<p>This is a story out of Denver regarding a young lady that is planning on KP this year. Not sure if it's been posted here, but it's truly a mind-bending experience. </p>
<p>Synopsis: This young lady is a member of a drill team. She had a few Drill Team rifles in her car in the parking lot (rifles made of wood/plastic/duct tape). They were discovered in her car and she was suspended for 10 days and is facing expulsion.</p>
<p>(from 9NEWS.com</a> | Colorado's Online News Leader | Breaking News, Local News, World News and more...)</p>
<p>AURORA - Marie Morrow's attorney got a chance to explain her side of the story in her expulsion hearing Thursday morning.</p>
<p>The 17-year old senior at Cherokee Trail High School was suspended for having fake rifles in her SUV at school. </p>
<p>Morrow is serving a 10-day suspension. Students had reported seeing "guns" in her Dodge Durango in the Aurora school's parking lot. </p>
<p>State Law mandates expulsion for any student found with a weapon, or a "facsimile" of a weapon on school grounds. </p>
<p>Morrow is being represented by high-profile defense attorney David Lane. </p>
<p>Morrow is in the Douglas County Young Marines. She says she had the plastic, wood and duct-tape non-operative rifles in her SUV to use at an after-school practice session. </p>
<p>In the hearing, Morrow's U.S. Merchant Marine mentor said, "This has gotten way out of hand." </p>
<p>"I'm absolutely amazed we're sitting here.. Marie is clearly the one who is going to be the captain of the ship." said Dick Sargent. </p>
<p>Morrow's attorney David Lane asked for "time served." He said "anything else would be absolutely unjust." </p>
<p>School officials refused to say how long she should be suspended for. They say they are deferring to the school superintendent. </p>
<p>Aurora Police officer, and Cherokee Trail High School School Resource Officer, Quint Cox testified, "right away I could tell they were ROTC rifles." </p>
<p>The School Superindent has 5 days to make a decision in the case. </p>
<p>Several members of the Colorado House and Senate met with Morrow and her family on Monday. </p>
<p>Sen. Kevin Lundberg (R-Berthoud) plans to introduce legislation to change state law to provide an exception for facsimile weapons being used by military-sponsored youth groups. </p>
<p>"There should be exemptions to this hard-and-fast rule so this type of thing doesn't happen again," Lundberg said in a written statement. "I am outraged that a student faces expulsion for participating in a drill team." </p>
<p>In addition to her meeting with lawmakers, Morrow has received encouragement and words of support on talk radio, on blogs and from viewers posting on 9NEWS.com. </p>
<p>"It's really great to have all this support," Morrow said on Monday. "It's just good to know who stands behind you when times get rough." </p>
<p>"It will be all right no matter how it turns out," Morrow added. </p>
<p>Cherry Creek Schools District Spokesperson Tustin Amole says federal and state laws mandate expulsion, and that school districts only have discretion to determine the length of that expulsion. </p>
<p>Amole says school administrators and police made their decisions based on state law that defines a "dangerous weapon" as "a firearm, whether loaded or unloaded, or a firearm facsimile that could reasonably be mistaken for an actual firearm." </p>
<p>Amole said the props in Morrow's vehicle caused concern among students and administrators who made an "assumption" that the weapons appeared "genuine." </p>
<p>Morrow's mother grew emotional while saying she hoped her daughter would continue her volunteer and service work despite the incident. </p>
<p>"I just don't want it to affect her view on the world, (make her believe) that people who do the right thing don't come out on top," McGrew said. "I've always kind of really looked up to my daughter for having a mind of her own and going places that I never even dreamed."</p>
<p>Morrow, who has already secured the necessary recommendation from a member of Congress to attend the Merchant Marine Academy, has been told an expulsion would not derail her eventual acceptance to the Academy. </p>
<p>"As long as I can get my diploma, I guess everything else will work itself out," said Morrow on Friday, explaining she's trying to focus on her planned career of service. "It's not going to be the end of the world."</p>