Spokane7
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October 28, 2009 in City
Joke about killing teacher lands Mead student in jail
A Mead High School junior is facing a felony charge after jokingly telling his teacher he was hired to kill her, police said. The 16-year-old has been booked into Spokane County Juvenile Detention Center for harassment – threat to kill.
The school district in north Spokane County has not disclosed whether the student will be expelled or suspended. But, “he’ll remain out of school until that’s decided,” said Mead spokesman Ralph Thayer.
The student reportedly entered a classroom about 8:40 a.m. Wednesday with his hands extended as if clasping a pistol, the sheriff’s department said. When he confronted the teacher with the death threat, she ran from the classroom and he walked out after her, investigators said.
The incident was reported to 911, and a dozen deputies from as far as Spokane Valley raced to the school with emergency lights and sirens on.
The first deputy on scene, David Trautman, obtained the suspect’s description from students, who remained in the classroom. Trautman located the suspect in a hallway about 8:59 a.m., handcuffed and searched him.
No weapon was found.
The school was placed in lockdown status, and school buses were diverted from the school during the incident. Arriving students were kept outside, and an empty bus was stationed as a warming shelter for them until the emergency passed.
The lockdown was lifted at 9:02 a.m. as the investigation continued.
Couple acquitted of caging 2 boys 
NWCHAOS on October 28 at 10:30 a.m.
This is when the parents should spank that kid until he cannot sit down. We live in a “fear all - trust no-one” world with anxiety over everything thanks to the world’s rich and powerful running around acting like Hitler and God. We as parents have a responsibility to teach our kids the ways of the world and how to act APPROPRIATELY in this day and age. Quit allowing television and gangsta rappers to do the parenting. The old saying ” I’m going to kill you” said in a non-threatning manner when a person is frustrated or kidding around is no longer a joke.
lordstorm on October 28 at 10:34 a.m.
Things that make you go duhhhh.
Rifleman__Dodd on October 28 at 11:25 a.m.
Two wrongs dont make a right.
A stupid kid and Paranoia
polistra on October 28 at 12:52 p.m.
“We live in a “fear all - trust no-one” world with anxiety over everything thanks to the world’s rich and powerful running around acting like Hitler and God.”
That’s the most complete and concise summation of modern times I’ve ever read.
Says it all in one sentence.
Bob_Knows on October 28 at 3:57 p.m.
Shame on the schools. They need to get real.
harrypotter4 on October 28 at 5:16 p.m.
IT WAS A JOKE AND THE SCHOOL HAD TO GO INTO LOCKDOWN FOR NOTHING! stop dissin on him he’s a good kid get over yourselves!
ChefGus/ John Olsen on October 28 at 6:19 p.m.
HarryP…. you don’t get it,… death threats do not constitute free speech or constitutional rights… this kid should be locked up and the courts will deal with this outrageous behaviour… “??JOKE?? give me a break… go talk to Mr Harmon and see what he says about this one… gus
argylesocks on October 28 at 6:36 p.m.
I know this kid is completely harmless. This is just a dumb high school joke blown out of proportion.
argylesocks on October 28 at 6:44 p.m.
ChefGus. you obviously dont get it. Its not a matter of having free speech or constitutonal rights.
You dont know this kid, and you dont understand that a majority of the shiz that comes out of his mouth is an aspect of either sarcasm or comical relief.
Bad Play on his part yes. But outrageous beahvoir…that would be a NO.
Any teacher or student who knows him would have blown it off as what it was a J-O-K-E
Ballet003 on October 28 at 7:05 p.m.
THIS IS SO DUMB! HES A GREAT KID!!! Everyone who comes in contact with this kid automatically loves him! he is a great student and an even better person. Ya he was wrong in assuming the teacher could take a joke obviously. But to react the way she did to this awsome guy was completely outragious. I think the teacher was just being a drama queen.
TheAceofEights on October 28 at 7:41 p.m.
