News & Politics - Columbine Comment Almost Gets Honor Student Expelled

**~+Yamiko** · 05-01-2006, 06:06 PM

Quote:

April 28, 2006
Columbine Comment Gets Beaver Co. Student Expelled

(KDKA) NEW BRIGHTON An honors student at New Brighton Area High School has been expelled after a strange set of circumstances.

At an all-school assembly on Tuesday, a motivational speaker told Corey Johnson he looks like Osama Bin Laden.

Johnson says he was teased about it for two straight days, and finally snapped, saying if he were Osama he'd have pulled a “Columbine” – referring to a deadly school shooting at Columbine High School.

A teacher overheard the and the school expelled him.

Johnson may not graduate in June and he was forbidden from attending tonight’s prom.

The school board will make the final decision on whether Johnson will be kicked out of school for good.

The school does have a zero tolerance-policy.

And the update:

Quote:

May 1, 2006

(KDKA) NEW BRIGHTON A Beaver County student who was expelled from school for a random comment will be allowed to return and graduate with his class.

After a motivational speaker at New Brighton Area High School said he looked like Osama Bin Laden, classmates teased Corey Johnson, and he finally made an offhand comment about how if he were Bin Laden he would have pulled a “Columbine.”

Today, Johnson and his family met with school officials, who conceded that his comment was off-hand, not a threat, and he should be allowed to return to class.

Johnson will also get a letter of apology from the motivational speaker.

From here and here

This would've not happened if the motivational speaker learned how to control his flapping mouth and not compare that kid to Osama Bin Laden. For the next 2 days, all the students and teachers kept calling him "Osama". Who wouldn't snap their last nerve. Too bad at the fact that he couldn't go to his prom.

Watch the video for the story in the first link.

86amanda86 · 05-01-2006, 06:10 PM

Wow, yeah. I agree. Something like that would wear down a person's nerves pretty fast. It was a dumb thing to stay, but I can't blame him for snapping.

Ms Carolyn · 05-02-2006, 08:29 AM

I think that kind of harrassment from a so-called "motivational speaker" is absolutely appalling. I'm not really the litigious type, but part of me wants the parents to sue his motivating fanny. That's just so awful that the poor kid had to miss his prom.

**~+Yamiko** · 05-02-2006, 11:12 AM

Okay, so basically all he said was "If I was Bin Laden, then I would've pulled a Columbine."

Can someone explain to me the threat behind it? He just said that because his friend called him Osama the day they met at the library. Didn't sound like a threat to me.

Talk about motivation. More bizzare at the fact that it came from a Harlem Globetrotter.

General Maximus · 05-02-2006, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ms Carolyn

I think that kind of harrassment from a so-called "motivational speaker" is absolutely appalling. I'm not really the litigious type, but part of me wants the parents to sue his motivating fanny. That's just so awful that the poor kid had to miss his prom.

Parents should sue the motivational speaker, the school, and the school district.

SweetLisaLisa · 05-03-2006, 01:50 AM

that was ridiculous. Especially the fact that a teacher took that as a threat and felt compelled to bring it up to the school that way. The schools immediate response to expel him was horrible.

**TheAngel** · 05-05-2006, 12:43 PM

Hey, when I was in 9th grade I was almost expelled because another student told a teacher that I had threatened to kill the teacher when I was nowhere around the situation. I was suspended and sent to an expulsion hearing without even being able to tell my side of the story. Later it was said that the girl was just running her mouth and I was totally let off, but schools can't risk it. Imagine if something had happened and they hadn't taken it into consideration, then what would the consequences be. If I was the kid and parents I would be angry at the speaker, not the school. More than likely the teachers heard "I would pull a columbine" and overreacted, but given columbine, that's understandable.

Moonlight~Pixie · 05-06-2006, 07:42 AM

Quote:

This would've not happened if the motivational speaker learned how to control his flapping mouth and not compare that kid to Osama Bin Laden. For the next 2 days, all the students and teachers kept calling him "Osama". Who wouldn't snap their last nerve. Too bad at the fact that he couldn't go to his prom.

I agree. I see where the boy is coming from because some people can only take so much (like me, for example) before they snap and say something stupid like that. The other people shouldn't have been teasing him like that.

jalapeno_wildchild · 05-06-2006, 09:11 AM

the motivational speaker should've known better and the teachers and principal should've put a stop to the teasing as soon as they heard about it. but, the kid should've kept his mouth shut, i was teased as a kid and i learned that if you ignore the people who are teasing you, they'll see they aren't getting a reaction and stop.

shobhna_guerin · 05-08-2006, 06:34 PM

What the hell? The school or the authorities took absolutely no action against the motivational speaker? This is outrageous! Poor kid.

Marni-Barnarni · 05-13-2006, 08:00 PM

That's just ridiculous. Teachers take things too far. One incidence in Australia happened not so long ago where a grade 1 boy (a 5yr old) hit a girl on the bottom. This child was suspended and made to tell a teacher where on the bottom he hit this girl. Consequently he was put in counselling to see if his action was sexual or not. He probably only hit her because he didn't like her or was mimicking the disciplinary actions of his parents!

Teenagers are known for pulling offensive jokes like that, so of course that kid was bound to snap and say something! They are still young - they make all kinds of offensive comments because they don't have any maturity or intuition to tell them to keep their mouth shut! He was a teenager for crying out loud!

Ambato · 05-19-2006, 09:25 PM

why is everybody condemning the speaker?, his remark was likely as off-hand as the kid's. sure he shouldn't have said it, just like harry shouldn't of worn that nazi costume but don't go overboard, he didn't make the kids harass the boy.

**~+Yamiko** · 05-20-2006, 01:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ambato

why is everybody condemning the speaker?, his remark was likely as off-hand as the kid's. sure he shouldn't have said it, just like harry shouldn't of worn that nazi costume but don't go overboard, he didn't make the kids harass the boy.

Because if the motivational speaker didn't tell the kid he looked like Osama in front of the entire school, maybe the student wouldn't have made that off color remark.

Teriberri21 · 05-23-2006, 11:02 PM

What gets me is that the teacher heard the comment, but none of the preceeding stuff the kid getting teased and such? ...why didn't the teacher stop it at that?

I think the speaker should have known better than to make a comment like that. especially in a teasing manner with his peers around.