According to Todd Starnes of Fox News, Cole Withrow, an Eagle Scout, honors student, and active church member has had his life turned upside down.

The trouble began when Withrow discovered he had accidentally left his shotgun in his truck once he arrived at school. He had been skeet shooting with some friends the day before.

Withrow tried to immediately call his mother to come and pick up the firearm, but he was overheard by a school official.

Withrow told officials the truth about what happened. Then he was arrested and immediately and permanently expelled from school.

According to Fox News,

“He didn’t know what to do,” Boykin, whose son is friends with Withrow, told Fox News. “If you jump in the truck and leave, then they get you for skipping school. Once you are there you have to say. “I think it’s an injustice for this young man,” she added. “He’s a good guy. He’s loved by his classmates and his teachers. You don’t become an Eagle Scout by being a bad seed.” She said the school district is sending a very bad message to students. “You teach your kids if you’re in trouble or if you see you’ve done something wrong, go ahead and admit it,” she said. “Be a man and it’ll be fixed. In this case, that’s what he did and he’s being punished for it. That’s not the lesson we need to teach our kids.”

Withrow was just two weeks away from graduating with honors, but now he may not be able to graduate high school this year at all. He will have to wait 365 days in order to finish his last two weeks of high school. His life will be on pause – for trying to do the right thing.

Here is the phone number for the school: (919) 936-6431

Here is the phone number for the NC Governor’s office: (919) 733-5811

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