Howard County changes security rules after student arrest

The Howard County Board of Education met publicly for the first time since 2011 17-year-old student at Howard High School was charged with the murder of a 26-year-old man.

Thursday’s meeting follows Tuesday’s vote by the Maryland State Board of Education to mandate the measure school systems share information when students with convictions or charges for serious or violent crimes transfer schools.

Previously, if a student committed a violent crime and transferred schools, notifying the new school system was optional.

The policy change was initiated after a teenager who was found at school with a loaded gun in his backpack was arrested and charged with first-degree murder in connection with a killing in Columbia. Police said the student was under the custody of the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services and was wearing an ankle monitor in connection with a previous incident in another jurisdiction.

The HCPSS superintendent said the school system was kept in the dark about the teen’s past when he switched schools, leading to his transfer to Howard High in the spring.

During the Board of Education meeting, Superintendent Bill Barnes outlined actions that are being taken internally to strengthen existing safety policies.

Approximately 48 currently enrolled HCPSS students exposed to DJS will be reviewed by school staff.

“I have to make sure each student is in the most appropriate learning spot, and if they aren’t, I will accommodate them,” Barnes said.

Other district changes include interviewing a student’s family when a serious reportable crime is recorded, as state law limits what information police and juvenile justice departments can share about a criminal case.

“We hope that the hearing, conducted in cooperation with the family, will result in the development of an appropriate safety plan and appropriate placement,” Barnes said.

The school system’s principal said that if he was unable to obtain the necessary information needed to make an informed decision about the child’s school placement, then the student would be placed in an alternative educational setting.

Some parents, guardians and community members who attended the meeting expressed concerns that the teenager’s arrest highlighted a communication gap.

“They give up their right and freedom to be in society when they commit horrific acts of violence,” said parent Jennifer Hammond.

The case has sparked broader discussions about student safety and information sharing between school systems and the juvenile justice system in Maryland.

WJZ is a media partner of The Baltimore Banner. Read it original story.