A Kentucky teen who wrote a 'kill list' of his fellow students is being allowed to return to school

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A Kentucky teen who wrote a 'kill list' of his fellow students is being allowed to return to school
An exterior view of Conner High School, Hebron, Kentucky as of 2016Google Maps
  • A teen expelled for making a 'kill list' of fellow students is set to return to school in Kentucky.
  • The principal's own child was reportedly among the listed targets, local reports said.
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A student at a Kentucky school is set to return to class despite being accused of writing a "kill list" of fellow pupils, according to multiple reports.

The unnamed 14-year-old in Boone County, Kentucky, was charged with second-degree terroristic threats and expelled for a year after reports that he threatened a mass shooting online, NBC News affiliate WLWT reported.

Police said the teen admitted making the threats, per WLWT, but the current status of his charges is unknown as his record is sealed, NBC News reported.

He is now rejoining classes, at Conner High School, after a year's absence.

Parents — several of whom have kids who were named on the alleged list — voiced concerns at a school board meeting last week.

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"When I received a call from the principal, it was emotionally devastating. All I could think about was my child in danger when they did nothing wrong," said Rob Bidleman, a parent of one of the children listed, according to WLWT.

Some parents who disagreed with the decision sympathized with principal Andy Wyckoff, whose own child was reportedly on the list, the outlet reported.

"I think it puts an unnecessary burden on Mr. Wycoff with his own son being on that list," the outlet quoted parent Karen Wells as saying. "He has to be impartial every day ... Obviously, this kid needs a community to get behind him to help him because one day he's going to be in our society."

After the meeting, Boone County School District Superintendent Matthew Turner sent a letter to parents saying that "all appropriate safety measures have been taken and are in place," according to WLWT.

"The Kentucky Constitution guarantees the right to a public education for every child without prejudice, and we are obligated to follow state law," he wrote, according to the report.

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While state regulations do not list any rules governing the return of a pupil after they have been expelled, a spokesperson for the Boone County School District told Insider that public school districts are not legally permitted to permanently expel a student.

As such, schools often need to find ways to reintegrate students who previously had significant behavioral struggles, they said.

January 17, 2023: This story has been updated to reflect information received from the Boone County School District.

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