North Cobb High student who made racist rant, threats shouldn’t return (Douglas: crimes, school)

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by hautemomma

If I post a threat to wholesale kill all members I encounter of a specific group, why would that alone not be taken seriously as a threat?

If that's what this student did it absolutely has to be taken seriously.

[Born 2 Roll]

Originally Posted by krogerDisco

Was he deemed a realistic threat?

I don't know if the kid was (or will be) officially deemed a realistic threat by the authorities.

But the fact that the kid posted the comments/threats on social media where the comments/threats were passed around even further, became common knowledge around the school and got the attention of all of the major local news media outlets pretty much meant that these comments/threats were going to be taken seriously by the public.

And in this day and age after so many mass shootings at schools, no matter the kid's actual intent, comments like these (which many regarded as terroristic threats) are going to be taken seriously by the public, by school administrators and by the authorities.

Whether any criminal charges are filed against the student will have to be something that the authorities will have to decide based on the findings of the continuing investigation.

But pretty much the moment that the student posted those comments/threats to social media (and the comments/threats got viewed by other students and parents at the school and ended up being brought to the attention of the news media and the North Cobb High School administration), his career as a student at North Cobb High School was effectively over.

North Cobb HS officials can't allow this student to return to the school because hundreds of other students and their parents will be afraid to return to the school. Plus, the student may likely be targeted for acts of violence by other students....Acts of violence which many understandably fear could escalate into some kind of tragic act of mass violence (were it to occur) that many would say could have been easily prevented by school officials by just simply not allowing this student to return to school.

At this point in time, after so many other students, parents, news media and members of the public having seen the threatening comments, just allowing the student to be on the grounds of the school would be even more severely disruptive to the school's learning environment than this situation has already been up to this point.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by Born 2 Roll

I don't know if the kid was (or will be) officially deemed a realistic threat by the authorities.

But the fact that the kid posted the comments/threats on social media where the comments/threats were passed around even further, became common knowledge around the school and got the attention of all of the major local news media outlets pretty much meant that these comments/threats were going to be taken seriously by the public.

And in this day and age after so many mass shootings at schools, no matter the kid's actual intent, comments like these (which many regarded as terroristic threats) are going to be taken seriously by the public, by school administrators and by the authorities.

Gee, I just saw the news article where they had a screenshot of this kid's post.

If you're a school administrator, how can you not take that as a serious threat?

[DreamerD]

Originally Posted by hautemomma

I heart DreamerD. That's all I gotta say.

I heart you too Hautemomma. Hope all is well with you.

[DreamerD]

People who are intelligent like you see it for what it is...a safety issue. Only racist sympathizers would see it as an attack on free speech. And you are right. People should take these things seriously. How many mass shootings have occurred with clear evidence that said persons were dangerous and they were allowed to just slip under the radar even when agencies like the FBI, etc., know what they are about.

Originally Posted by Born 2 Roll

This incident is not a free speech issue, it is a safety issue.

The student referenced Hitler while contemplating exterminating all of the black people at the school, using racial epithets while talking about black people in a social media post. The student also threatened to kill anyone who approached him about the statements.

As if those statements were not problematic enough by themselves, other students and parents at the school saw the statements on that social media post and reposted the statements on social media so that more people, including the local news media, would be able to see the statements.

With the statements and threats basically having spread around the school (and outside of the school), it would not have been safe for the student to return to school after that point because everyone in the school knew who posted the threatening statements on social media.

It also obviously would not have been safe for the other students at the school for this student to return to school after the threats of extreme violence that he made....Not to mention the liability for the Cobb County School District if violence directly involving the student were to break out because of this incident and the student in question had been allowed to return to school.

Plus, it should be noted that even though these statements and threats were directed primarily (but not completely) at black students, this student was a danger to all students, regardless of what color they are. When someone threatens mass violence, they are not just a danger to one particular group, they are danger to everyone because people committing acts of mass violence often are not discriminate in who they inflict harm upon.

Particularly in this day and age after a series of mass shootings in public places (including numerous mass shootings at schools) over the last several years, statements like these just absolutely have to be taken seriously and cannot be ignored or overlooked.

The reports seemed to indicate that the student in question has not been allowed to return to school and may never be allowed to return to school. If that is the case, that is the right course of action for a situation like this.

[krogerDisco]

Originally Posted by DreamerD

People who are intelligent like you see it for what it is...a safety issue. Only racist sympathizers would see it as an attack on free speech. And you are right. People should take these things seriously. How many mass shootings have occurred with clear evidence that said persons were dangerous and they were allowed to just slip under the radar even when agencies like the FBI, etc., know what they are about.

