Katy ISD
DATE OF INCIDENT: March 2, 2010
INCIDENT:
A 15-year-old boy purchased a belt and a designer belt buckle from a kiosk at the Katy Mills Mall. The ornate buckle resembled a pair of brass knuckles though its thickness was no more than a millimeter. Thinking it was cool, the boy wore the belt and buckle to school. He did not draw attention to himself nor threatened to use this belt buckle as a weapon. A teacher saw him walking down the hallway and reported him to a vice principal. The VP confiscated the buckle.
KISD RESPONSE:
The student was arrested and booked into a juvenile facility in Richmond. He was held there from March 2nd to the 4th where he was arraigned. Going through intake, he was given a 56-question profile for psychiatric reasons. He was nervous about taking the test but was encouraged to answer however he wanted—they were just trying to get to know him better. Still confused, the boy hesitated in completing the evaluation. The test administrator began badgering him and so the boy answered as he believed the administrator wanted him to respond. At the hearing, the administrator recommended holding the boy for an additional 10 working days in order to complete a more thorough evaluation. Luckily, the boy’s father hired an attorney and was able to have the boy released immediately.
The school district expelled him to the district’s alternative campus. Originally, the decision was to refer him to a juvenile justice program—a boot camp—but the school official explained they wouldn’t go by the book on this one.
OTHER:
The father said, "I can clearly see that minors have no rights in their system and they are free to use or abuse these kids as they see fit."
© Texas Zero Tolerance
