Zero Tolerance
School Board Eyes Tougher Weapons Policy;
Wants Community's Support
BY SUSAN USHER
Brunswick County school board members arc eyeing
policy changcs they hope will sharply discourage .stu
dents from bringing weapons or their look-alikes on
campus?and assure punishment if they do.
In a four-hour work session last Thursday, Feb. 11,
members talked through policy options with Richard A.
Schwartz, a Raleigh attorney specializing in public
school law, reaching consensus on several elements of a
new "pro-active" policy to be drafted by Schwartz and
then discussed again.
Thursday's meeting came in response to increasing
concern among parents about weapons and violence on
campus. Those concerns aren't limited to Brunswick
County. "This is nothing new," said Schwartz, noting
parents and school systems across North Carolina and
the United States arc dealing with the same types of
problems.
Chairman Donna Baxter said the public is demanding
something more than the board's current weapons pos
session policy, which calls for suspension of a student
fr\r o rr?ir?itv?t?rr? r\f 1 O rlo%?o
For the new policy to work effectively as a deterrent
will require cooperation from both parents and the local
judicial system, Schwartz indicated, and will start with
an effective public information effort
"You need to feel out local court officials' opinions
on these options (for sanctions)," said Schwartz. "If the
court says they have more important things to do, then
the policy you adopted as a deterrent may be less of a
deterrent than you wanted."
"One of the key issues of dealing with this issue of
weapons is educating the students and educating the
parents," he continued. "You need to let them know
your level of tolerance arid what the consequences
might be if that level is violated."
Policy options and the sanctions for violating them
varied in severity from zero tolerance of any weapon on
any campus for any reason, with automatic suspension
for the balance of the school year, to consideration giv
en to the type of weapon, age of the student and why
the weapon or toy weapon was brought to campus.
Schwartz will draft a policy that includes these ele
ments:
?Students are not to possess, handle or transmit any
weapons or items that look like weapons (including
toys), any item used as a weapon, and explosives. This
includes pocket knives. The only exceptions would be
school-approved uses such as JROTC and hunter safety
courses, where applicable.
?Zero tolerance for any student in grades 6-12 pos
sessing, transmitting or handling a firearm, explosive or
knife on campus?including pocket knives, with sus
pension from school for the balance of the school year.
?Punishment may be tailored when dealing with stu
dents in grades K-5 for any weapons offense; and for
students in grades 6-12 with a weapon other than a
knife, firearm or explosive. The principal could take in
to account the age and intent of the student (to injure or
kill an ex-girl friend or for second grade "show and
tell"?).
Punishment could range up to a long-term suspen
sion for the remainder of the school year. The board
may consider 3 presumptive punishment, with punish
ment reduced only if convinced Uiai mitigating cirrum
siances exist.
?All long-term (more than 10-day) suspensions relat
ed to weapons will be automatically reviewed by the su
perintendent, with the right to appeal to the school
board. Sanctions would be overturned only if found to
be arbitrary or lacking a rational basis. A student would
have the opportunity to make up missed school work if
found, on appeal, not to have violated the policy.
?Automatic criminal prosecution of students found
in violation of policy who receive a long-term suspen
sion.
While generally agreeing with Chairman Donna
Baxter's view that parents should share responsibility
for their child's behavior, most board members don't
think it appropriate to seek prosecution of parents for
encouraging or allowing a child to violate the weapons
policy. "1 think we need to stay away from it," said
member Yvonne Bright.
The board said it would like the discretion to seek
criminal proscculion of other individuals, such as older
students or outsiders.
?Prohibition of a student in any way encouraging an
other student to bring a weapon to school. However,
there would be no "ratling rule" that requires students to
tell on peers, sid Schwartz, bccausc of the "tremendous
burden" that puts on students and the potential fear of
retribution.
? Improved record-keeping to document weapons-re
lated incidents and how they arc handled.
Schwartz said that slate law requires schools to pro
vide students at all grade levels and their parents with a
copy of the student discipline code, in effect putting stu
dents on notice before a violation occurs.
