Gut Feeling

I have gut feelings and I almost always follow them. I can't think of a time when my gut led me the wrong way. I had a gut feeling something wasn't right almost to the minute my sister in law was hit by a semi. It seems my body is just in tune with my mind. I don't know how to explain it. When facing a decision I pray and go with my gut.

Last week I was sent a referral for my day program. For those of you who don't know what I do here is a quick summary. I run a school for students who have been suspended or expelled from local schools. This prevents them from being placed in "baby jail" and they are able to continue to earn their credits towards graduation until they are allowed back into their base school. I can get students several ways, through the schools, through the probation department, the judge can court order them in, and through DCS.

The referral I was sent was for a student that was court ordered into an educational program. The student was not court ordered into my program specifically. The school sent the necessary paperwork and I called the Principal to discuss the case. The principal informed me that the student in question was talking about blowing up the school and not caring who died in the blast. This is not the first time destructive comments were made by this student. In the past this student supposedly commented that they would like to sit in the parking lot and "pick off elementary school students." The principal informed me that this student comes from a house where access to weapons and ammo is unlimited. The student was expelled and temporarily placed. A psych evaluation was done and the doctor decided this student was not at threat to themselves or the community.

I had a bad feeling about this case from the beginning and the more I talked to the principal the more my gut talked to me. I discussed it with my boss and we decided against enrolling the student for a couple of reasons.

1.) The seriousness of the threats made.
2.) The fact that the student has access to weapons and knows how to use them.
3.) The length of the expulsion (we aren't meant to be a long term placement center)
4.) The fact that the student wasn't court ordered into OUR program but any educational program.
5.) The lack of information from the caseworker. They wouldn't release any info to me. In the past I have had full access to case files, background information and psych evaluations.

I informed the caseworker that we would not be interviewing/enrolling the student. My gut calmed down and I was able to feel some peace about the situation.

Now the mom is appealing the schools decision to expel her child. The superintendent called me yesterday to discuss the case. I informed him of our reasons (#1-5). He asked if there was anything we/they could do that would convince us to enroll the student in our program. I emailed my boss and he said, "If we see his psych eval I might think about it."

Well I still have this gut feeling. This student may not be a threat, but the fact that this was not the first destructive comments and the student has access to weapons scares me. How do I justify my "gut feeling" when I am asked why I won't offer an enrollment to him. "Well I'm sorry judge, but my gut tells me no." I don't think that would go well. I am trying to get my boss to back me on this decision so it has some more staying power if it comes back to the judge. It looks like the school will be forced to decrease the students expulsion link.

Am I wrong for standing by my gut feeling? Maybe this student is a good kid, but right now I am not willing to take that chance.