Macbook 2010 will not accept any startup keys.

Hi guys!
I've got a tricky one here and I'm hoping someone can help.  I am a technician working at a school working on getting some macs ready for the upcoming school year.  The old technology director retired last year and the tech staff and I had to reset all the 300+ computers' passwords.  Everything has gone well, save a few problems here and there. I have one computer, though, that is causing me a few more issues.  This Macbook (2010) refuses to accept any startup combo keys (ex. option-command-p-r, c, t, option, command-s, option-command-O-F).  Everytime I try to boot, it always goes streight through a normal boot and to the desktop, regardless of what keys I'm holding down.  Upon reaching the OS, though, the keyboard works fine, no problems with typing or anything.  I connected a usb keyboard and attempted to use the same combo keys, no change.  I reset the SMC, with no result.  I even tried removing a RAM card in hopes of resetting any problems there might be with the firmware, still no change!  There has never been a firmware password set on this computer.  It's running OSX 10.6.8.
I'm running out of ideas here, any help would be greatly appeciated.  I have the computer right here next to me ready to try stuff on it, and an entire tech department at my disposal, lets try to get this sucker fixed!
Regards!
- Ridog

Thanks for the reply,
The computer was previously issued to a seventh grade girl, so it is unlikely that she tried to set a firmware password, even accidentally.  Even if that was the case though... wouldn't removing a RAM card reset the firmware and fix any FW password related problems, or is a PRAM zap required for that to happen?
I had looked at that forum post before, that's where I got the idea of resetting the firmware.
Any other ideas????
If absolutely necessary I can back up the drive and wipe it, but I'd rather it not come to that.
Regards!
- Ridog

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