Garfield Re-2 looks to update its knife policy
A new proposed policy that would prohibit knives of all lengths from being in possession of students and teachers both on campus grounds and campus-authorized vehicles was brought to the attention of the Garfield Re-2 School Board during Wednesday’s second of two monthly meetings.
Currently, Colorado school law allows students to bring knives to school as long as they don’t exceed the 3.5-inch blade mark.
The proposed policy presented Wednesday, called Policy JICI, asks students to report any mistakenly brought knives to the front office for hold until the end of the school day. It also says students may be faced with disciplinary action for the use, possession, or threaten to use a knife on school grounds.
During the board meeting, Garfield Re-2 Assistant Superintendent Lisa Pierce said students who mistakenly bring knives on school grounds and report to any administrators or teachers will not be subject to disciplinary action.
“We don’t want students to have knives on them,” Pierce said. “If you do bring a knife and you take the right steps as the student to say I accidentally have it here… we know accidents happen.”
One question raised during the first reading of the policy related to the unconscious habit for students to carry pocket knives with them. The question also raised concern for students who would have no intention to pull the knife out during school hours.
“So many of these kids worked in a ranch situation and so it’s like an unconscious thing a lot of times that these things are in their pocket,” Director Dawn Evridge said. “You’ve got these working kids who may cut their bales of hay in the morning, get on the bus and then have to go back after.”
While the policy is intended to prevent harm, one statement from Director Tony May inquired as to whether the policy would prevent students bringing knives specifically for harmful purposes from doing so.
“If someone wants to do harm they will do harm,” May said. “They aren’t going to listen to this policy.”
The board is set to continue further discussion of policy JICI during the May 10 meeting.
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