FARMINGTON — The Regional School Unit 9 board set a student expulsion hearing for 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 20, at Mt. Blue Campus.

Superintendent Tom Ward told directors he has tried to find a local lawyer to come to the hearing but has been unsuccessful.

Bringing in a lawyer from Drummond Woodsum in Portland is expensive, he said.

Director Iris Silverstein of Farmington said in order to protect the board and protect the student, the board needs to have a lawyer who specializes in education.

Director Angela LeClair of Wilton said in the past there was one lawyer from a firm that specialized in education who kept having to leave the expulsion hearing room to make calls to get answers to questions. Just because a firm specializes in education doesn’t necessarily mean lawyers will know all the answers, she said.

Silverstein said she had a different take on it.

“I think Iris has a good point,” Ward said.

At least initially they can bring in a lawyer from Drummond Woodsum to an expulsion hearing to assist the board, he said.

“You cannot predict what you will run into as a board during an expulsion hearing,” he said.

dperry@sunmediagroup.net