from Thursday's Dallas newspaper (sorry if there are goofy breaks): "Student expelled for bread knife to return to class

03/21/2002

By LORI PRICE / The Dallas Morning News

Taylor Hess, an honors student at L.D. Bell High School in Hurst who was expelled earlier this month after school officials found a bread knife in the bed of his pickup, will return to school Friday.

In lieu of an appeal hearing regarding the disciplinary matter and the fate of Taylor, 16, Hurst-Euless-Bedford school officials said Thursday that they will uphold the mandatory expulsion handed down March 4, but will reduce the length of the expulsion to the amount of time the student has already spent in the district's disciplinary alternative education program.

Taylor spent five days in the program. His original punishment was set for one calendar year in the Tarrant County Juvenile Justice Alternative Education Program.

District officials said the expulsion will not appear on Taylor's permanent record.

The district had planned to make the recommendation for the reduced expulsion time at a Thursday hearing, but came to an agreement with the Hess family and their attorney's prior to the scheduled time of the hearing.

"The motivation of the district in this student discipline matter involving Taylor Hess is, and always has been, to provide a safe school environment for all the district's students," said Gene Buinger, H-E-B schools superintendent. "The Hess family agrees with the district's motivation to keep schools safe and appreciates the amicable resolution of Taylor's discipline matter."