Students’ Suspensions Shortened

Sixteen middle school students who were suspended last week for sampling bits of Alka Seltzer tablets will be allowed to return to class, the Bremerton School District decided Monday.

Principal Flint Walpole waived the three-week suspensions after meeting with parents.

One other student - the boy who brought the fizzing antacid to Mountain View Middle School and told classmates it was candy - must complete a three-day suspension, school officials said.

“I thought I was trying to be cool but I guess it wasn’t so cool,” Andy Wessels told KING-TV.

All 17 must attend a special class Tuesday morning on choices and decision-making, such as not putting unidentified objects in one’s mouth, said Assistant Superintendent Mariwyn Tinsley. Sixteen will then return to regular studies.

The school district suspended the students last week, contending bringing even Alka Seltzer to campus violated the district’s no-tolerance policy on drugs.

But parents argued that the district overreacted and appealed the decision.

“Zero tolerance for drugs doesn’t mean zero intelligence for application or implementation of the policy,” parent John Richmon told KSTW-TV.