Penalized students return to school

Dan Kulin

Monday, Nov. 17, 2003 | 9:45 a.m.

The Boulder City High School students punished for their alleged roles in a party that ended with the drug overdose of a classmate are all back in regular high schools, a Clark County School District official confirmed Friday.

Three of the students went along with their punishments, which called for them to spend weeks at a so-called "opportunity school" with the chance to return to a regular high school. They returned to regular high schools, one in Boulder City and two in Henderson, on Oct. 27, said Edward Goldman, regional superintendent for the southeast region, said.

The fourth student, who publicly fought the School District over his punishment, also returned to regular school on Oct. 27.

High school senior Jimmy Hagan's attorney John T. Moran III said an expulsion review board overturned Hagan's expulsion during an Oct. 21 meeting.

Moran said Hagan is on a "very strict probation" at his new school, Foothill High School in Henderson. Moran said Hagan decided not to return to Boulder High because he was concerned about possible ill will from school officials there.

"But all we wanted to do was get Jimmy back to school," Moran said. "We're all just thrilled with this decision."

Goldman said Moran's comments were not entirely accurate, but Goldman said school confidentiality rules prevented him from elaborating.

The four students were punished for violating school district rules in connection with a party at fellow student Johnny Aquino's apartment on Aug. 30. Aquino died of a cocaine overdose around 2 a.m. Aug. 31.

The names of the students punished in connection with Aquino's party have not been released by school officials, but Hagan went public last month with his battle against what he called an unfair punishment.

Hagan, a high school senior, was accused of helping bring the drugs to the party. But Hagan said he didn't know Aquino picked up drugs when he took Aquino to a store to buy beer the night of the party. Hagan has also said that he left Aquino's party as soon as he found out that drugs were there. In an effort to clear his name, Hagan took drug tests, which his attorney said showed Hagan didn't use drugs.

Hagan and his parents did not return telephone messages seeking comment for this story.

A month ago Hagan's mother, Debbie Hagan, said she wanted to clear her son's name.