Port Arthur middle schooler removed from campus

A message relayed to parents of students attending Abraham Lincoln Middle School in Port Arthur alerted them of a sixth grade student that was removed from campus for displaying a BB gun at a bus stop.

According to the message, also published online by Port Arthur Independent School District, the student displayed an unloaded BB gun while standing at a district bus stop before school Feb. 18. "Before entering the school bus, the student returned the unloaded BB gun home, got on the bus and traveled to school." 

Students that saw the BB gun alerted the bus driver and upon the bus' arrival to the school, all student belongings were checked to ensure the unloaded BB gun was not in any student's possession. Once checked, students were able to proceed to class. However, the student in question was immediately removed from the campus.

"The safety and security of our students and staff are of the utmost importance," wrote the district. "We thank our students for the bravery they displayed today and we continue to encourage all of our students, if they see or hear anything suspicious, to immediately let a district employee know."