Jason it is wonderful to agree with you. As others have stated this young man has been punished already. Adding restitution and probation leaves me along with you thinking enough is enough. Why would the judge want to expose him to the element at the House? He is not one of them nor a terrorist. He needs space to heal from the bully prank that sparked his inappropriate behavior.
So when will he see justice along with others who have been bullied. I THANK HIM FOR BINGING TO LIGHT THE TOLERANCE FOR BULLING IN OUR COMMUNITY.

Probably was a bunch of jocks.

turfmonster, you are incorrect. The "threat," such as it was, was written in direct response to the latest bullying incident in YEARS of abuse this student endured going back to middle school (as I understand the situation). The police were also aware of the bullying. That is why many, including me, are concerned that there is no accountability for abusers and enablers and a cry for help is deliberately (it seems) treated like a threat from al Quaida (absolute nonsense). By so doing I suggest it frees the GSD of the responsibility of addressing the bullying issue.

How the world has changed. When I was in school (not GSD) bomb threats were an annual warm weather event. Generally a fire alarm or two would be set off as well. We'd all get a nice half-hour outside and perhaps there'd be a suspension or two. It was expected, part of the education process. Not just teaching academics but also in challenging the mind. Dealing with student antics in a fair and rational way is a teaching and learning opportunity.

It concerns me that there are some administrators standing en loco parentis in our GSD schools who seem to have less common sense than many of the students they are paid to serve.

Concerning Judge Daniel Konkel, he is remarkable for having the highest number of substitution requests of the three circuit court judges: http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/29289149.html

@ Bren - I’m not really sure what I’m incorrect about? A "threat" is a threat no mater how you look at it. I do, however, TOTALLY agree with you and everyone else that this was spawned by years of being bullied. That was wrong and like you, I share the same concerns that you and everyone else does. But, you can't just make threats and expect them to be swept under the rug. ESPECIALLY... in today's day and age!

What do you think would happen to you or me let’s say "IF", we threatened the governor or maybe even the president because we were tired of being burdened/harassed with constantly rising taxes and/or maybe we didn’t like the way things are being done? I’ll tell you what will happen! JAIL baby!! I’m pretty sure that the law enforcement officials won't just sweep it under the rug either! Even though we don't like the way we're being treated by the goverment, we still can't just make threats (idol or real) and expect to get away with them.

With that thought aside, I am saddened though that this all happened the way it did. As you stated, it should have never gotten to this point in the first place. All we can do now is hope and pray that we all learned from what has happened and to try and not make the same mistake again!

Judge Konkel????? Tell me something I didn't know! ... LOL

Jason: You are correct! But this is Greendale.... the "Bubble". In the "Bubble", it's always someone else's fault!

Jaime: Think about what you just said for a minute! What you're saying is that if a elderly teen goes to a bank with a gun, (fake, real, loaded, unloaded) to rob it (a felony) because his family doesn't have any money for food or clothing that the judge should just let the kid off? HE CAN'T! YES, the circumstances that lead up to this were extreme, but at the end of the day, everyone has to be "responsible" and "accountable" for their actions. When you can't... the law steps in! This young man has to be held accountable as like everyone else does. It would maybe be different if he was only 8 years old and didn't know better but he is 17 years old... less than a year from being a legal adult. I would hope that at that age he knows what's right and wrong by now. I'm sure that's what crossed the judge's mind too!

The whole problem in my eyes is today's society, which at some point in time ALL started at homes! I find it soo ironic that parents always blame someone else or something else for all of the problems their kids have. That's a whole different problem in itself! Unfortunately, we're at the point now when we can't take anymore chances with anything. Ask all of the parents of the kids that have died at a school at the hands of a troubled individual. Until EVERYONE takes the time and makes the effort to teach their children the proper morals and ethics of life at home, this is that way it will be for now on. If you think not, you're only kidding yourself.

@Turfmonster-- you do understand that there was no bomb or gun involved here, don't you? This kid went into the mens room armed with a pencil and left a very inappropriate, nonspecific message on the wall...

@ Jaime Lannister - Oh absolutely I understand! BUT... this is in hindsight! At the time the threat was made, no one knew that! That’s why threats are a serious mater!

Just ask yourself this one thing, and this goes for everyone! How would you feel if you were walking in a parking lot at night and someone approached you with a gun pointing at you asking you for your money? I know if it was me, I’d be scared out of my wits! Then you find out later that it was a fake gun. At the time you didn’t know that because the threat seemed real-correct? If you knew at the time that it was fake gun, you probably would have told this would-be attacker to buzz off. But you didn’t know that now-did you? The same theory applies for a bomb threat!

Hopefully, this helps people understand better why a threat towards human life is treated so seriously? I’m not trying to be a jerk here. I’m just trying to help people understand!

