© 2024 University of Missouri - KBIA
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Mexico Middle-Schooler Found With Gun on Campus

school buses
Twix
/
Flickr

The Mexico School District is talking about changing its backpack policy at the high school after finding a gun in a middle school student’s backpack on Wednesday.

Middle school students are expected to keep their backpacks in their lockers.

So when a student carried a backpack around- after staff members had already told the student to put it away- Mexico Middle School’s principal checked the backpack and found a gun.

“If a student, or parent, or community member hears or sees something that doesn’t seem quite right, we just encourage them to make sure and let us know, so we can act on it,” Templeton said.

Mexico Public Schools Superintendent Zach Templeton says the high school backpack policy might change. High schoolers are able to carry backpacks because they have to travel far across buildings.

“We have had conversations in the past and will continue to have that conversation about whether or not we can illuminate that need, and I think if we get the opportunity we will try and change that at the high school as well,” Templeton said.

Columbia Public School also has guidelines for backpacks, but individual schools get to decide the exact rules. CPS Community Relations Director Michelle Baumstark says being aware of students’ behavior is more important than backpack policies.  

“When you have situations where students are choosing to violate a policy or in this case even a federal law. You know- that can happen whether it’s on a backpack or on a person,” Baumstark said. “I think it really comes down to being vigilant. To being aware of your surroundings.”

Faculty found the gun towards the end of the school day. The district notified parents about an hour later.

Mexico School District says it does not have any reason to believe the student had harmful intentions.