Accused Teen Vandals Appeal Expulsion

MANASSAS, Va. - Two students behind a racist display at a school now may be kicked out for good. It happened back in August, and now Prince William County Schools says the boys should be expelled.

Their mother says the punishment is unjust and is fighting back tonight. Rae Roach is appealing the expulsion. On Wednesday night, a school board committee will hear her case and decide when or if they'll be allowed to go back to school.

Roach says her two sons were stupid-- not racist-- when they sprawled a swastika, KKK, and white power in sod across an elementary school with four other friends.

Prince William County Schools wants to expel both boys for a year the same punishment as bringing a gun to school.

"There are students throughout the school system right now that have done violent acts, and they're still attending school, and my kids haven't been in school the entire year," said Roach.

Since the beginning of the year, her sons are doing assignments from home. That won't matter if they're expelled, and she can't afford private school as a single mother.

"I have to now educate two children myself. Because they're expelled, they can't get another public education in any county, any state," Roach said.

The rules and punishments are spelled out in a code of behavior given out every year in school.

"Public education is not only a right but it's a privilege," said Ken Blackstone, Prince William County Schools Spokesperson.

If you break the rules, you may forfeit that privilege.

While the school district won't speak specifically about Roach's sons, the district says these types of cases are not taken lightly.

"Something of this nature is a very serious infraction that is given a very close and fair look," Blackstone said.

Daniel Napolitano is Director of Teacher Education at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. He says kids need to understand the atrocities behind the symbols.

"It was an effort by an entire society to annihilate an entire group of people. That's hard to grasp even for adults," said Napolitano.

It's even more difficult, he says, for kids to grasp, since the Holocaust happened more than 60 years ago, well before they were born.

Roach says her sons now understand the ramifications of their acts after a visit to the Holocaust Museum. It's something they can learn from but she says they've been punished enough.

"They're carrying it a little too far I think," the mother said.

The two boys have completed 30 hours of community service and wrote a paper on civil rights as part of a court diversion program.

The students can appeal to the full school board, if the committee fails to reach a unanimous decision. The committee could uphold the expulsion, dismiss it, recommend a shorter suspension or send the boys to an alternative school.

Roach says two other teens involved in the racist vandalism are not fighting their expulsion.
 

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