MIDDLEBURG, Fla. – A 17-year-old teen and three other students are facing expulsion from Middleburg High School for using laser pointers during a recent basketball game.
Sophomore William Jewett, 17, and three of his friends are currently suspended from the school. They are now waiting to hear from Middleburg High administrators to see if they will be expelled over the incident.
Jewett's father said he believes his son should be punished for his bad behavior, but expulsion from school is too extreme.
"I feel a young man should be punished, but I feel this is maybe a little over the edge," said Jewett.
Because Jewett's father is a veteran, there is money available in the G.I Bill for his son's education. However, the family says they will lose that money if the high school student is expelled.
"It's almost tantamount to educational suicide," said Jewett.
Jewett's father said he believes school administrators are overreacting to the incident because of recent events, like the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting that occurred in December.
"I don't think it was that big of a deal," said Jewett. "I understand all the sensitivity with all of the incidents, but I think it's just a little bit unreasonable."
Channel 4's Scott Johnson spoke to a Clay County School District spokeswoman, who said the issue was not as innocent as Jewett explains. She said the students' "actions stopped the entire event" and the school "had to escort them out of the facility."
Jewett's father said he still believes the school is overreacting.
"I think everyone's hypersensitive right now," said Jewett. "I think they're really over blowing things."