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Bª! 0?Ç! 0D$˜HP LaserJet 4SiHPPCL5MS,ü,,,,,ü0nLÐ,c½¬AZ‹"Arial RegularX(Ó~Ð$¡¡Ñ  ÑÒH°ÒÒ°ÒÑTR[  AØ'ÿ LegalLˆhÐ (Avery 4167 Post Card AØ'ÿ LegalhÐ (Avery 4167 Post CardTÑÔ€Xm¢XXXÔÑ7€¥3XXdìXXdæ7ÑC:\WPWIN60\TEMPLATE\STANDARD.WPTÈ =E>?@ABDCUDÊEÊFÓ€R¦"Ô<XÔô3|xQ2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  ÔH2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô  ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ< Œ 9p`(Arial% Line 7 d""""7Border 1dd d€-#Cþÿ << Gÿÿ ™Ý ƒ!ÝÑ  ÑÑ#€d#ÑÔ€!ÔÑ  ÑÒ  ÒÒ H ÒÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ#€d#ÑÝ  ÝÔ€!ÔÓ  ÓÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€!XÔÌÌò òJuneÏ6,Ï1997ÌÌCecilÏCrowson,ÏJr.ÌÔ€!ôÔAppellateÏCourtÏClerkó ó ’Ý ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€!ÔÑ  ÑÒ  ÒÒ H ÒÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ#€d#ÑÝ  ÝÝ ƒ¼$Ýà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóÝ  ÝA€knife,€eighteen€inches€in€length,€concealed€in€a€cane.€€It€is€admittedly€aÏdangerous€weapon.Ì aÝ ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€!ÔÑ  ÑÒ  ÒÒ H ÒÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ#€d#ÑÝ  ÝÝ ƒ¼$Ýà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóÝ  ÝSee€Tennessee€Attorney€General€Opinion€93„43.ÌPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHÚ(d'h$$$$'ÿÿdxdStyl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÒ  h HD: Geneva ÒÒ  h HD: Geneva Ò("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò€-‚ƒCþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó„„'÷ÿ dxdüÿP Pd(ï(3Á™$¤¤Ý ƒ~Ð!ÝÑ  ÑÒH°ÒÒ°ÒÑTR[  AØ'ÿ Legal3Ø' AØ'ÿ Legalÿ3Ø'TÑÔ€Xj×XXXÔÑ7€j×XXdæXXdð7ÑÝ  Ýà ` àòòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó(#Ã$òòÚ  Ú0Ú  ÚóóÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€!ÔÑ  ÑÒ  ÒÒ H ÒÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ#€Xd#ÑÑ#€Xd#ÑÝ  Ýò òÙ€€ÙÓ  ÓßR€%&#A1-j|` à. `€€@ÿRßÞ ÞÌIN›€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEÌÌEASTERN€SECTION€AT€KNOXVILLEó óÌÓ  ÓÌÌÌÌÌWHITNEY€LEIGH€DAVIDSON,€minorà à)à àKNOX€CHANCERYÌchild,€by€next€friend,€ROZANà àà à)ÌDAVIDSON,à àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àà àà àà àà àà àÌà àPlaintiffs/Appellantsà àà à)à àNO.€€03A01„9702„CH„00051Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àÌv.à àà àà àà àà àà à)à àHON.€€WILLIAM€EVERETT€LANTRIPÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àœCHANCELLOR,€By€Interchange›ÌDONNA€WRIGHT,€ET€AL,à àà àà à)à àà àÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àÌà àDefendants/Appelleesà àà à)à àÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àAFFIRMEDà àÌÌÌÌWilliam€A.€(Bill)€Davidson,€Knoxville,€for€Appellants.ÌCatherine€F.€Quist,€Knoxville,€for€Appellees.ÌÌÌÌòòò òÓ  ÓO€P€I€N€I€O€NÌÓ  ÓÌó óóóà àà àà àà àà àà àà àINMAN,€Senior€JudgeÌÌÓÓò òà@ àIÌà àó óThe€Knox€County€Board€of€Education€adopted€a€policy€against€theÏpossession€of€weapons€on€school€campuses€for€the€school€year€beginning€inÏSeptember€1995.€€Whitney€Leigh€Davidson€was€provided€a€copy€of€the€West€HighÏSchool€Handbook€which€explained€the€policy€and€the€consequences€of€its€violation.€ÏOn€January€23,€1996,€while€a€junior€at€West€High€School,€she€was€suspended€for€aÏviolation€of€the€policy.