Suspensions Lifted For Easton High School Lacrosse Players

EASTON, Md. (WJZ) -- Major reversal. Suspensions are lifted for two Easton High School lacrosse players punished for carrying a penknife and a lighter in their bags.

Meghan McCorkell spoke to those two students Tuesday night.

This has been a year-long fight for those two players, who say they only carried those items to repair their lacrosse sticks.

Two high school lacrosse players were suspended and one was arrested after a light and penknife were found in their bags at an away game last April. Now, in a rare move, the state school board has overturned those suspensions, ordering the teens' records wiped clean.

"It was just a really long process and I just felt really relieved that it was finally over," said Casey Edsall.

The school called the lighter Edsall carried an explosive device. The small penknife carried by Graham Dennis was called a deadly weapon. The two spoke to WJZ Tuesday via Skype.

"We've honestly spent the whole year feeling like we've been bullied and we've been the kid being picked on. Just not fair," Dennis said.

The state board says Talbot County schools failed to use appropriate discretion in applying their zero tolerance policy. The teens fought the suspensions, even as it impacted their college applications.

"I applied for eight colleges and seven of the college applications had `Have you ever been suspended from school?' and `If so, please explain below,'" said Edsall.

Dennis didn't apply to some schools for fear of explaining what happened.

"If I had tried to explain that to any college...they wouldn't have taken me," he said.

Now, the teens are glad they took a stand so future students don't have to fight a zero tolerance policy.

"They can't do this to kids and they can't continue to do this to kids," said Dennis.

Both Dennis and Edsall have been accepted to Shenandoah University next year, where they will once again be on the same lacrosse team.

In its ruling, the state school board argued the suspensions violated the county's discipline code.