Small Knife in Lunchbox Gets N.C. Student Suspended, Charged With Weapon Possession

photo/WRAL

A standout North Carolina high school student has been suspended for the remainder of her senior year and charged with a misdemeanor for having a small paring knife in her lunchbox.

Ashley Smithwick, 17, of Sanford told WRAL she accidentally took her father’s lunchbox to Southern Lee High School in October instead of her own when school officials searched the lunchbox, along with several other students’ possessions, possibly looking for drugs.

Ashley’s father, Joe Smithwick told the station the lunchbox had a paring knife inside so that he could slice up an apple that accompanied it.

“It’s just an honest mistake. That was supposed to be my lunch because it was a whole apple,” he said.

But school officials didn’t see it that way.