€€Following€a€series€of€administrative€hearings€the€Board€ofÍEducation€held€a€plenary€hearing€and€upheld€the€decision€to€expel€Ms€Davidson€forÏone€year.€€Judicial€review€resulted€in€a€finding€that€the€Board€had€not€actedÏarbitrarily,€illegally€or€beyond€its€jurisdiction€in€expelling€Ms.€Davidson.Ìà àThis€appeal€by€Ms.€Davidson€presents€for€appellate€review€the€issue,€asÏparaphrased,€of€whether€she€was€deprived€of€due€process€and€equal€protection€ofÏthe€law.€€€She€also€questions€the€action€of€the€Board€in€declining€to€allow€her€toÏattend€an€alternative€school€following€her€expulsion€from€West€High.Ìà àÌà àOur€œstandard€of€review€permits€us€to€determine€whether€the€boardððs€actionÏwas€illegal,€in€excess€of€its€jurisdiction,€or€arbitrary€or€capricious.€€òòLaidlawÏEnvironmental€Service€of€Nashville€v.€Metropolitan,€óó934€S.W.2d€40€(Tenn.€Ct.€App.Ï1996);òò€McCallen€v.€City€of€Memphis,€óó786€S.W.2d€633,€638€(Tenn.€1990).òò›Ìò òóóà@ àIIÌà àó óOn€the€night€of€January€17,€1996,€Ms.€Davidson€had€a€telephoneÏconversation€with€a€student€friend,€œDeVon›€Logan,€who€told€her€that€he€hadÏpurchased€a€cane„sword.× ƒ' ××  ×€€Logan€attended€Powell€High€School€and€on€theÏmorning€following€his€conversation€with€Ms.€Davidson€took€the€weapon€to€PowellÏHigh€School.€€At€noon€on€January€18,€1996,€Ms.€Davidson€and€a€friend,€Claggett,Ïdrove€to€Powell€High€School€in€Ms.€Davidsonððs€car€and€picked€up€Logan,€with€hisÏcane€sword,€which€he€showed€to€Ms.€Davidson.€€They€eventually€drove€to€PowellÏMiddle€School€to€attend€a€basketball€game.€€Ms.€Davidson€and€Claggett€decided€toÍleave€early,€and€Logan€requested€that€she€ð ðget€his€stuffðð€from€her€car.€€She€retrievedÏLoganððs€book€bag€and€the€cane„sword€and€gave€them€to€him.€€The€cane„sword€wasÏlater€confiscated€by€a€security€guard,€who€reported€the€incident€to€the€Powell€HighÏSchool€principal,€who€reported€it€to€the€West€High€School€principal,€Donna€Wright.Ìà àPrincipal€Wright€notified€Ms.€Davidson€and€her€parents€that€a€disciplinaryÏhearing€would€be€held€on€January€23,€1996€to€consider€whether€she€had€violatedÏthe€no„weapons€policy€by€possessing€a€dangerous€weapon€on€school€grounds.€€InÏthe€interim€the€Knox€County€Schools€Security€Department€investigated€the€incidentÏand€filed€a€report€with€Principal€Wright€which€revealed€that€she€admitted€having€theÏcane„sword€at€the€basketball€game.€€At€the€hearing€before€Principal€Wright€sheÏadmitted€that€shÔ% € Ôe€had€the€cane„sword€in€her€car,€and€that€she€delivered€it€to€LoganÏat€the€game.€€Ms.€Davidson€was€represented€by€counsel€at€the€hearing€beforeÏPrincipal€Wright,€who€suspended€her€pending€a€recommendation€of€expulsion.Ìà àœÌà àÌÑ  Ñà àMs.›€Davidson€appealed,€and€on€February€1,€1996€another€hearing€was€heldÏbefore€the€œdisciplinary„hearing›€authority€for€the€Board,€œJimmie›€œThacker›.€€This€was€aÏòòde€novoóó€hearing,€and€Ms.€Davidson€was€again€represented€by€counsel.€€TheÏdecision€of€Principal€Wright€was€upheld.Ìà àOn€March€6,€1996,€Ms.€Davidson€appeared€before€the€Board€of€Education,Ïstill€represented€by€counsel.€€The€Board€elected€to€hear€the€matter€on€the€recordÏfrom€the€Hearing€Authority,€and€voted€to€uphold€the€decision€of€the€DisciplinaryÏHearing€Authority.Ìà àA€petition€for€certiorari€was€filed€March€11,€1996.