By Jodi Hausen,Staff Writer

FARMINGTON – SAD 9 board members voted unanimously Tuesday to make two changes to schools’ weapons, violence and safety policies.

Current policy prohibits possession or use of “articles commonly used or designed to inflict bodily harm and/or to threaten, intimidate, coerce or harass another person,” including guns, knives and other weapons. Principals may authorize unannounced inspections of students’ desks, lockers, pockets, purses or vehicles to enforce the regulation.

In response to a recent incident when a student unknowingly brought a .25-caliber handgun to school in a borrowed truck several times before it was discovered during an unrelated search, board members agreed to add a responsibility clause to the prohibited conduct section of the policy. The gun was found under a seat in the truck and belonged to the senior student’s brother who had loaned him the truck.

The school board lost an appeal heard in Somerset County Superior Court in April to suspend the student for 30 days. The 18-year-old was suspended for approximately a week but was allowed to return to classes when the court overturned the board’s decision, stating its belief that the crime was committed unknowingly.

The addition to school policy states, “It is the responsibility of every driver of a vehicle who takes advantage of the privilege to bring a vehicle on to the campus of any SAD 9 school to inspect that vehicle to ensure that none of the weapons identified above are in that vehicle.”

In addition, the board voted to add a clause to the disciplinary action section of the weapons policy. Students caught with a firearm at school shall be expelled for a period of at least one year, according to the policy book. The new policy adds that a student found to “have brought onto school property a vehicle containing a firearm” can be similarly disciplined.

Other items on Tuesday’s agenda include readjusting the current year’s budget by moving $45,000 to plant operations for overages due to the need for a new well at the high school and unanticipated fuel costs, and shifting $40,000 to instructional support needed to certify teachers under new law. The $85,000 was transferred from surplus in the student transportation budget, according to Susan Pratt, assistant superintendent.