The principal of Monte Vista High School in Danville, Calif. has been placed on leave while her bosses investigate a report that she was in possession of an Airsoft pistol in front of a student.
A district spokesman told the Contra Costa Times, Rebecca Smith, who has been the principal of Monte Vista High in Danville since 1996, has been on paid leave since Oct. 8. She's worked for the district for 35 years.
The paper reported the incident started when a girl's volleyball player was sent to the principal's office after being caught with an inflatable toy that resembled a gun. It was during that office visit where the incident with the Airsoft pistol allegedly took place.
Airsoft pistols look like the real thing, but are made out of plastic and are generally considered toys. They fire plastic pellets that aren't strong enough to break the skin. A quick shopping search of the Web shows they sell from $10 to $40.
Smith's attorney, Robert Bezemik, said Wednesday that he hopes "common sense will prevail" when Smith gets a chance to present her case.
Parents in the district are upset because they said they were relying on rumors surrounding the leave and have received no facts from the district.
On Wednesday, the district e-mailed something to parents after the story appeared in the Danville Weekly.
The weekly said an anonymous posting on the district's Web site as well as a phone message left on the district's hotline number brought the issue to the district's attention. The Web site and the hotline are there to give people a venue to report problems anonymously.
