Prior to being expelled from school, Matthew Hall was a sophomore at Keokuk High School. He had maintained a good disciplinary record and had never been suspended or expelled from school before November 1999. Matthew had never been in trouble with the law and had never been recommended for any type of counseling.

November 23, 1999, was Matthew's sixteenth birthday. Approximately 18 days before he turned 16, Matthew began "counting down" to his birthday by declaring at school that something was going to happen in a specified number of days. Matthew made these statements to his friends and to others. However, he disclosed only to his closest friends the specific event to which he was counting down. Matthew permitted those who were not his friends to speculate about what this "countdown" concerned. When asked about what the countdown was about, Matthew remained silent or replied, "Wait and see" or "You'll see".

Prior to his birthday, Matthew also told two students in the school lunchroom that he was "going to blow up the school and we are all going to burn in hell." He informed another student that she was on a list he was maintaining and then refused to clarify the type of list to which he was referring. By November 22, the rumors and speculation had been reported both by the newspaper and the local television stations. On November 23, Matthew's birthday, approximately 212 students out of the 750 high school student body did not attend school. Numerous classes were disrupted and many students feared for their safety. Two members of the Keokuk Police Department were present at the District's request.

We conclude that Matthew's expulsion was reasonable and in the best interest of the school officials' duty to protect other students and staff from violence. The Board was aware that over 200 students were absent from school on November 23, at least in part due to the fact that Matthew threatened in the lunchroom to blow up the school and spoke of a "countdown" without clarifying that it was to his birthday. The absences and the fearful atmosphere at school that day for the students in attendance clearly show a material and substantial disruption to the school environment and a threat to the health and safety of students and staff.

That the Keokuk Community School Board of Directors' decision made on December 7, 1999, to expel Matthew W. Hall for the remainder of the 1999-2000 school year, be affirmed.