COAL TOWNSHIP - A 15-year-old student at Our Lady of Lourdes Regional High School charged by Coal Township police with terroristic threats and disorderly conduct involving an alleged threat made on Twitter last week has withdrawn from school.
High school Principal Marty McCarthy, who met with the boy's father to discuss his options, said the student chose to withdraw from school rather than face expulsion. McCarthy said, "After consulting with officials in the Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg and meeting with the student's father to explain the seriousness of his son's actions, the boy withdrew from school, which prevented us from having to go through an expulsion process."
The charges were filed with Northumberland County Juvenile Court.
McCarthy said the boy was previously suspended for three days for the Jan. 15 alleged threat before withdrawing from school.
The principal sent out an email to students' parents informing them that the threat made by the teen to the school on Twitter has been "finalized." The email states, "As of this date, there is one less student in our school. This situation had to follow due process and it was monitored from the very beginning. Thank you for your understanding."
Police said the teen's statement made mention that the juvenile wanted to create a similar situation at Lourdes that occurred Dec. 14 at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., where 20 elementary school students and six adults were shot and killed.
In light of last month's shooting massacre, Coal Township police will patrol more frequently at Our Lady of Lourdes Regional School.
Coal Township Police Chief William Carpenter previously said McCarthy's request for increased police presence at the school was not prompted by the alleged threatening statement posted on Twitter. He said the timing of the decision was coincidental.