In addition to tougher laws rclaung to violence and
weapons as they relate to schools, Schwartz said he ex
pects to see more cases prosecuted under the federal
Gun-Free School Zones Act. Under this federal law
possession of firearms in a school zone (on campus or
within 1,000 feet of school) is punishable by a fine of
up to S5,0(X) and/or up to five years in prison.
Schwartz expects to have the proposed policy drafted
before the board meets again on March 8.
In a related move Superintendent Ralph Johnston ap^
pointed a 17-member group callcd the Brunswick
County Task Force on Safety in Schools to look at safe
ty-related issues concerning the schools. The group met
Monday for the first time.
Task Force Wants Strong Anti-Weapons Stance
(Continued From Page 1-A)
fighting to require that a warrant for
aiTCst be taken out against anyone
caught fighting on school grounds.
"Generally this year you don't
hear much about weapons ai West
Brunswick," said Benton. "Last year
the rumors would start and students
would be calling their parents to
take them out of school
"This year we've had only about
two fights, and before we might
have had 200."
While fighting is down, Benton
noted that he could "probably get
any drug you want" on West's cam
pus, and officers agreed, adding the
quantities would be small.
Citing tougher rules regarding
both fighting and attendance,
Benton said, "The stricter the policy
the more respected it is, no matter
what it is?if it's enforced."
Whatever policy or system of
dealing with weapons on campus is
adopted needs to be consistently en
forced, noted Joe Bryant of Lcland,
whose daughter is in the ninth grade
at North Brunswick High School.
"So often I see in Brunswick County
someone put together a good pack
age and because one parent migni
not be happy with it, it gets set
aside," he said.
Whatever may have been the
practice in the past. Superintendent
Ralph Johnston told the group that
his position is to "always do what is
right, fair, equitable, honest, consis
tent and finally, what's best for the
students.
Also, Johnston said he is also ex
ploring the possibility of creating an
alternative "setting, not school," for
at-risk students and others who con
sistently break the rules but must
still be served by the school system.
"But it's not going to be a fun
place to be," he suggested. "We're
going to make it tough.
Both the sheriffs department and
district attorney's officc expressed a
willingness to coopcratc with the
school system.
Gore said he believes anyone who
has a weapon on campus in viola
lion of str.jtr law should be automati
cally referred for prosecution.
However, what happens once in the
court system would depend in pari
on the nature of the offense and
caseload being handled by his of
fice, he acknowledged. Gore sug
gested the referral itself "may have
served the purpose of getting their
attention."
Arthur "Butch" LcClcrc of Long
Beach, congratulated Johnston and
the school board for taking a strong
stance regarding weapons on cam
pas. "It's got to be enforced; it can't
be swept under the rug. If these
things arc done, the problem will
start to lake care of itself."
Normal Weather Anticipated
Normal February weather is in Ihe forecast for the South Brunswick
Islands after a week of wanner than usual temperatures.
Shallotte Point weather watcher Jackson Canady said he expects tem
peratures to average in the mid-30s at night ranging into the upper 50s dur
ing the daytime.
For the period Feb. 9-15, he recorded a high of 72 degrees on Feb. 11
and a low of 34 degrees the nights of both Feb. 9 and 15. A daily average
high of 63 degrees and an average nighdy low of 41 degrees combined for
a daily average temperature of 52 degrees, about 5 degrees above average.
Canady recorded sixty-six hundredths of an inch of rain for the period.
Construction On The Rise
In Area Towns, Beaches
(Continued From Page 1-A)
million, and for four mobile homes.
Activity on the island hasn't
slackened, he indicated.
'The higher-end construction on
the beach is going great guns," he
said, "but so far we haven't issued
any permits in the ETA."
The ETA is the extraterritorial
area extending a mile beyond the
town limits in which Ocean Isle ex
ercises land use control.
"We have a lot of second home
owners there and a lot of them are
middle-class people," said
Roberson.
If a typical spring spurt of build
ing activity occurs in the ETA in
March and April, he predicted 1993
"could be another big year" for
Ocean Isle.
