Sheriff Clarke: No excuse validates calling in a bomb threat
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Annie Scholz reports Video by tmj4.com
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MILWAUKEE- The teenager who made a bomb threat at Greendale High School says he did it because he was bullied.
But, Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke isn't buying the argument.
"Calling in a bomb threat is not a socially acceptable response to being bullied," says Sheriff Clarke in response to a recent spike in school bomb threats.
The most recent incident was a written threat on a bathroom wall at Greendale High School. 17-year-old Nicholas Olson confessed to it, saying he was tired of being picked on.
The criminal complaint paints a lonely picture.
Olson said during lunch on the day he wrote the threat, "I had nowhere to sit, so I just went into the bathroom to wait for lunch to end."
Doctor Alison Kravit is a child psychologist. She says bullying is a different beast these days.
"If you remember being a teenager, everything was the worst thing ever," says Dr. Kravit. "When we were kids, you could leave the bullying, go home, unplug your phone from the wall or something like that. Now, you can't do that."
She says people should look out for changes in a child's behavior, like withdrawing from friends or things they used to find fun. She believes listening is key so no other kid will think what happened at Greendale High School is their solution.
"If you want to stop it, then attach some certain severe consequences to this unwanted behavior and there's no doubt in my mind, this stuff will end very soon," says Sheriff Clarke.
Part of the sheriff's problem with this case is Olson has been charged with a misdemeanor instead of a felony. If you or someone you know is being bullied, click here or call 2-1-1.
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