School Board affirms expulsions and denies reassignment appeal for students accused of weapons offenses

In an open meeting on May 8 the Fairfax County School Board confirmed disciplinary actions that had been discussed in closed session. The board approved motions to expel students found to have committed serious offenses by possessing weapons, and denied a school reassignment appeal for a student charged with brandishing a firearm and related community charges.

Board members moved to implement expulsions citing Section 22.1‑277.07 of the Code of Virginia and the Fairfax County Public Schools Students’ Rights and Responsibilities as the legal basis for the actions; the motions were seconded and carried by recorded votes. The board also voted to deny a reassignment appeal and to confirm a disciplinary decision of the division superintendent in that case; the vote was recorded as 11 in favor, 1 abstention.

Chair Frisch opened the confirmations by citing the statutory requirement for the board to certify that closed‑meeting discussions were limited to matters lawfully exempted from open‑meeting rules. Multiple motions were read into the record in open session to comply with Virginia statutory requirements for confirming closed‑session actions.

The board’s votes were entered on the public record; the motions and outcomes were recorded by the clerk. Specific student names and identifying details were not read into the public record at the board’s open‑session confirmations, consistent with student privacy and the procedural practice of discussing discipline in closed session before public confirmation of actions.

Board members did not debate individual case facts in open session; instead, the board followed the required certification and confirmation process under the Code of Virginia and the division’s Student Rights and Responsibilities regulation.