"What Olson did was wrong, Protasiewicz said. But because he had no intentions of actually harming anybody, had no previous record and wasn't a threat to the community, she decided to charge him with a misdemeanor and not a felony."
"Those are also the reasons why I don't think he should have any incarceration time," Protasiewicz said.
In this case he was not a threat. No bomb making materials were found, no guns, no hit lists, just a cry for help with a note on a bathroom wall. Anyone with common sense can see he has paid a price for his actions. Jail time and being called a terrorist is excessive.

Lisa417: I understand what you're saying, Mind you I'm only addressing the threat issue. Are you kind of saying that making bomb threats is OK? There has been a lot of this going on in the region lately and in all of those cases, the individual(s) weren't really intending to do anything. What does happen is that a lot of lives are affected and turned upside down by such threats. That's the problem!

How would you feel if let's say you had a child at a school that had a bomb scare called in? I would think that you would be fearful for your child's life-right? So eventually you end up reuniting with your child and you are happy and joyful that nothing happened and that probably one of the most stressful and scariest days you have ever experienced in life is over. So you're saying that you would just let the person that made the threat off even though you weren't sure if you would ever see your child alive again? That's the problem! A precedent needs to be set! That's the only point I'm trying to make. If not, then making bomb threats is ok and we should just ignore them..... until one actually is real! Then ask those parents that just lost their son or daughter if they would let the person who made the threat off? We're all stuck in very scary times now, which is just too bad.

Turfmonster- I am also addressing the threat issue. And in THIS case it was found there was no real threat. My child does go to the school involved. I don't think anyone was really frightened over the threat. Yes, there were precautions. They moved the dance to the middle school. It was a well attended event. If they were really worried about a threat it would have been canceled. I think each case needs to be handled based on the evidence. In this instance there is no terroristic evidence. As far as I'm concerned, Nicholas was punished. He was made to leave the high school, paid fines and his name plastered all over the news. Jail time and a year probation was not necessary. I'm more worried about the bullies my child goes to school with everyday that have not been brought to justice.

@ Lisa417 - See my comments above under @ Jaime Lannister.

As for your bully comment! I totally agree with you 100%.

Case in point! Another individule blaming someone else! (See my comments made to Jaime.)

Really, the superintendent and "politicians and administration" of Greendale schools is responsible for this? You have no clue. Do you even know any of the facts? The only facts we know is that this kid idiotically wrote what could be termed a threat on the bathroom wall. The School district didn't want him prosecuted as a felon. The DA agreed. The judge didn't. And that's the school administration's fault? Stand up and be counted for what? What specifically do you propose be done? Enough with the empty rhetoric. What would have these three new folks done differently? Do you even know? Stop and think before you write something so ignorantly uninformed.

Stop and think before you write something so ignorantly uninformed. Exactly, stop your crying and offer something useful yourself instead of just berating every post, all you know is what you have read in the media, check the facts and make an informed decision and stop being so hypocritical.

Lack of engagement in what? That they recommended that no felony charge be made? That the kid who was supposedly bullied for so long never reported to anyone for years that he was bullied until after he was busted? Who tried to sweep this under the rug? Names? Give some facts before you make such an uninformed comment.

Anon: Obviously, you have no idea what you are talking about. He was bullied for many years. My son went to school with him and said he was a good guy who, early on, had been chosen as a target. It's irresponsible for you to make such a statement, when you clearly don't have any personal knowledge about the situation.

Get a clue!

I suddenly have this image of a red-faced John Tharp in his posh district bunker ... er ... office. He’s multitasking, frantically Googling “bullying solutions” on his iPad while texting his PR team on his Android phablet at the same time. Meanwhile, Rome burns.

Please provide specific examples of how John Tharp "blew off " the Greendale Anti Bullying Group. Dates, times, places. Please provide specific examples of how he "avoids hard work and the requirements of the job". Please tell me what you understand to be the requirements of his job. You know NOTHING. Really, Amidzich is the superintendent? Is her father, candidate Dalkin aware of this?

Please, again, inspecific accusations about "running late to meetings, not returning calls, emails". She's a "tool'? Who's tool is she? Where are the FACTS? I love this blog because you can make all sorts of lies and accusations and not be held accountable. John Tharp is a zombie. The board are all members of the mafia. They are all stealing copy paper and bringing it home to use in their home printers. Please, state the facts before spewing such garbage.

Not saying I agree or disagree but,
calling someone a tool is slang for idiot. FYI

So a relative of a board member would have no "perceived conflict" when having to deal with issues that come up before the board which would directly involve that relative? I wonder what the school board's legal counsel would have to say about that issue. They would surely have to provide the board with a legal opinion on any potential conflicts should Mr. Dalkin be elected to the board.

This is a local school board made of up community members -- not the Supreme Court! I would rather have the very best candidate for the job, than worry about some hypothetical situation.

It's not her conflict. She's already employed by the district. It would only potentially be a conflict of interest is her father is on the board and he would have to be involved with a decision which would involve his daughter. It's his conflict, potentially. In no way am I saying that Mr. Dalkin is not qualified. He is smart and has great business experience. But the issue is there and needs to be addressed openly and the electorate needs to know.

