Suspended lunchbox teen update

There's been an interesting development in the story of a NC teen suspended for accidentally bringing a paring knife to school.

An emergency school board meeting has been called in order to address a student disciplinary situation, reports WRAL. All indications are that the board will address Ashley Smithwick's non-suspension suspension.

In a story on Thursday evenning, the news station says the girl's parents did try numerous times to contact the school supertendent (which he earlier denied), and a disciplinary contract signed last month does in fact bar Smithwick from setting foot on campus or using school resources (he said the student wasn't suspended from school):

A disciplinary contract signed last month by Smithwick, her mother, Southern Lee High Principal Bonnie Almond and Moss states, however, that Smithwick cannot "physically access SLHS campus for the remainder of the 2010-2011 school year."

The contract also calls for her to complete her English and pre-calculus classes through an online program offered by Southern Lee High and the rest of her classes at Central Carolina Community College through an agreement between the high school and the college.

"If she was an actual enrolled student, then why is she not allowed to access the school campus or use any of the resources that she would need for classes?" her mother, Heidi Smithwick, asked Thursday.

Heidi Smithwick said she has tried repeatedly to call Moss since her daughter's suspension to discuss the situation but hasn't been able to reach him.

"Two months later, we receive a criminal summons for the paring knife," she said.

We'll be sure to bring you updates as they become available, as many of you have e-mailed regarding this story.