Two Bay students recommended for expulsion, 19 others arrested in less than two weeks
PANAMA CITY — The 2023-2024 school year is off to a rough start, with two students already recommended for expulsion and more than a dozen others arrested.
Of the students recommended for expulsion, one was a high school student caught dealing drugs on campus, and the other was a middle school student who threatened to shoot up their school, according to Bay District Schools Superintendent Mark McQueen.
In addition to their arrests, data provided by the Bay County Sheriff's Office shows 19 other BDS students also have been arrested as of Tuesday since the school year started less than two weeks ago.
"I'm committed, and the whole team is committed, to having a safe and secure environment, and there's going to be zero tolerance for (criminal) activities," McQueen said. "It's just young people making bad decisions that are going to have life-long consequences.
"Parents of other children expect to be able to send their children to a school that's going to be drug-free and threat-free. I respect that, I honor that, and certainly, I uphold those expectations."
He said school officials learned a student was dealing drugs after catching another student on campus with drugs they bought from them. The potential shooter was caught after other students came forward and told officials about their threats.
"I was proud of the fact that it was fellow students who heard it and reported it," McQueen said. "It was corroborated, it was supported and it was admitted to by the student. In every way, it was absolutely unacceptable. I appreciated Sheriff (Tommy) Ford for his team swiftly engaging and investigating thoroughly."
According to BDS, the middle school student who threatened the shooting was charged with disorderly conduct. The high school student caught dealing was charged with possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana, along with distribution of marijuana with delivery within 1,000 feet of a school.
With McQueen's recommendation, the student's expulsions will be decided by the Bay District Schools Board during a future meeting.
New superintendent: Gov. Ron DeSantis appoints Mark McQueen as superintendent of Bay District Schools
Aug. 1 marked McQueen's first official day as the local superintendent after being appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis to replace former superintendent Bill Husfelt, who held the position since 2008.
McQueen is the former city manager of Panama City. He also served 36 years in the U.S. Army, from which he retired as a major general.
"It's an awesome responsibility to be the superintendent of Bay District Schools," McQueen said. "We have nearly 28,000 students who we're responsible for everyday − for their safety and security. There are very clear policies of the district, as well as laws, that we are going to uphold.
"I want to make sure there's no ambiguity of those types of actions and activities. I'm going to stand for what's right, and I'm going to stand for the protection of our students, our faculty and our staff."
This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Two Bay students already recommended for expulsion,19 others arrested
