Student suspended after bringing knife to school

By RON LARSEN

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- A River Bend Alternative Learning Center student who brought a knife to school Monday morning was immediately suspended, and school officials will be deciding whether he should be expelled.

Police were called to the center on 20th South Street about 8:30 a.m. after the student had been discovered showing the 3 3/4-inch locking blade knife to another student, Chief Erv Weinkauf said.

"It wasn't in any kind of a threatening manner; it was basically just meant to show," Weinkauf said.

The student and a parent, who were not identified, were in the office of Synova Shelgren, the school's program coordinator when the officer arrived, and "the student admitted to doing that," Weinkauf said.

"We have a policy that weapons are strictly prohibited as does most Minnesota school districts," said Gary Lewis, director of the River Bend Education District. "It is an immediate suspension, calling the police and the program supervisor making a recommendation regarding expulsion."

Lewis was reluctant to predict when a decision on the student's fate will be made.

"Let's just say we're in the process of doing that, and the first people notified will be the student and parents. There are some legal issues regarding notification which is why I'm being hesitant."

Lewis described the student as a "middle grader" in the K-12 grade school system.

River Bend accepts students from six area school districts, including New Ulm and Sleepy Eye, Lewis said.

Lewis characterized the incident as "not a first, but it's been several years."