€€The€Chancellor€heard€theÏmatter€òòde€novoóó€on€August€14€and€15,€1996€and€concluded€that€the€Board€had€notÏacted€arbitrarily,€illegally€or€beyond€its€jurisdiction€and€that€Ms.€Davidson€had€beenÏafforded€due€process€at€every€stage.Ìò òà@ àIIIÌà àó óThis€appeal€presents€the€issues€of€(1)€whether€the€Board€violated€theÏappellantððs€due€process€rights;€(2)€whether€the€Board€acted€illegally€and€arbitrarilyÏand€in€excess€of€its€jurisdiction;€(3)€whether€the€appellant€was€denied€equalÏprotection,€(4)€whether€the€Board€violated€its€own€policy€in€refusing€to€allow€theÏappellant€to€attend€an€alternative€school;€(5)€whether€the€individual€defendantsÏshould€have€been€dismissed.Ìò òà@ àIVÌà àó óThe€policy€adopted€by€the€Board€was€disseminated€to€each€student.€€TheÏappellant€conceded€her€knowledge€of€the€policy,€which€we€reproduce€verbatim:ÌÓÓÓ  Óà8 ààH@` ` ` ààH@` ` ` àà8 àKNOX€COUNTY€BOARD€OFÏEDUCATIONÌà8 ààH@` ` ` ààH@` ` ` ààH@` ` ` àà8 àWeapons€&€DangerousÏInstrumentsÌÌÓ  Óà8 àStudents€shall€not€possess,€handle,€transmit,€use€or€attempt€to€use€anyÏdangerous€weapon€in€school€buildings€or€on€school€grounds€at€anyÏtime,€or€in€school€vehicles€and/or€buses€or€off€the€school€grounds€at€aÏschool„sponsored€activity,€function€or€event.ÌÌà8 àDangerous€weapons€for€the€purpose€of€this€policy€shall€include,€butÏœare€›not€limited€to€ð ð€.€.€.€€any€firearm,€explosive,€explosive€weapon,ÏBowie€knife,€hawk€bill€knife,€ice€pick,€dagger,€slingshot,€switchbladeÏknife,€blackjack€knuckles€.€.€.ððÌà8 àÌà8 àStudents€who€are€found€to€have€violated€this€policy€shall€be€subject€toÏsuspension€and/or€expulsion€for€a€period€of€not€less€than€one€(1)€year.€ÍThe€Superintendent€shall€have€the€authority€to€modify€this€suspensionÏrequirement€on€a€case„by„case€basis.ÌÌà8 àWhen€it€is€determined€that€a€student€has€violated€this€policy,€theÏprincipal€of€the€school€shall€notify€the€studentððs€parents€or€guardianÏand€the€criminal€justice€or€juvenile€delinquency€system€as€required€byÏlaw.ÌÌà8 àStudents€are€further€forbidden€to€use€any€instruments€or€substancesÏsuch€as€chemicals,€pencils,€scissors,€razors,€or€compasses€with€theÏintent€to€do€harm€on€in€a€manner€which€renders€the€item€dangerous.ÌÌà8 àStudents€who€violate€this€policy€shall€be€subject€to€suspension€and/orÏexpulsion.ÌÌà8 àUpon€information€that€a€student€is€suspected€of€violating€this€policy,Ïthe€principal€of€the€school€shall€be€notified€immediately.ÌÌà8 àThe€principal€shall€notify€the€studentððs€parent€or€guardian€and€theÏappropriate€law€enforcement€officials€as€required€by€law.ÌÌÓÓà àThe€appellant€does€not€deny€her€knowledge€of€the€policy,€as€previouslyÏstated;€neither€does€she€deny€that€she€possessed€the€cane„sword€in€her€automobileÏwhile€on€(1)€the€Powell€High€School€campus,€(2)€the€œKarns›€High€School€campus,Ïand€(3)€the€Powell€Middle€School€campus.Ìà àWe€are€constrained€to€make€short€shrift€of€the€lack€of€due€process€argument,Ïin€light€of€the€myriad,€meticulous€efforts€by€œthe€school€system›€to€afford€the€appellantÏa€litany€of€hearings,€all€of€which€were€directed€to€the€substantive€issue€of€whetherÏshe€violated€a€Board€policy€known€to€her.Ìà àThe€School€Security€Act€of€1981€(T.€C.€A.€€49„6„4201€òòet€seq.óó)Ïcomprehensively€addresses€the€imperative€need€for€a€safe€environment€in€theÏschool€systems€of€Tennessee.