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Three Lyman Gilmore School seventh-graders accused of plotting to kill their assistant principal were expelled Tuesday night by the Grass Valley School District Board of Trustees.
After three closed-session hearings lasting a total of nearly three hours, the board announced its decision to a small audience of six of the girls' family members in a board room at the Grass Valley School District offices on Gilmore Way.
The board found each girl guilty of violating three California Education Codes, including attempting to cause or threatening to cause physical injury to another person, disrupting school activities and intentionally engaging in harassment, threats or intimidation directed against a staff member.
Parents took the news quietly and declined to talk to the press. The father of one of the girls told The Union to "go away."
The girls' expulsions were effective immediately Tuesday. Their parents have 30 days to file an appeal with the California Board of Education.
The six-member board decided alternative means of correction, including suspension or placement on a behavioral contract, was not feasible for the girls.
Board member Frank Bennallack was not in favor of expelling one of the girls, but could not comment on his reasoning.
The rest of the board was in favor of expelling all three girls.
The students have been suspended since Dec. 5 when they were cited by Nevada County Sheriff's School Resource Officer Terry Oates for making terrorist threats.
Responding to an anonymous note from a student to a school counselor, Oates interviewed the girls and discovered they were part of a six-member, all-female club called "The Rooks."
According to Nevada County Undersheriff John Trauner, the group met before school and during breaks to discuss killing Lyman Gilmore School Assistant Principal Debra Plate.
Plate had placed the leader of the club on a behavior contract after the girl violated school rules.
The leader reportedly listened to the murder plans offered by the other girls, then planned to decide when, where and how the killing should be carried out, Trauner said. Two of the options included adding rat poison to sweets and then offering it to Plate or luring her into the woods and attacking her.
Trauner said no overt plans to carry out threats have been uncovered by law enforcement, and all plotting and threatening was verbal.
Based on information gathered by the sheriff's office, the Nevada County District Attorney's Office will determine whether to file formal charges against the girls, said Deputy District Attorney Ken Tribby.
After the expulsions were announced by the board, the girls' parents were given the option Tuesday to enroll their children in 3r School, an alternative school.
The school board will review the girls' performance at 3r school at the end of the 2005-2006 school year.
If the girls maintain good behavior, a 2.0 grade point average and attend counseling, they would be eligible for re-placement in Lyman Gilmore School or the Lyman Gilmore Community Day School during the 2006-2007 school year.
<I>To contact staff writer Robyn Moormeister, e-mail robynm@ theunion.com or call 477-4236.</I>
After three closed-session hearings lasting a total of nearly three hours, the board announced its decision to a small audience of six of the girls' family members in a board room at the Grass Valley School District offices on Gilmore Way.
The board found each girl guilty of violating three California Education Codes, including attempting to cause or threatening to cause physical injury to another person, disrupting school activities and intentionally engaging in harassment, threats or intimidation directed against a staff member.
Parents took the news quietly and declined to talk to the press. The father of one of the girls told The Union to "go away."
The girls' expulsions were effective immediately Tuesday. Their parents have 30 days to file an appeal with the California Board of Education.
The six-member board decided alternative means of correction, including suspension or placement on a behavioral contract, was not feasible for the girls.
Board member Frank Bennallack was not in favor of expelling one of the girls, but could not comment on his reasoning.
The rest of the board was in favor of expelling all three girls.
The students have been suspended since Dec. 5 when they were cited by Nevada County Sheriff's School Resource Officer Terry Oates for making terrorist threats.
Responding to an anonymous note from a student to a school counselor, Oates interviewed the girls and discovered they were part of a six-member, all-female club called "The Rooks."
According to Nevada County Undersheriff John Trauner, the group met before school and during breaks to discuss killing Lyman Gilmore School Assistant Principal Debra Plate.
Plate had placed the leader of the club on a behavior contract after the girl violated school rules.
The leader reportedly listened to the murder plans offered by the other girls, then planned to decide when, where and how the killing should be carried out, Trauner said. Two of the options included adding rat poison to sweets and then offering it to Plate or luring her into the woods and attacking her.
Trauner said no overt plans to carry out threats have been uncovered by law enforcement, and all plotting and threatening was verbal.
Based on information gathered by the sheriff's office, the Nevada County District Attorney's Office will determine whether to file formal charges against the girls, said Deputy District Attorney Ken Tribby.
After the expulsions were announced by the board, the girls' parents were given the option Tuesday to enroll their children in 3r School, an alternative school.
The school board will review the girls' performance at 3r school at the end of the 2005-2006 school year.
If the girls maintain good behavior, a 2.0 grade point average and attend counseling, they would be eligible for re-placement in Lyman Gilmore School or the Lyman Gilmore Community Day School during the 2006-2007 school year.
<I>To contact staff writer Robyn Moormeister, e-mail robynm@ theunion.com or call 477-4236.</I>