On a more cautious note, he sug
gested property owners may be
wailing to sec what happens to the
economy and to President Bill
Clinton's campaign promises.
In Shallotte, Building Inspector
Albert Hughes issued permits for 21
single-family houses with an esti
mated value of S2.46 million.
He also issued permits for amuse
ment and recreational facilities total
ing $489,800, including a new
Shalloue Moose Lodge and a new
Brierwood Golf Club. St. James
Episcopal Church began a major
renovation and expansion project
with an estimated value of
S400.000, while permits for several
new offices were issued, with an es
timated valuation of SI69,600.
In a change from previous years,
Hughes also issued 17 permits for
mobile homes. All arc located out
side the town limits, within
Shallotte's new extraterritorial area.
At Holden Beach, Building
Inspector Dwight Carroll reported
residential construction valued at
just over S5 million, with single
family building down slightly from
the previous year, when 59 homes
were permitted. In 1992 he issued
permits for 48 single-family houses,
valued at $4.03 million, plus two du
plexes value at $373,845.
One commercial structure was
permitted, at a value of $210,000.
Brunswick County's Building
Inspection Department issued per
mits for two single-family homes in
Varnamtown, the same as the year
before, with a combined valuation of
about S99.552. Permits were issued
for five mobile homes, up from two
the previous year.
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Sewer Expansion Is On Shallotte's Priority List
(Continued From Page 1-A)
1980 to 25 percent in 1990.
'This can be attributed to more retirement age
people moving into developments like Brie
rwood Estates with its golf course and other
amenities which are attractive to this segment of
the population," the plan slates.
"in addition, two retirement homes have been
built in Shallotte during the 1980s which have
increased the number of older persons living in
Shallotte."
Projections for the year 2000 would add any
where from 42 to 127 additional housing units.
Town officials also hope for more commercial
development
Despite the increased demands it would place
on the sewer system, town officials indicate in
the land use plan they want to encourage that
type of growth.
"Shallotte citizens would like to see more job
opportunities in the community to give the
area's young people the opportunity to remain in
Shallotte to work following their education," the
plans says.
"Shallotte officials and citizens would like to
see balanced growth in the industrial and service
job sector as well as promotion of the area as an
excellent retirement community."
To spur growth, town officials will support
the South Brunswick Islands Committee of 100
and efforts to prepare a brochure promoting the
community as a hub for industry and business.
The proposed land use plan update also says
"the town will continue to foster the trade center
concept of the town, both for permanent and
seasonal residents."
Shallottc will encourage increased tourism by
supporting both the South Brunswick Islands
Chamber of Commerce and North Carolina
Division of Travel and Tourism.
At a public information meeting last March,
community residents ranked expansion of the
sewer system as the highest priority over the
next five to 10 years.
Eleven residents participated in the meeting,
and six identified sewer expansion as an impor
tant issue. Other high priority items included the
need for new business and landscaping of the
downtown and river areas.
The N.C. Coastal Area Management Act re
quires that communities in the state's 20 coastal
counties prepare land use plans to guide future
growth. Plans must be updated every five years.
Shallottc officials must hold a public hearing
on their latest land use plan update before it is
approved. Final certification would then be
needed from the N.C. Coastal Resources
Commission.
According to other policy statements in the
proposed plan, town officials also plan to:
?Discourage development in the floodplain
of the Shallotie River and development of estu
arine system islands.
?Prohibit development of land uses that will
degrade the quality of groundwater or lower the
aquifer.
?Support state efforts to protect Outstanding
Resource Waters.
?Work to maintain or improve water quality
by developing better stormwater management
practices and reducing future density in environ
mentally-sensitive areas through use of the zon
ing ordinance.
?Allow marinas as long as local, state and
federal requirements are met.
?Support maintenance of the Shallotie River |
channel as a navigable sucam for boating and
fishing.
?Work to establish a waterfront access pro
gram.
?Support recreational opportunities by annu
ally applying for state or federal grants to ac
quire and develop facilities and park sites.
?Upgrade the aesthetic quality of Shallotie by
preparing and implementing a plan to landscape
the downtown and river areas.
