A Michigan mother says her 11-year-old son was expelled after he disarmed a classmate who brought a loaded gun to school in May.
Savitra McClurkin said her son, Sakir Everett, was kicked out of Dwight Rich School of the Arts in Lansing and has since been denied admission to four other schools.
“I’m upset with everybody. I’m not just mad at the district, I’m mad at some of these teachers, administrators, as well as the city, because they did not handle this right,” McClurkin said.
What happened in the classroom
According to McClurkin, another student pulled out the gun in a bathroom and handed it to Sakir.
“Like here, take this, hold on to this,” she recalled.
Sakir, who learned gun safety from his godfather, refused to carry the weapon. Instead, he took it to class, dismantled it in front of others, hid the pieces in a heater, and tossed the bullets in a trash can.
“He didn’t want it on his person, but he didn’t want nobody to mess with it,” McClurkin said.
Asked why her son didn’t immediately alert an adult, she explained that he was scared and had never been taught what to do in that situation.
Other students eventually informed an administrator about the firearm.
District defends its decision
In a statement, the Lansing School District said the expulsion followed a “thorough investigation, including review of video evidence, numerous witness statements, and careful deliberation, as well as a disciplinary hearing.”
The district insisted:
“Disciplinary action would not have been warranted for disarming another student.”
Citing privacy laws, officials said the full account has not been made public but emphasized student and staff safety as their top priority.
Police took the student who brought the gun into custody, though Lansing police did not immediately comment.
Ongoing fight for answers
McClurkin confronted the school board last Thursday, NBC affiliate WILX reported.
“He’s 11 years old. Seventh grade. Never been in trouble before,” she told board members.
Since May, Sakir has been out of school, relying on sports and an unaccredited online program. His mother says the district failed to provide an alternative path for his education.
“They really just did, not just my son, they did me wrong, too. All I’m trying to do is just be a good parent and make sure that my son is getting an education,” she said.
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