€€It€authorizes€the€search€of€areas€of€buildings€orÏgrounds€where€dangerous€weapons€may€be€stored;€it€requires€œthe€local›€Board€ofÍEducation€to€file€with€the€State€Commissioner€of€Education€a€written€policyÏrespecting€violent€and€dangerous€weapons,€and€òòto€impose€swift,€certain€and€severeÏdisciplinary€action€on€any€student€who€brings€a€dangerous€weapon€onto€schoolÏproperty.óó€€The€Act€authorizes€the€school€principal€to€suspend€any€student€forÏpossession€of€a€knife€on€school€property€for€a€specified€period€of€time.Ìà àThus€it€is€that€the€appellant€not€only€violated€a€lawful€Board€policy,€but€alsoÏviolated€a€specific€statutory€prohibition€against€the€possession€of€knives.€€That€theÏÑ  ÑBoard€acted€normally€in€the€adoption€of€the€quoted€policy€is€not€disputed,€in€light€ofÏthe€fact€that€eighteen€(18)€œstabbings›€occurred€on€school€property€during€the€œÌpreceding›€two€years.€€The€Board€has€a€compelling€interest€in€the€welfare€and€safetyÏof€the€students.€€òòœCheena›€v.€Thompson,€óó67€F.œ3rd›€883€(œ9th›€Cir.€1995).Ìà àThe€denial€of€equal€protection€argument€is€based€on€the€history€of€lesserÏdisciplinary€actions€imposed€by€principals,€or€the€Hearing€Officer,€or€the€Board,€onÏvarious€students€who€possessed€knives€on€campus.€€This€issue€is€not€extensivelyÏbriefed,€and€we€are€cited€to€no€authority€which€holds€that€the€sanctions€imposedÏmust€be€uniform.€€Suffice€to€say€that€differing€facts€intervene€in€each€instance.Ìà àThe€issue€of€alternative€school€assignment€was€not€discussed€by€theÏChancellor.ÌT.€C.€A.€ðð€49„6„3402(a)€provides€in€pertinent€part:ÌÓÓà8 àLocal€boards€of€education€òòmayòòóó€óóestablish€alternative€schools€forÏstudents€in€grades€one€(1)€through€six€(6)€who€have€been€suspendedÏor€expelled€from€their€regular€school€program.€€At€least€one€(1)Ïalternative€school€shall€be€established€and€available€for€students€inÏgrades€seven€(7)€through€twelve€(12)€who€have€been€suspended€orÏexpelled€as€provided€in€this€part.ÌÌÓÓà àThe€provision€of€assignment€to€alternative€schools€for€expelled€students€is€aÏpermissive€act€of€the€local€Board€of€Education.× ƒ( ××  ×€€The€Board€has€the€power€to€assignÏstudents€as€described€in€T.€C.€A.€ðð€49„6„3102€and€may€consider€22€factors€in€theÏassignment€of€them.€€Any€one€or€more€of€the€factors€can€be€considered€inÏdetermining€the€propriety€of€an€assignment€of€a€student.Ìà àThe€provision€for€alternative€schools€for€suspended€or€expelled€students€asÏprovided€by€T.C.A.€ðð€49„6„3102€does€not€remove€the€discretion€allowed€the€BoardÏin€assignment€of€pupils€as€described€in€œT.C.A.›€ðð€49„6„3102€and€3103.€€€€We€are€ofÏthe€opinion€that€the€assignment€by€the€Board€of€a€student€to€an€alternative€school€isÏwithin€the€sound€discretionary€authority€of€the€Board.Ìà àIn€view€of€our€disposition€of€this€appeal,€the€propriety€of€the€dismissal€of€theÏindividual€defendants€is€moot.ÌÌÌà àThe€judgment€is€affirmed€at€the€costs€of€the€appellant.ÌÓÓÌà àÌà àà àà àà àà àà à___________________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àWilliam€H.€Inman,€Senior€JudgeÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌÌ_______________________________ÌHouston€M.€Goddard,€Presiding€JudgeÌÌÌÌ_______________________________ÌCharles€œDÔ% € Ô.›€Susano,€Jr.,€JudgeÌà àà àà àà àà àà àÌÌà à€ÌÌ