I know this kid personally. He’s the kind of kid that wears tights for kicks and giggles and really does whatever. He is joking about everything, all the time. There is no way that he kept a straight face while saying that and she must have known he was joking. Everybody knows this kid because he is such a goof ball. Literally everyone. My theory: a teacher was fed up with all his crap and he just pushed her over the edge. She either hated him or had a bad day and over-reacted.
iloveLadyA on October 28 at 7:53 p.m.
i agree with the ace of eights. i know this kid and he is one of the funniest ppl i have ever met. he’s always making jokes. he doesnt deserve this.
brucer on October 28 at 9:56 p.m.
Those who know this kid must understand there are things that you cant joke about—in this case he went too far with a teacher who doesnt dig his “humor”…..try this when he gets on a airplane…he might just learn the tough way.
guest1 on October 28 at 11:19 p.m.
First of all it is important to know that the teacher was quite shaken up by this incident because she did not have this kid as student so she had no idea if he was a student or an intruder. She did not run from the classroom like all reports indicate. She asked her students after he left the class if anyone knew who it was and not one of the people in her class, including his girlfriend, identified him. Had they spoke up and said he was a student who liked to joke around I believe that this situation would have turned out differently. It is administrators job to keep students safe within a school and when you don’t know all the facts then you have to assume the worst until you know better. Student safety is #1. I do feel sorry for this student and his family and do honestly believe that he was joking, however, YOU DO NOT JOKE ABOUT THINGS LIKE THIS, especailly for the stupid reason he did it. I can tell you when the students were going into lockdown, no one was laughing. Students are getting a little too comfortable with what they can and cannot do and so often cross the line so I think it is safe to say, lesson learned.
slightly on October 29 at 10:54 a.m.
Facing felony charges? seriously?
You know I did have some grade school kids playfully shooting at my car while I drove past their bus stop..maybe I should have made a complaint and feared for my safety?
My son walks past me everyday, jokingly chops off my arm and tells me, ” I kill you”
Should i worry that he’s going to go to jail on death threats one day as well.
Seriously, this sounds like a system abusing its authority because they don’t want to hurt a teachers feelings by telling her that she’s overreacting.
Is this suppose to make the schools feel any safer?
Can you respect for law enforcement who take something like this to a level where it will effect the rest of the boys life? Granted it could make for a good story one day to tell his friends.
Its one think to sit down and have a talk with the kid… punish him lightly for being so careless..but felony charges?
That is ludicrous!
MeadHighSchoolStudent on October 29 at 3:18 p.m.
This is TOTAL bull.
I was at the school yesterday; I know what happened. The news has to get the damn story right before they report it, and the same goes for KREM.
He had a FINGERGUN. That’s right, he pointed his fingers. He said, “I’ve been hired to kill you!” He walked out, and she followed hims so she could get a closer look.
We had a lockdown before school began, and I was forced to stay in my car until they caught him. When they finally caught him, we were all shocked that it was him because he would not hurt with a fly.
It was very stupid of him, but we MHS students are mad as hell. None of us like this teacher; she is anal, overzealous, and takes offense at every given option. Last year, she was offended because she called special ed students, “retarded.” My friend’s brother has mental problems, so so asked the teacher to “Please not say that. They prefer the term ‘special’ because ‘retarded’ is used as a derogatory term.’” The teacher got all pissed and said, “Well thank-you, miss –, you just ruined my day!” I’m not making this up; this teacher actually said this.
I think it was stupid of this kid, but he’s a very nice guy, and the teacher freaks out about everything.
It was a high school prank. It is blown out of proportion.
And the teacher-whose-name-I-will-not-mention:
You need to stop freaking out about everything because we, your former and current students, are tired of it.
Meadparent on October 30 at 6:19 p.m.
I think a much closer look must be taken at this teacher. Her reaction was foolish and unhinged.
I also know who this teacher is and if more people knew where she was from, what she used to teach, and what she teaches now, they might have a better picture of what happened.
