The mother of a Michigan elementary school student is speaking out after her son was expelled for taking a gun away from a classmate.
Lansing mom Savitra McClurkin told local outlet WILX in a Sept. 19 interview that her 11-year-old son was expelled from Dwight Rich School of the Arts back in May after his classmate brought a gun to campus.
According to McClurkin, her child is being punished for something she considers heroic, as he believed he was helping the other students around him.
“I’m frustrated. I’m at my wits’ end. I don’t know what to do,” McClurkin told WILX.
Back in May, WLNS and the Lansing State Journal reported that a disassembled, unloaded weapon was found inside the school. Police later arrested a 12-year-old boy, whose name has not been made public.
McClurkin told WILX that her son allegedly spotted his classmate carrying the gun, and he used his hunting knowledge to disarm and disassemble the weapon before throwing away the bullets.
“He didn’t want to implicate himself in it, nor did he want to tell on the person that actually brought the firearm,” she told the outlet. “Because he knows firearms aren’t supposed to be in school.”
In a GoFundMe established to help pay for the preteen’s homeschooling, a family friend wrote that the 11-year-old’s first instinct was not “to run away — it was to protect his classmates.”
“On what could have been a tragic and devastating day … [he] acted out of courage and compassion,” the fundraiser message reads.
When school administrators eventually learned that the 11-year-old had handled the weapon, they expelled him for possessing a gun, removing him from school for one year, his mother said.
“Instead of being recognized as a hero, [he] is now being treated like a criminal,” the GoFundMe post states of the child. “He has been expelled and barred from all school platforms, despite being an A/B student, a respectful young man, and an athlete who has been playing sports since he was 6 years old.”
The frustrated mother added that she has been trying to get in contact with the Lansing School District to discuss the matter, and even made an appearance at a recent board meeting.
“He’s 11 years old. Seventh grade. Never been in trouble before,” McClurkin said at the meeting, addressing the school board.
In a statement provided to PEOPLE, Lansing School District Director of Public Safety Dale Person and Executive Director of School Culture Cordelia Black said the expulsion was not a decision administrators took “lightly.”
“In May 2025, a serious incident involving a firearm occurred at Dwight Rich Middle School. After a thorough investigation, and in accordance with Michigan law regarding dangerous weapons on school property, the Lansing School District determined that expulsion was necessary,” the statement said.
“Expulsion is never a decision the district takes lightly. It is always considered a last resort,” the statement continued. “However, Michigan law provides very clear direction in cases involving dangerous weapons. The investigation — which included statements and video evidence — left no ambiguity and required this outcome.”
“The Lansing School District has both a legal and moral responsibility to ensure the safety of all students and staff,” the statement concluded. “While this decision is difficult, our priority remains creating and maintaining a secure environment where learning can take place without fear. Upholding these standards is essential to protecting our school community.”
According to McClurkin, her son is now enrolled in a non-accredited online program to keep him on track until another decision can be made about his future at school.
“Online schools are honoring [the school district’s] decision,” she told WILX. “Nor did they provide us a different resource or a different avenue to go.”
The GoFundMe page states that because of the “sudden expulsion, the preteen’s mother has had to take on the enormous challenge of educating him at home. This has forced her to cut back on work, creating serious financial strain on their household.”
“They are setting my child up for failure,” McClurkin told WILX. “They’re setting him up to being a statistic, and I’ve been doing everything in my will and my power to keep him from that.”
“It’s devastating because he’s a bright kid and all he wants to do is be a kid,” she added.