Boy Expelled for Bringing Fake Bomb to School

A 14-year-old student at Newbury Park High School has been expelled for bringing a fake bomb to school, the same school where a live bomb was removed in September.

After a five-hour, closed-door hearing Thursday night, the board of the Conejo Valley Unified School District voted unanimously to expel the student for the rest of the school year, said Assistant Supt. Richard W. Simpson.

The board ruled that the boy, whose name was not released because of his age, had violated two sections of the state education code for bringing a dangerous object to school on Oct. 23, Simpson said.

The student, who was cited by police for his actions, is under investigation by the Ventura County Probation Department.

Arthur L. Scovis, the boy’s attorney, acknowledged before Thursday’s board hearing that his client had built a model of a bomb and brought it to school but said his actions did not warrant expulsion.

“This is a stupid act,” Scovis said. “But you don’t expel people for stupidity. In fact, stupid people, the place for them to be is in school.”

Scovis said the boy did not build the model--made of two pieces of plastic pipe and a stopwatch--with the intent of frightening other students or disrupting school activities.

He said the boy made the model at home and brought it to school after two of his friends asked to see it.

Scovis said the boy kept the device in his knapsack while he was at school. He said word got out, though, and school officials confronted the youth as he was preparing to leave campus.

School officials said they considered the incident to be very serious because a live pipe bomb was discovered under a stairwell at the school on Sept. 30. The explosive, which authorities said could have killed or maimed students if it had been detonated, was removed by the Ventura County bomb squad.

On Oct. 14, responding to an anonymous tip, bomb experts returned to the school to remove a device resembling a homemade bomb from a locker. The device turned out to be a fake.

No arrests have been made in connection with either incident. The school district has offered a $5,000 reward to help find those responsible for the first incident.

Scovis said that while the law prohibits students from bringing dangerous weapons or objects to school, it does not clearly address incidents like the one involving his client.

“There are some First Amendment problems here,” he said before Thursday night’s hearing. “This was a model he made. This is freedom of expression. It’s an expression of who he is. It’s like a piece of art.”

Scovis could not be reached for comment Friday.

But Simpson said Scovis suggested during the closed hearing that a lawsuit may be brought against the district for expelling his client. School officials declined to comment further.