High School Student Expelled

A student at Newtown High School, was recently expelled from school for one year by the Newtown Board of Education for the possession of a dangerous instrument. The student was expelled from school during a school board hearing January 31.

Superintendent of Schools John Reed, who declined to give or confirm the identity of the expelled student, said this week that there was no evidence that the student used the knives to threaten other high school students. The instruments were discovered while the student’s car was being searched for another, unrelated reason, Dr Reed said.

According to a police report filed last month, 17-year-old Richard Haight, of Church Hill Road, was arrested at the high school January 14 and charged with possession of a weapon in a motor vehicle, after police found two knives in his car on school grounds.

Haight appeared in Danbury Superior Court on January 25

The motion drafted by the school board calling for the student’s expulsion made no mention of providing alternative education.

Haight was also arrested on school grounds December 15 and charged with disorderly conduct following a fight with another student in the high school’s lobby, though officials do not believe the two arrests are related.