What warning signs were evident for Columbine? I just don't like this "Minority Report" preemptive reaction. This may happen or this may happen or it might happen!!! There has to be some evidence of an actual crime.

60 years ago, it could be said that AA students should be kept out of a public school for safety reasons.

[Born 2 Roll]

Originally Posted by krogerDisco

What warning signs were evident for Columbine? I just don't like this "Minority Report" preemptive reaction. This may happen or this may happen or it might happen!!! There has to be some evidence of an actual crime.

60 years ago, it could be said that AA students should be kept out of a public school for safety reasons.

Just making threats of violence alone can be a crime. That's because making threats of violence against others is considered to be a crime that can result in criminal charges being filed against someone for making terroristic threats.

In this case, the kid seemed to clearly want the threatening comments to be seen because he posted them on social media (on Snapchat) where they would be seen and distributed by others where the comments would reach eventually the authorities and the news media.

Granted, the kid may not have thought about the serious disciplinary (and even possibly criminal) consequences and repercussions he would face for posting threats of violence on social media. But threatening to "exterminate" people while using racial epithets and then threatening to kill anyone who approached him about the comments is a very serious act which cannot be taken lightly....That's particularly with so many incidents of mass violence having occurred where people have actually followed through on these types of threats.

It is unfortunate that the kid cannot return to school and may face criminal charges, but what he did was a very serious and very disruptive act which must be addressed with significant disciplinary action.

[krogerDisco]

Originally Posted by Born 2 Roll

Just making threats of violence alone can be a crime. That's because making threats of violence against others is considered to be a crime that can result in criminal charges being filed against someone for making terroristic threats.

In this case, the kid seemed to clearly want the threatening comments to be seen because he posted them on social media (on Snapchat) where they would be seen and distributed by others where the comments would reach eventually the authorities and the news media.

Granted, the kid may not have thought about the serious disciplinary (and even possibly criminal) consequences and repercussions he would face for posting threats of violence on social media. But threatening to "exterminate" people while using racial epithets and then threatening to kill anyone who approached him about the comments is a very serious act which cannot be taken lightly....That's particularly with so many incidents of mass violence having occurred where people have actually followed through on these types of threats.

Does he have any means to carry out these threats? I've seen posts calling for Trump to be assassinated, but I don't consider that as grounds for arrest.

It is unfortunate that the kid cannot return to school and may face criminal charges, but what he did was a very serious and very disruptive act which must be addressed with significant disciplinary action.

That approaches the idea of "hate crime" which I don't believe in. I don't know what to "do" with the kid, but he has only thrown out ideas, which is not a crime.

[Born 2 Roll]

Originally Posted by krogerDisco

Does he have any means to carry out these threats? I've seen posts calling for Trump to be assassinated, but I don't consider that as grounds for arrest.

It doesn't matter whether or not he has any means to carry out these threats at this point. And whether or not any criminal charges are pressed against him will be up to law enforcement.

What matters is that he made some extremely violent threats that have been extremely disruptive to the learning environment at the school.

Originally Posted by krogerDisco

That approaches the idea of "hate crime" which I don't believe in. I don't know what to "do" with the kid, but he has only thrown out ideas, which is not a crime.

I don't think that just making terroristic threats alone may be a hate crime....That is unless the threat happens to be severely disruptive, then I guess that terroristic threats alone could be considered to be a hate crime in some cases, depending on the situation.

But the fact that the "ideas" that the kid threw out were thrown out on social media and incited great fear and caused a panic at the school amongst the entire student body, parents, teachers, administrators and the news media and has been extremely disruptive to the school's learning environment is the thing that has likely gotten him permanently banished from the school and has made him liable to have serious criminal charges pressed him.

In addition to likely being permanently banned from school and possibly facing serious criminal charges, the kid may also be facing a stint at a psychological facility for a mental health evaluation.

[DreamerD]

Originally Posted by krogerDisco

What warning signs were evident for Columbine? I just don't like this "Minority Report" preemptive reaction. This may happen or this may happen or it might happen!!! There has to be some evidence of an actual crime.

60 years ago, it could be said that AA students should be kept out of a public school for safety reasons.

Columbine warning signs overlooked, evidence shows / Young killer had 15 run-ins with the law before school rampage - SFGate

Apparently there were warning signs. You also had parents who found weapons and ignored them. They found statements in one of the teenager's journal that described a plan for an attack. I don't know if I can take you seriously KrogerDisco because I'm pretty sure if someone who is muslim said that they are going to blow up a certain building you wouldn't be saying that this person has the right to free speech or that nothing should be done due to something that may or may not happen.

As for your last statement...really? With a statement like that, I feel embarrassed to even be responding to you.