Pupil Who Turned In Knife Is Put on Probation; Dad Vows to Fight It

A fifth-grader suspended for waiting two hours to turn in a pocketknife found on his Stanton elementary school campus was put on probation and a notation placed in his permanent file Wednesday.

After a hearing, Magnolia School District officials said they needed to punish Keith Post, a student at Pyles Elementary, to be consistent in handling weapons-related infractions and promote a safe school environment.

According to Keith, 10, one of his friends found the knife in the cafeteria during lunch Monday and asked Keith to hold it. For two hours, Keith said, he weighed whether to turn it in, fearing administrators would think it was his and punish him.

Keith will be on probation for weapons-related offenses until the end of the school year, said Magnolia School District Supt. Paul S. Mercier, who attended the Wednesday afternoon meeting with the boy and his parents.

When school officials asked Brady and Sheri Post to sign the probation contract, they refused and walked out.

“I’m going to fight to get this out of his file,” Brady Post said. “I don’t know what the next step is, but it’s not going to stop here. It’s not right to be punished for a good deed.”