Four Prince William County high school students facing a year-long expulsion for arranging pieces of sod into racist symbols will be allowed to return to school.

County school board members decided Wednesday the students can return to school in January. They were among a group of six boys accused of using sod to form a swastika and spell out "KKK" at Sinclair Elementary School in August.

One of the boys was only expelled through the first semester. If the other three violate strict behavior contracts after returning to school, their expulsions will be reinstated.

The school board's move comes after the four students appealed a recommendation to expel them for one year.

Two other students involved in the incident did not appeal. Their year-long expulsions were upheld.

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