A former Natchez High student, expelled for allegedly having an unloaded gun at school, presented his case to the Natchez-Adams School Board&160;Thursday.

But the future of Jerrid Norman, 17, No. 2 Elbow Lane, was not made public that evening.

The board discussed the matter during a closed session and attorney Bruce Kuehnle said the board could not release its ruling because it was a student matter. Kuehnle said he planned to write a letter to Norman’s attorney to inform him of the board’s decision.

Thursday’s meeting was also the first for new board member Norris Edney, who was sworn into office at the meeting.

Norman was expelled last month by a district discipline committee for allegedly having a .22-caliber revolver after other students reported seeing it.

Another student, Carlos Ward, 17, 166 Morgantown Road, was also expelled, but only Norman appealed the ruling to the school board.

&uot;He’s a young person. He has his future ahead of him,&uot; said Chester Ray Jones, Norman’s attorney. &uot;Sometimes young people make poor choices, but sometimes they overcome those choices and they are better people for those choices.&uot;

Natchez High Principal Brenda Williams said she thinks the district should consider the safety of all students in its decision.

&uot;It distresses me any time we take a child and put him in a position where he can’t get an education,&uot; Williams said, but she also said she thinks the district needs to look at the bigger picture and the whole school system.

State law requires students who have a weapon on campus to be expelled for a calendar year, but the ruling can be modified depending on the circumstances.

Norman and Ward were also arrested by the Natchez Police Department for allegedly having the gun and charged with possession of a firearm on campus by a student.

They were released on bond.

Police believe Ward brought the gun to school and took it out in the auditorium during gym class.

In a preliminary hearing for Norman, Natchez Police Investigator Gary Nations said Norman told him he grabbed the gun from Ward and may have had it in his hands about 30 seconds.

Students who reported the incident said Norman waived the gun around in front of them.

Norman and Ward are being tried as adults because they are 17 years old and charged with a felony. Both have been bound over to the Adams County Grand Jury for possible indictment. The penalty for possession of a firearm on campus is up to a $5,000 fine and three years in prison.