Palm Beach County School Board approves one-year expulsion for student after weapon found on campus

The Palm Beach County School Board voted 5-2 to expel Student 24-25-X-019 from the district's regular public school program for one calendar year, following a hearing in which staff presented findings related to a weapon brought to a campus.

Superintendent (name not specified) recommended the expulsion, saying, “I recommend the board expel student 24 25 dash x dash 0 1 9 from the regular public school program of the school district to Palm Beach County for 1 calendar year from the date of the offense.” The motion to approve the recommendation was made by Miss Branch and seconded by Mr. Lane.

The board’s decision came after several members urged consideration of mitigating circumstances. Mr. Ferguson said he believed “the length of the expulsion should be mitigated,” and Miss Whitfield asked that the start of the expulsion be adjusted to “the beginning of the school year next year,” citing possible translation confusion in the record. Miss Savallero also stressed ensuring translations were accurate, saying the translation process is “very sensitive to what one says and the other one says” and asking who performs translations and what steps are used.

Vice Chair Andrews and other board members voiced support for the superintendent’s recommendation, and Superintendent (name not specified) and a staff presenter identified as Mr. Burke told the board they had reviewed the findings of fact and assessed the nature of the weapon and statements from other students that bore on whether the item had been used to threaten or intimidate. Mr. Burke said the hearing did not challenge the findings of fact and that the recommendation sought consistency with prior cases.

On the roll call, the motion carried with five members voting in favor; Miss Whitfield and Mr. Ferguson voted no. The board did not adopt the mitigation proposal to adjust the expulsion start date during the public discussion.

Board members and the superintendent discussed placement and supports for the student while expelled. Miss Andrews said she hoped the student’s parents would “look around to find a different kind of placement for him that can be most suitable” and that the district would seek an appropriate setting when the student becomes eligible to return. The transcript records a suggestion that the student might not return to Palm Beach Lakes High School specifically, though no placement decision was made by the board during the meeting.

The board then adjourned to closed sessions on risk management, cybersecurity and a security system plan; no further public action on this item was recorded in the transcript.