?Push for constructor of an overpass at the
U.S. 17 bypass intersection with N.C. 130 as
soon as possible.
?Prepare and implement a recycling program
in cooperation with Brunswick County to reduce
solid waste being placed in the county landfill.
Nightclub Ordered Closed
For A Year; Could Reopen
(Continued From Page 1-A)
building, but all personal property
including fixtures, appliances, musi
cal equipment and furniture must re
main under padlock for the duration
of the closure, the order states.
Any vendors who have leased
pool tables, video games, drink ma
chines or other equipment to the
business will be allowed to remove
them under the supervision of the
sheriff's department.
The defendants are required to
pay all court costs and other expens
es associated with the action includ
ing the padlock and hasp installed
on the front door.
Freeman's will be allowed to re
open after a year, but the order to
abate a nuisance will remain in ef
fect, said Assistant District Attorney
Lee Bollinger. Any violation of law
or activity deemed to constitute a
THE BRUNSWIOfftRACON
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Telephone 754-6890
Published Every Thursday
At 4709 Main Street
Shallotte, N.C. 2X459
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"The locks come
clown after a year
and Mr. Hankins
can do what he
wants with it."
?Lee Bollinger
nuisance could result in the owners
being found in contempt of court
"The locks come down after a
year and Mr. Hankins can do what
he wants with it," Bollinger said. "If
he wants to open a church, its fine
with me. But if there is a new nui
sance, he could be put in jail for civ
il contempt."
Bollinger said he is satisfied with
the arrangement and hopes il will
put an end the problems at Free
man's.
"If and when he ever decides to
open another club, I think he has
learned enough to m;ike sure order is
kept and the community is not threa
tened by a nuisance," Bollinger said.
He credited Brunswick County
Alcoholic Beverage Control Officer
Mike Speck and state Alcohol Law
Enforcement agent Mark Senter for
assembling the court records and
other documentation used as evi
dence to close the club.
'They went above and beyond the
call of duly in adopting this cause
and making sure the establishment is
accountable for its history," Bol
linger said. "They put it together so
that whoever looked at the evidence
would sec that it would be futile to
defend."
The original complaint documents
14 alcoholic beverage control viola
tions, five drug arrests and 17 inci
dents of violence, including six
shooting incidents, at Freeman's
since it opened in 1988. At least four
people, including Freeman Hankins,
have been hit by gunfire at the club.
Police have reported crowds of
more than l.CXK) people at Free
man's. On several occasions, offi
cers say they have been confronted
by angry throngs who pelted them
with rocks and botdes.
Father Pleads Guilty In
Daughters7 Molestation
(Continued From Page 1-A)
Bollinger said.
The children are now in fosier
care in western North Carolina, he
said. Gail Burroff has been charged
with being an accessory after the
fact to a felony for her role in their
escape.
Dressed in a lighi blue shin and
Jeans, Burroff sat quietly at the de
fense table and stroked his mustache
as Brunswick County Detective
Nancy Simpson briefly described
her interviews with his two daugh
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Hwy. 179, Ocean Isle, 579-3502
Dr. H.J. "Skip" Davis
Therapeutic and full
body massage offered by
Diane Smith.
Call for appointments.
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CtJ9? THE BHUNSWtt
ters.
One of the girls said her father
took her into a bedroom while her
mother was at work. He laid her on
the bed and drew the blinds. Then he
"stroked her in he private parts,"
Simpson testified.
The other daughter i.?;d Simpson
that Burroff had been "touching her
since she was three years old." She
told about the time her father got in
to the bathtub with her and asked
her to rub his private parts, Simpson
testified.
Attorney Robert Floyd noted that
Burroff has no prior history of sex
offenses and no criminal record. He
suggested that "some psychological
evaluation might be needed" before
sentencing.
Bollinger noted that Burroff has
no money and would not be able to
reimburse the county for the cost of
a private psychiatric examination.
Judge Johnson agreed to send Burr
off to the state hospital in Raleigh
for a pre-sentencing evaluation.