School suspends Marine drill team commander

School suspends Marine drill team commander
By P. Solomon Banda - The Associated Press
Posted : Thursday Feb 12, 2009 5:07:55 EST

AURORA, Colo. — A Douglas County Young Marines drill team commander has been suspended from high school for having the team’s mock rifles in her SUV and faces a hearing Thursday on whether she should be expelled.

Marie Morrow, 17, was suspended for 10 days from Cherokee Trail High School in the Denver suburb of Aurora on Feb. 5. Her attorney, David Lane, said her hearing originally had been set for Feb. 20 but was moved up because of a scheduling conflict.

Morrow is a senior in advanced placement classes with a 3.5 grade point average and hopes to attend the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, one of five military service academies. She’s a member of the Young Marines, a youth leadership and life skills program for students, and has applied for the New Mexico Military Institute.

The mock rifles were to be used for the group’s after-school drill team practice at a private high school in preparation for a national drill team competition at the Air Force Academy in April.

Cherry Creek School District spokeswoman Tustin Amole said state law gives school administrators no choice but to expel Morrow.


Rest of article at: http://marinecorpstimes.com/news/2009/02/ap_co_drill_suspension_021109/%2e

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