EXPELLED STUDENT TO RETURN TO SCHOOL

An 18-year-old student athlete who filed a lawsuit earlier this month
against district officials for expelling him will return to Deer Creek High
School Thursday. Superintendent Pam Twidwell, who was named in the civil
lawsuit, said Friday that the matter had been resolved, but would not
comment further about the resolution.

She said district officials do not tolerate violations of the district's
drug, alcohol, tobacco and weapons policy.

Punishment for violating the policy include anything from in-house
suspension to expulsion, Twidwell said.

Jay Michael Patton was expelled Sept. 4 after the school's drug dog reacted
positively to his car. He filed the lawsuit Sept. 6 in Oklahoma County
District Court, naming Twidwell, Principal Richard Vrooman and other
unknown school officials.

The lawsuit claims that expulsion would give Patton "immediate and
permanent psychological and financial damage and harm" since he was working
toward a college football scholarship and has been talking to recruiters.

Patton said Friday he would like to discuss the lawsuit, but a gag order
has been issued.

"I would love to tell the whole story so everyone would know what's going
on," he said.

The high school senior said he plans to graduate in May and hopes that the
situation does not affect his future in athletics.

"I hope that the college coaches will understand that I was a victim of
circumstance," he said. "I've never been in trouble with the law."

According to the lawsuit affidavit:

Patton "thought nothing" of the dog alerting on his car because he had been
dove hunting during the weekend and assumed the dog smelled the blood from
the birds.

Patton unlocked his car for school officials to search it. Officials said
they found two marijuana seeds on the passenger's side of the car -- one in
the recesses of the seat and the other on the floorboard.

Patton bought the car used within 60 days before the search.

The self-supporting student pays for his living by running a lawn care
business. In connection with that business, Patton routinely hires
part-time workers from the Grace Rescue Mission.

Patton says he thinks the seeds were either left in the car by a prior
owner or by a worker he hired from the mission.

When he found out he was being expelled, Patton voluntarily underwent a
drug examination. The results of the test were negative.