jokester won’t be expelled

Here's the follow up article to the story I worote about on Saturday. It looks like the school has calmed down but the Winnebago County state’s attorney’s office is still deciding what to do if anything. Go ahead drop Paul Logli a line statesattorney@co.winnebago.il.us

Local News: SchoolsBomb jokester won’t be expelled
By Sadie Gurman
ROCKFORD REGISTER STAR

"ROCKTON — A Hononegah High School junior who joked in an online conversation that another student looked “weird enough to bring a bomb the school” no longer faces expulsion, the student’s grandfather, Jim Boyer, said Monday.Noah Boyer, 16, was arrested for disorderly conduct for the Oct. 24 conversation with a friend, which took place over AOL Instant Messenger. An expulsion hearing was slated for 1 p.m. Monday but was canceled Monday morning when a group of school administrators, teachers and staff decided it should not be held, Jim Boyer said.Noah Boyer, who declined to comment, will return to school today after nine days of suspension, Jim Boyer said.

...School officials decided not to expel Noah after his teachers rallied around him, he said.“The teachers really went to bat for him,” Jim Boyer said. “They were all in support of him and his work this year. I think that helped.”

...Rockton police learned of the Internet chat as it was unfolding, and arrested Noah Boyer for disorderly conduct. He still faces a criminal charge, as the Winnebago County state’s attorney’s office decides whether Boyer’s case deserves a formal court trial, assistant state’s attorney Pamela Wells said. Alternatives to a formal trial could include public service, probation, counseling or a number of other services, Wells said. "