A student was taken into police custody after a weapon was found in the student’s backpack at Plum Grove Middle School, district officials said at a school board meeting. Rolling Meadows Police Department is conducting an investigation; the district said there was no known threat and the weapon was confiscated after school hours, which the district said is why a lockdown was not called. The district notified families about the incident and said it will follow Board Policy 7:190 on weapons when police findings are complete.

Why it matters: the discovery prompted public comment and renewed calls from parents for immediate disciplinary action and for the district to step up communication about safe gun storage. Board and district officials announced additional internal reviews and a scheduled meeting of the district safety committee with local police and fire representatives to evaluate response protocols.

District response and next steps
District officials said Rolling Meadows police and district legal staff were in immediate coordination following the incident and that families received an initial communication about 7 p.m. the evening the weapon was found. The district said the students involved did not attend school the following day while the investigation continues. The district plans to debrief building and district leaders, reflect on what went well, and identify ways to strengthen communication and safety practices. The district also said its safety committee — made up of administrators and local police and fire representatives — will meet on Sept. 19 to review response protocols and determine adjustments for future incidents.

Discipline
The district said any disciplinary action will follow Board Policy 7:190 (weapons), and that the policy allows for possible expulsion of up to two years depending on the police findings. The district did not announce a final discipline decision and said it will wait for the conclusion of the police investigation before taking formal steps.

Public comments
Parent Luis Gutierrez urged the board to impose immediate expulsion, saying, "my suggestion is immediate expulsion." At the same meeting, parent Joyce Slavic urged the district to push information to families about safe firearm storage and cited a recently signed state law requiring secure storage to prevent access by minors and prohibited persons. Slavic said the district’s web page on gun safety and links to resources such as free gun locks are helpful but should be redistributed so new families see them.

Clarifications from the district and community requests
District representatives asked the public to avoid spreading unverified information on social media. Officials said some communication limits are necessary because of the ongoing police investigation and legal considerations. The district encouraged parents with specific concerns to contact Principal Rivera directly.

What was not decided
No formal board action on discipline, expulsions, or policy changes was taken at the meeting; the district emphasized that police findings will guide next steps.

Ending
District officials said they will send a follow-up communication to families with details available after the police provide additional information, and that the safety committee meeting will review procedural changes that the district may adopt going forward.