She is the picture of uptight, scrapbooking, prissy middle-aged woman. And the reason she was so frightened over this dumb joke was because the student is a person of color.
Like I said in another comment, she would not have been nearly as frightened if it had been a white kid who did this.
Stupid, stupid, stupid. High school boys make dumb jokes all the time (I have one - I know this all too well,) but this teacher racheted this situation to an unnecessarily high level and got this poor kid into serious trouble.
Cassie on October 31 at 8:18 a.m.
Meadparent,
Thank you for the extremely relevant information that you have shared on this incident. It is obvious that there is more to this situation (the reaction/punishment) that will hopefully be evaluated and taken into consideration.
Sinjid on November 01 at 1:56 p.m.
I was actually IN the classroom that this happened in WHEN it happened and this information is incorrect. Most notably this sentence, which make him seem like a real criminal,
“When he confronted the teacher with the death threat, she ran from the classroom and he walked out after her, investigators said.”
The truth is HE ran out of the classroom and SHE walked out after him to get a second look at his face. He did NOT pursue her.
It was oviously a joke!
And harressment for threat to kill? Seriously? You can only charge someone for something like that if the person threatened had reasonable fear, miss Gruenke did not have reasonable fear. She has had breakdowns in class on numerous occasions, I don’t mean to sound mean or inconsiderate, but even before this incident she needed mental help (ie a psychiatrist)
FREE GRAYSON AND DROP THE CHARGES!
Join the Facebook group FREE GRAYSON! if you agree with me ;)
Also, please make an amendment to your article so it doesn’t have incorrect info, thanks.
Bob_Knows on November 02 at 8:23 a.m.
When does the school board run for un-election? Sanity needs to return to our schools.
Rhapsody27 on November 03 at 10:40 p.m.
I don’t understand why people think the school over reacted. Please take a minute to think about what would’ve happened if the school would’ve taken no action and the kid would’ve had a gun on him. Yes, he’s a good kid, just joking yada yada, but when no students explain this to the teacher, the school has no choice but to protect its students from a possible threat. I believe he was joking, so maybe there should be no charges made, but expulsion is not crossing any line. As someone who wants to be a teacher, being in this situation would frighten me just as much as it frightened this teacher. I don’t care if she is “crazy” or has “issues,” any other teacher would’ve reacted the same because it is their duty to protect their students, which is no laughing matter. The fact that it was her over a “cooler” more “laid-back” teacher does not change the situation.
The fact that this kid is the school prankster, who would never hurt a fly, and was only joking is so far from being the point of the story. All of that info is after the fact information that can not be considered in a threatening situation, and should not be weighed heavily in decisions regarding suspension or expulsion. Just because he’s a “good guy” doesn’t mean he should get special treatment, I’m sure there are a lot of good guys out there that have made bad decisions and have had to pay the price.
He’s a good kid who made a bad decision and he has to face the consequences; plain and simple.
ACH812 on November 04 at 8:18 a.m.
I agree that the student should not have done that (duh), but come on felony charges?……please. Try going to high school in California then tell me what you think. I went to Mead my junior and senior year and the teachers are “overreactors”, because nothing bad ever happens there. They freaked out over every little thing that happened when I went there and trust me the “issues” were not a big deal.There are more important things going on in this world than this. I think he should be suspended and that’s it.
funny_guy on November 04 at 3:16 p.m.
What if this situation were reversed and the teacher threatened a student. Would they be terminated and not allowed to teach again? I seriously doubt it – what we have here is a double standard.
Rhapsody27 on November 04 at 3:35 p.m.
There are actually very serious consequences for teachers who threaten their students. Would they be allowed to teach again, most likely, but maybe not at the same school. However, this kid will be allowed to go to school again, suspension doesn’t mean he never gets to finish school, and even expulsion just means he has to go somewhere else, which yes is unfortunate, but not the end of the world.