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Boy expelled for firing ball-bearing weapon in classroom



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Published Date: 07 October 2008
A pupil has been expelled from a Northaptonshire school after firing an airgun in the classroom.
Gage Smart, 13, fired several shots from the ball bearing gun around the classroom at Ise Community College in Kettering when a teacher walked in.

According to the boy's family, the teacher told him the gun, which fires plastic pellets, could have been mistaken for a real one.

However, his mum Lorna Smart said he was suspended only after another parent reportedly called to complain that her son had been hit by a pellet from the gun.

After a five-day suspension the school sent a letter to Ms Smart saying the exclusion had been made permanent.

His family appealed against the decision but were told by governors
they were not prepared to let Gage return to school due to the seriousness of the offence.

Ms Smart said: "I'm very angry. I don't think it was justified. He has got his SATs next year and he hasn't been given a chance. He is a loving child and he gets on with everyone."

Grandmother Jacqueline Smart said: "He is a kid of 13. He doesn't roam the streets and he doesn't hang around in gangs. He isn't troublesome, he's just a normal kid. I am pretty angry with the school."

The incident happened on Tuesday, September 2, after Gage had been given the BB gun by a classmate the night before.

His family said he took it into school but was caught using it by a teacher. He was suspended the next day.

When he got home, Gage, who plays for Rushden & Diamonds youth team, immediately wrote a letter of apology saying he was "stupid" for what he had done, Ms Smart said. She said his brother took the letter into school the next day.

Soon after his suspension his parents received a letter saying the school was making a permanent exclusion.

Gage's mother and grandmother went to an appeal hearing with the school governors, who refused to reverse their decision.

In a letter to Gage's parents, Angela Makepeace, clerk to the governors' disciplinary committee, said: "The governing body, after carefully considering all the representations made and all the available evidence, have decided to uphold Gage's exclusion."

In a statement, acting headteacher Diane Sherman said: "The safety of all students and staff is a priority."

The family are now planning to appeal to the local education authority.

The full article contains 411 words and appears in n/a newspaper.
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  • Last Updated: 07 October 2008 10:54 AM
  • Source: n/a
  • Location: Northampton
 
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northampton,

07/10/2008 09:56:40
you wouldnt be believing all this sweet little boy talk if it was another pupil at the school who had the gun now would you. Parents like you encourage their kids to grow up causing trouble
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mojo,

northampton 07/10/2008 10:04:52
How the parent of this boy can condone his actions and condemn those of the school is beyond me, what he did was stupid and thoughtless and at the age of 13 he should have known better. Having said that I can't believe that if this truly was a first offence the school couldn't have been more understanding than to have expelled him. Maybe the full facts of this boy’s behaviour have not been made public?
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jay28,

07/10/2008 10:34:48
With all the shooting and stabbing going on , Why would u b so stupid to let ur kid take a gun into school ? Infact why would you let ur child have a gun in the first place
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desktop,

07/10/2008 10:42:04
He is expelled and will now go to another school who will have the problem. In return, his old school will accept a child expelled from another school. What sort of punishment is that ?
I am sure he is a 'lovable rogue' Ho! Ho!
They should punish him and his parents.
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Kev.S,

Northampton 07/10/2008 10:44:25
Any child any age that takes a weapon into a school fake or real deserves to be expelled,We send our children to school to learn and be safe what would the parent say if one of them pellets had hit another child in the eye causing them to lose there sight.Sorry there there he is a loving child please let him off.He is lucky he does not get charged with having an imitation firearm in a public place.That's the punishment I would push for.We are too soft on children today and that's why they get away with what they do,and have no respect for others.Not all children are like this thank god.
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St Lytham,

The Beach 07/10/2008 10:45:51
This boy must be given another chance as clearly the adults in his life are unable to properly supervise him or give him mature guidance.Perhaps Social Welfare should look into his parenting and indeed that of his brother? Perhaps his mother is right when she says he hasn't been given a chance but for a reason other than she thinks.Schools should have ZERO tolerence of this type of dangerous behaviour.The Police must visit this family and give them the facts of real life.
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Cely,

07/10/2008 11:47:47
The parents coments are beyond belife. The boy should be reported to the police and hopfuly prosicuted nd lock up for a long time.
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Diane Northampton,

07/10/2008 13:07:16
This is exactly why some schools have a bad reputation all because of the minority who behave bad and have parents who are as bad as the pupils. When the parent backs the child instead of the schools,this is where is goes downhill,they have lost respect for the teachers when the parents have condoned their bad behaviour. It's the parents that need sorting out,when they don't back the teachers!
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ray douglas,

northampton 07/10/2008 14:12:50
Is this boy another victim of our broken society?Are the parents married?Does the boy have a Responsible Dad at home?I am not excusing Gage?'s actions,but so much of our trouble from youth,is as a result of the breakdown of the previous norms of family life.You do not have to be a tory to think this,just look around.
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mojo,

northampton 07/10/2008 15:30:57
Maggie said "there' no such thing as society", now Davie boy thinks that it is broken, they'll make their minds up soon.
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