Question: CAN YOU TELL A TEACHER THAT YOU WANT TO BURN DOWN THE SCHOOL AND IF IT HAPPENS DO YOU GET CONVICTED OF THE CRIME?
Answer: You definitely do not want to make statements about burning down your school to a teacher or to anyone else. Arizona law (A.R.S. § 13-2911), makes it a class 6 felony to threaten to damage a school, whether you actually do it or not. Not only will you be charged with a crime but you will face suspension, expulsion or other disciplinary actions. If the school actually burns down after you have made such a threat, you would most likely be investigated for arson. All of these are very serious offenses so if you made such a statement to a teacher, you should speak with him/her and try to explain that you didn't mean it!!
For more information on school threats, visit the LawForKids.org Youth Laws section.
On 11/21/03 Josh from IL said:
its a common misconception about the 1st amendment that you can say what ever you want. Actually your not aloud to start talking about bring harm purposlly to others. If we had a country where we were "completly" free it would be pure anarchy. Because anyone could do what ever they wanted to
On 07/02/03 Bryan from Othe said:
Well, this person only said they "want" to burn down the school. They aren't actually threatening to do it. That kind of speech should be protected by the first ammendment to the constitution. So they don't like their school and would like to see it burned down. That doesn't necessarily mean they'd have anything to do with it being burned if it somehow was.
On 06/20/03 Lynn from AZ said:
Although he was not in an legal trouble, my 11 year old did actually say this to his teacher and was suspended for 5 days- it's not worth being the class clown!!! My son has been the class clown for nearly every school year of his life...now we've pulled him out of public school altogether and are homeschooling him- the best decision we've ever made!!!
On 05/16/03 jsdfjksd from CA said:
You may say whatever the heck you want to under the 1st admendment of the bill of rights. And you are innocent until proven guilty in the court of law. But sometimes when you make a threat it could be used the other way around.
On 10/13/02 Nick from AZ said:
why would any one want to burn something down.That is pretty dumb.And you would get into lots of trouble.
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