CULLMAN, Ala. – Cullman City Schools has filed criminal charges against a student who allegedly made verbal threats against school administration in October. The student was allegedly removed from school grounds and has been provided virtual learning since the incident.
An article published by the Alabama Media Group stated the student was charged with criminal harassment after threatening to kill school administrators, according to the student’s mother.
The mother alleges her son, a senior at Cullman High School, has not been provided with the provisions outlined in his individualized education plan (IEP) and that is the reason for his violent verbal threat to administrators. She said the school overreacted to his threat. The mother said it is because of his Asperger’s Syndrome.
“Without referencing any particular student, the Cullman City Schools strive to provide a safe school environment, free of violent acts,” said Cullman City School Superintendent Kyle Kallhoff. “We take any threat to kill people very seriously. We follow Alabama law and our policies, which require that we report acts of violence accompanied by threats to kill employees. We appreciate the support of the Cullman Police Department and the SROs on our campuses daily.”
Kallhoff continued, “Our teachers and administrators do an exceptional job writing and following IEPs despite the allegations brought forward in the Alabama Media Group article. The administrators on all five campuses have a tremendous responsibility to maintain a safe learning environment for all students and employees. Our school leaders do a wonderful job making sure our schools are safe places for our children to learn.”
The information below is directly from the Cullman High School Code of Conduct and shows two infractions and their consequences.
| 2.01a | Disruption that Threatens Safety, including on a bus or at a school event | Any serious disturbance or action which threatens the safety of the learning environment, a school event/activity, or the orderly operation of the school or educational process both on and off campus. |
| 2.16 | Harassment/Bullying, and Cyberbullying | Negative actions that may be based on race, color, disability, sex, religion, national origin, or age. Harassment means a continuous pattern of intentional behavior that takes place on school property, on a school bus, or at a school-sponsored function including, but not limited to, written, electronic, verbal, physical acts or hazing which may include cyberbullying, that has the effect of substantially disrupting or interfering with the orderly operation of the school, whether the conduct occurs on or off school property, online, or electronically. Hazing is defined as “the forcing of humiliating or ridiculous tasks for initiation or membership.” |
Class II Intermediate Offenses – Consequences
- Parent contact
- Temporary removal from class
- Detention
- Saturday School
- Extended Saturday School
- In-school suspension
- Out-of-school suspension (not to exceed five consecutive days)
- Referral to outside agency
- Restitution of property and damages where appropriate
- Temporary or permanent loss of device access
- Referral to administrator
- Restitution in vandalism instances for actual loss, damage, or repair
- Any sanction(s) included in Class I and other sanction(s) as approved by the local principal
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