John Tharp has issued several statements about this issue. How can anyone be against bullying! Isn't that enough?

I am sure that the students who bullied this poor young man were punished. And, I am sure he is more than willing to meet with any group who is looking out for the well-being students.

Shouldn't we give Mr. Tharp a break? I am sure that it will take a year or two for him to get up to speed with his new job. Judge not, unless ye be judged.

Finally, the attacks Mr. Dalkin are not warranted. Again, what difference does it make that his daughter works for the schools?

Why the hell should this kid be entitled to graduate with his class? He should have been expelled. This kind of behavior cannot be tolerated. I'm sure you would have felt differently had he followed through on this threat. Is that what you want to wait for? Is that the message you want to send to other potential punks who write garbage like this? That you can make a threat and come back to school with open arms and graduate with your class? That's totally nuts. He was allegedly bullied, and if true, it's completely inappropriate. But isn't it suspect to blame the bullying for the act after the fact? Were there multiple reports to the school counselors or the high school administrators that the kid was bullied? I have not read one fact that this is the case.

Nor have you provided any facts to the contrary of any of these post's.
Go ask any kid at that school who knew him.
I believe you are really out of the loop on the bullying issue and are simply sharing your beliefs based on emotion, not fact.
I dont believe they would even consider asking him back nor do I believe he would even consider accepting such a far from even happenning offer.

It's "posts" without the apostrophe, just sayin' ;). I don't know any kid that knew him, nor do I know him or his family, nor do I know any kid in the school well enough to ask them. My kids are out of GHS. Why didn't all these kids who knew him do something about it or report it. If he was bullied, shame on those who perpetuated and didn't do anything about the bullying. But that is no excuse for his own willful behavior. Bullying can't be the definition of enabling someone to act the way this kid did. Both are wrong. Only one was a criminal act.

Since you have no kids in that school and are to chicken (for lack of a better term) to talk to a student, does this subject even affect you much? And no one is defending his actions they were criminal and he was sentanced as a criminal in a court of law.

It is the bullying atmoshere that was allowed to exist that bothers alot of people. All this may be a little to pc for you but thats how it is nowa days.

Perhaps you can stop with your sarcasm, get off your duff, go to a meeting and ask these questions to him directly yourself.

How do you know it didn't cost what is alleged? Did you go to the hearing? Do you even know whether or not the DA proved up the costs before the judge? I'm sure the kid didn't represent himself. He had counsel to either object to the amount or to argue that it wasn't appropriate. I don't know either, but speculating about the cost is just that, speculation. Was it the added police security? We don't know. So maybe get the court records and see what costs were assessed and why before claiming that the school is hiding something. What in God's name are they hiding? It's all public record.

Yes it is public record, I know the amount is said to cover an alleged "cancelled event causing lost revenue", GSD's exact words. With no further explanation. That is what they are hiding. $2,685 and some change is the amount, No speculating, just facts. The sentencing date was also delayed, waiting on GSD to get their restitution papers filed.
So,,,, sir it is you that needs to do some fact checking before posting.

Is that what you're bent out of shape about, $2,685.00? Why don't you go to a board meeting and ask that question? So now the bullying task force is supposed to produce some kind of public results for you to judge? What kind of "manning up" is a female bully supposed to do? What kind of justice are overly aggressive kids supposed to be brought to? Man, if you spent this much time on going to board meetings and asking these questions to GHS principal Steve Lodes maybe you'd find out the facts. There is a bullying policy in place. There are methods that the district has devised for people to report it, even anonymously. If you are concerned about what the results are, I suggest that you send Mr. Lodes and email or give him a call.

Actually, the $2,685.00 went directly into the library fund to buy books on how to dealing with people who are complaining about why the dance event cancellation cost $2,685.00.

The dance was not cancelled but moved to the middle school. Do some fact checking instead of spell checking! Misspellings and apostrophes are not important in this.

And no it is not the $2,685.00 but the fact that there is no evidence of any event being cancelled as the district claims or even scheduled other than homecoming. Facts that are easily verifiable.

Also according to state law those methods for dealing with the problem were to be in place back March of 2010, also a fact easily verifiable.

The high school event location was cancelled. It was moved to the middle school. Instead of playing ping pong with me about this issue, why don't you send an email or call the school district or go to a meeting and ask for yourself. If you spent 1/4 of the time asking the people who know instead of speculating, maybe you'd get the answers to the multitude of questions you have.

I am not speculating and have no interest in play anything with you. My information comes from easily available government documents while you obviously just want to bicker with no facts to back anything you write. My time is none of your business, you choose to respond with baseless, rude dribble. You and the anchorman need a hobby and leave the issues to the adults.

Gene, learn how to spell, and maybe get some facts. "State law" isn't a fact. If everything is so easily verifiable, then you should already know why it cost what it did. But then again, you know all the facts. I love this forum. And I love scotch.

I don't think that's how "Kozmonovich" is spelled.