A Michigan mom is speaking out after her 11-year-old son was expelled from school — not for bringing a gun to campus, but for what his family says was a brave and selfless act.
Back in May, the Lansing Police Department confirmed that a disassembled, unloaded firearm was recovered from Dwight Rich School of the Arts.
A 12-year-old student was arrested. But it’s what happened before that arrest — and what happened after — that has one mom demanding answers.
Savitra McClurkin says her son, a seventh grader with no history of discipline issues, is being punished after stepping in when he realized a classmate had brought a weapon to school.
‘He Acted Out of Courage and Compassion’
According to McClurkin, her son noticed the gun and used his hunting skills to quietly disarm and disassemble the weapon.
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He threw away the bullets and chose not to report the classmate, believing he could handle the situation without getting his friend in trouble.
“He didn’t want to implicate himself in it, nor did he want to tell on the person that actually brought the firearm,” McClurkin told WILX. “Because he knows firearms aren’t supposed to be in school.”
His family believes he intended to protect others. “On what could have been a tragic and devastating day. [He] acted out of courage and compassion,” a family friend wrote in a GoFundMe post.
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But when school officials later learned he had handled the weapon, he was expelled for one year — the same punishment given to students who bring firearms to school, regardless of intent.
“Instead of being recognized as a hero, [he] is now being treated like a criminal,” the GoFundMe post reads.
A Mother’s Plea
McClurkin says her son is now enrolled in a non-accredited online program while the family appeals the school district’s decision.
She has spoken at board meetings and has repeatedly tried to speak directly with school officials.
“He’s 11 years old. Seventh grade. Never been in trouble before,” she said during one recent meeting.
“Online schools are honoring [the school district’s] decision,” she added. “Nor did they provide us a different resource or a different avenue to go.”
McClurkin says she fears what this could mean for her son’s future — especially given how hard she’s worked to keep him on the right path.
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“They are setting my child up for failure,” she told WILX. “They’re setting him up to be a statistic, and I’ve been doing everything in my will and my power to keep him from that.”
“It’s devastating,” she added, “because he’s a bright kid and all he wants to do is be a kid.”
For more information on safe firearm storage and the most effective ways to protect children from unsecured firearms, visit BeSMARTforkids.org.
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Among the notable speakers were President Trump, Vice President Vance, Kirk’s widow Erika, Marco Rubio and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes
