Court Opinion

ID: 9611218
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 03:53:34.616127+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:03:11.029227
License: Public Domain

OPINION ON MOTION FOR REHEARING
HOLLIS HORTON, Justice.
On motion for rehearing, the Tarkington Independent School District requests that we reconsider our “conclusion that the District adopted the intent requirements for all expulsions.” The District argues that it “only adopted an intent requirement for discretionary expulsions.” The District then asserts that under its Code of Conduct, possession of brass knuckles is a mandatory expulsion offense, and therefore lack of intent is not a factor that the District can take into account in cases involving the possession of prohibited weapons.
We disagree with the District’s contention that its policies mandate expulsion in cases of involuntary possession of prohibited weapons. Expressly included among the District’s mandatory expulsion offenses are Texas Penal Code violations for “using, exhibiting, or possessing the following, as defined by the Texas Penal Code: ... A prohibited weapon, such as ... knuckles.” A person violates the Penal Code “if he intentionally or knowingly possesses, manufactures, transports, repairs, or sells ... knuckles ...” or other prohibited weapons. Tex. Pen.Code Ann. § 46.05(a) (Vernon Supp.2006). None of the District’s other policy provisions apply expressly to knuckles. Thus, it appears that the District’s policy of mandatory expulsion for possession of knuckles applies only to cases of knowing or intentional possession.
The sections of the student code that relate to the types of misconduct that result in mandatory expulsion are silent with respect to cases where the possession is not voluntary. However, the immediately preceding section that concerns discretionary expulsions establishes a general rule, and states: “In deciding whether to order expulsion, the district will take into consideration: 1. Self-defense [], 2. Intent or lack of intent at the time the student engaged in the conduct, and 3. The student’s disciplinary history.”
Thus, the Student Code of Conduct does not expressly deal with situations involving involuntary possession of prohibited weapons. In the absence of an express provision in the District’s Student Code of Conduct requiring expulsion for cases of involuntary possession of prohibited weapons, we conclude the District’s general rule is applicable. The District’s general rule for expelling a student requires that it consider the student’s lack of intent in making a decision to expel the student.
In its motion for rehearing, the District argues that we should reverse the district court’s order enjoining the District from expelling the student because the record from the disciplinary hearing supports its contention that the student knowingly possessed the prohibited weapon. However, the issue before us in this appeal is the court’s decision to grant an injunction prohibiting the District from enforcing its decision to expel the student. The legislature granted the student a trial de novo. No party has filed a summary judgment motion, and at this point we do not know whether the record the parties will make in the trial court will be the same, or different, from the record made at the expulsion hearing. We again decline the District’s invitation to issue an advisory opinion.
The motion for rehearing is overruled.