Will four students involved in bringing a loaded gun to Hannan High school be allowed back in?

After a long and emotional school board meeting on Thursday night – the decision is no. All four students were expelled for a year. One family is fighting that decision, but many others agree with the expulsions.

When the students brought the gun to school, the intent wasn't to harm anyone: but to trade the gun for drugs. No matter what the reason -- school board members say their job is to keep their employees and their students safe.

Superintendent Larry Parsons supports the expulsions for one simple reason. Parsons said, “I think there needs to be a very strong message sent to the community for our staff to be supported...other students know it won't be tolerated.”

Spirits at Hannan should still be high -- much-needed renovations were recently completed at the school. But this incident has shaken the confidence of many parents, who say kids shouldn't have to worry about their safety. As one parent said, “They live in fear and that’s not fair.” In fact, all the parents we spoke to agreed that expelling those involved is the only way to go.

The family fighting the expulsion brought an attorney -- and plan to bring witnesses to the next hearing. It's set for March 6th.

The school superintendent says two of the four students are currently in jail. Three of the students involved are under 18, and police have only released the name of the 18 year old in the group. That 18 year old is Roger Hughes Jr., who faces a felony firearms charge.