Zero Tolerance Hits Montana Honors Student

From Fox News ~ On the morning of Dec.1, Demari DeReu drove to Columbia Falls High School in Montana and parked her blue-green Honda Accord in the lot, just as she does every morning. The 16-year-old honor roll student, class treasurer and varsity cheerleader walked in to school, forgetting entirely about the unloaded hunting rifle locked in the trunk of her car.

Later that day, there was an announcement telling students contraband sniffing dogs were scouting the parking lot, sparking her memory. She immediately told administrators that she’d forgotten to remove her scoped hunting rifle from the trunk following a Thanksgiving family hunting excursion.

She was suspended from school for violating federal and state gun laws.

On Monday, the school board will convene for a hearing to decide the fate and academic future of the high school junior, who recently was voted most dedicated cheerleader by her teammates and coach.

DeReu's supporters say her future success may be harmed irrevocably because of one mistake and a school board’s lack of common sense, and they have been sending e-mails en masse and campaigning to garner support from around the region, and across the country.

But the school district superintendent, Mike Nicosia, says the entire issue has been blown out of proportion and that the school board members will be fair and wouldn’t ruin the future of the bright honors student. He blamed outside influences for turning the whole thing into a circus.

Share |