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Trespassing charge dismissed against TJ student

Jeremy M. Lazarus | 2/10/2017, 8:30 p.m.
Stephanie Priddy, a senior at Thomas Jefferson High School, is no longer facing a charge of trespassing at the school.
Stephanie Priddy, Kandise Lucas

Stephanie Priddy, a senior at Thomas Jefferson High School, is no longer facing a charge of trespassing at the school.

The 18-year-old student was advised that the charge was dropped when she appeared Monday in Richmond General District Court.

She was not given any explanation.

Judge David M. Hicks told her the Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office decided not to prosecute and dismissed the case.

The school’s principal, Darin A. Thompson, had Stephanie arrested Dec. 9 when she came to school after being banned from the property. School officials canceled her enrollment for allegedly missing classes. She was advised to enroll at Huguenot High School.

However, she has not attended any school since the arrest because her records remain at Thomas Jefferson and have not been transferred to Huguenot.

Her mother, Michelle Priddy, calls the school’s attendance records inaccurate. She said she has evidence to show that her daughter either was in school at times when she was listed as absent or was away on permitted doctor appointments.

Stephanie and her advocate, Kandise Lucas, said they plan to file an appeal to the state Department of Education seeking Stephanie’s readmission to Thomas Jefferson. The appeal is permitted because Stephanie is diagnosed with autism and has an individualized education plan.

Meanwhile, Ms. Lucas has charged Marshall Andrews, an assistant principal at Thomas Jefferson High School, with assault based on his alleged actions toward her during hearings involving Stephanie.

Ms. Lucas said the Richmond Magistrate’s Office confirmed that the warrant was served on Mr. Andrews on Feb. 3.

He was not immediately available for comment. No trial date has been set on that complaint.