Image courtesy of editor in chief Izzy Nina de Rivera-Krieger

The following is the letter provided to the San Luis Obispo High School community concerning the San Luis Obispo Police action towards the end of lunch:

Dear SLOHS students, parents, and guardians:

The safety of our students and staff is so important.

I would like to share something that occurred today at our school.

Three of our students were in possession of an imitation firearm in our parking lot and while driving around town in their vehicle during lunchtime today. The imitation firearm in their possession was designed to shoot water gel beads and it had been painted to look more like a real gun. At least one community member was hit with one of the water beads and others saw the students driving with the imitation firearm.

Due to our students’ actions while they were off campus and the fear that was caused, the police were called and they responded to the incident.

I wanted you to know about this for several important reasons. For one, many of our students saw multiple police officers and multiple police vehicles responding to the incident in our parking lot as lunch was ending. Seeing a significant police response on our campus can lead to a range of emotions–from feeling protected to feeling scared and worried. It is also important for our students and families to understand the significant response and the range of consequences that occur if someone has a firearm or an imitation firearm on campus or in our community.

Though we cannot share specific actions taken in response to a school discipline incident, I can assure you that we take what occurred today very seriously. I can also share language from our Board policies.

Board Policy 5131.7, “Weapons, Other Dangerous Instruments,” states the following:

Under the power granted to the Board to maintain order and discipline in the schools and to protect the safety of students, staff and the public, any school employee is authorized to confiscate a weapon, dangerous instrument, or imitation firearm from any person on school grounds. Students possessing or threatening others with a weapon, dangerous instrument, or imitation firearm are subject to suspension and/or expulsion in accordance with law, Board policy, and administrative regulations.

I encourage our students and families to discuss this topic. We want our students to be safe and feel safe, physically and emotionally, here at our school, and we cannot have our students engaging in this kind of behavior.

Please reach out if you have questions or concerns. Our admin team and counseling team will also be available for any students who need support as a result of what they experienced or witnessed today.

I wanted you to have that update, and I apologize that this happened at our school and in our community today.

Rollin

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Rollin Dickinson
Principal
San Luis Obispo High School