Teen's penalty cut to 4 days for comb

MANCHESTER – The boy tossed out of school Monday for having a comb that looks like a switchblade knife has had his sentence reduced.

West High School freshman Nathaniel Bordeleau's suspension was dropped from 10 days to four, and he will be allowed back in school Monday, according to his mother, Heidi.

School officials yesterday would neither confirm nor deny any change in Bordeleau's situation.

The suspension change came out of a meeting yesterday mandated to determine if Nate, a special education student, has a disability that would mitigate his behavior.

The district's student code of conduct calls for an immediate suspension with the possibility of expulsion for Nate's offense, carrying a "look-alike weapon" onto school grounds.

Heidi still plans to lobby the school board for a change in that policy, but said she's happy now with how the issue was handled.

Nathaniel Bordealeau, a West High School freshman was punished for carrying a comb to school that resembles the one in the photo. (DAVID LANE)

"They acted appropriately under the circumstances," she said, shortly after yesterday's meeting at West High.

She said a teacher explained that, looking into a classroom from a hallway, she thought Nate was threatening another student with a real weapon.

When told to hand over the switchblade comb, the teacher said Nate responded with a profanity and initially refused, said Heidi.

"It looked like a real weapon to her," said Heidi. "I would have handled things exactly as she did."

She said school officials told her the "look-alike weapon" language is a relatively recent addition to the district's student conduct handbook.

"They said it was probably written after Columbine or 9/11," said Heidi, "and I'm sure it was. I don't dispute it should be in there. I just dispute the penalty."

Assistant Superintendent of Schools Karen Burkush said student conduct rules are clear, but administrators use discretion enacting them.

"With any rule," she said, "there's always flexibility and there can always be a gray area."

Several years ago, said Burkush, a student was removed from the system for bringing a squirt gun to school that looked remarkably like a pistol.

"It was very scary to the school staff," she said, "and that child was brought through the whole expulsion process."

Heidi said she wonders if Nate would have been expelled for the year if he wasn't a special education student.

"I do think this needs further attention," she said. "Not in Nathaniel's case, but what about the rest of the student body?"

Sentiment at UnionLeader.com yesterday was evenly split.

"Anything that even resembles a weapon cannot be allowed on any of our school grounds," wrote Mark, of Manchester. "This is one policy that should have absolutely no gray in it, period!"

If that's the standard, plastic knives shouldn't be allowed in school cafeterias, said Jeff Comeau, of Manchester.

Larry Grossman, of Nashua, said the incident shows how dramatically times have changed in recent years -- a point school officials readily concede.

"We had those same combs back in the early 60's," wrote Grossman. "They were a common fad for pretty boy 'greasers' who want to show off while grooming themselves, a juvenile toy is all."

Christine, who wrote in from Sidney, Maine, said she is a high school teacher and backs Bordeleau's suspension.

"Believe me," she said, "this policy is a good one. ... If you want to keep everyone safe you have to toe the line and often make rules that seem silly."

Asked Tuesday if he would ever bring the offending comb to school again, Nate flinched, raised his eyebrows and answered: "No."

Turns out, after yesterday's meeting, he doesn't have the option.

"I don't want the comb back," said Heidi. "I told them to, please, just keep it."