By Meena Kar,
Troy, N.Y., October 17, (THAINDIAN NEWS) Crime rate among the school students have been increasing in the recent days. This has made the school authorities to adopt some strict policies against the student. Lansingburgh Central School Districts have been extremely strict against keeping arms and “has an established policy of zero tolerance with respect to the possession of weapons of any kind on school property or in school buildings” stated George J. Goodwin, Superintendent of the Lansingburgh Central School District.

Mr. Goodwin had suspended Mathew Whalen, the scout of Eagle. Whalen was suspended as he carried a pocket-knife with him in his car. The grandmother of Whalen works as police chief in one of the villages. He said that she had gifted him the knife for his safety and it was in his car to defend himself in times of emergency. Mathew Whalen has to stay twenty days out of school as he had brought knife in the school compound and violated the rules. Whalen stated that he had given the knife to one of the school administrators when one of the students informed about it.

Though the Eagle Scout had tried to get his record cleared but could not succeed as the school district does not tolerate any kind of weapon possession. The suspended student said that he was worried about his opportunities to enter West Point. The district officials did not make any comment on this issue as it was a disciplinary matter. Mr.Goodwin did not want to speak with the family members of Mathew Whalen. It was stated that he did not want to change his strict decision.