godfather, knew it was unsafe to carry the weapon.
Instead, he disassembled the firearm in class in front of other pupils and a teacher, placed the parts inside a heater, and threw the bullets into a bin.
“He didn’t want it on him, but he didn’t want anyone else to mess with it either,” McClurkin explained.
When asked why her son did not immediately report the gun to staff, she said he was frightened and had never been taught how to respond in such a situation. Other pupils later alerted an administrator.
The district stated that “the full account of the incident has not been reported” but declined further comment, citing privacy laws. It added: “Disciplinary action would not have been warranted for disarming another student. Please know, however, that the safety of our students and staff remains our paramount interest.”
Police later detained the pupil who had brought the firearm, though Lansing police have not issued a formal statement.
McClurkin raised the matter at a Lansing School Board meeting last week, telling members: “He’s 11 years old, in seventh grade, and has never been in trouble before.”
Since May, Sakir has been denied entry into four schools due to the expulsion on his record. In the meantime, his mother said she is keeping him occupied with sports and an unaccredited online schooling programme.
“They didn’t just do my son wrong, they did me wrong too,” she said. “All I’m trying to do is be a good parent and make sure my son is getting an education.”
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