Wisconsin parent says son, 12, was charged with disorderly conduct after joking “Like what, make explosives?” to his teacher

A Wisconsin parent says his 12-year-old son was suspended and charged with disorderly conduct after making a joke to a teacher that was misread as a threat. The parent, who posted under the username WeekExpress9800 on Reddit’s r/legaladvice forum, said the incident occurred shortly after he gained full custody of his son.

According to the Reddit post, the boy was in the school library when his teacher told him he could do whatever he wanted after reading hour ended. The boy responded, “Like what, make explosives?” The parent claimed the school removed the boy from class immediately afterward, searched his belongings, and questioned him without a parent present. 

The poster said the boy was suspended for four days and charged with disorderly conduct following the comment. He claimed that the principal, superintendent, and a police officer involved in the matter all said they understood the remark to be a joke rather than a genuine threat.

School officials reportedly acknowledged the comment was a joke

According to the parent, this acknowledgment came only after the suspension and charge had already been carried out. He said his son was left to face a court appearance as a result of the joke. Disputes over how schools involve law enforcement in response to student behavior are not rare, as seen when a Texas school called police on a graduate over a gesture made during a ceremony.

“He’s terrified. I’m scared and angry,” WeekExpress9800 wrote in the post, adding that he could not afford to hire a lawyer to represent his son. He said he turned to Reddit’s legal advice community for guidance on how to proceed.

One commenter, who identified themselves as a public defender for children, said juvenile defendants are typically entitled to an attorney and advised the parent to request one at the boy’s first court appearance. 

“I do not see this case resulting in out of home placement if what you’ve described is accurate but he does need a lawyer,” the commenter wrote. The same commenter added that juvenile cases often involve scrutiny of the family’s home life. “Prepare for it as if you were preparing for child services to inspect you. Make sure everyone is clean, fed, cared for, and attending school,” the commenter wrote.

Another commenter appeared to focus on the wording of the boy’s remark, arguing that it was phrased as a question rather than a statement of intent. “Im going to split legal hairs here – your son asked a question. ‘Like make explosives?’ The question didnt show intent. No intent usually can mean no crime,” the commenter wrote. The commenter also recommended requesting legal counsel if the matter proceeded as a criminal case.

A third commenter argued that the boy’s comment may be protected speech if school officials genuinely understood it as a joke. “If they knew this was said in jest, constitutionally, he is protected by the first amendment. Retain a lawyer,” the commenter wrote, according to the post. The identities of the commenters, the school, and the school district have not been independently verified or named in the original post.

WeekExpress9800 later posted an update saying the court hearing concluded favorably for his son. According to the update, the boy received a formal warning but did not have the incident placed on his permanent record. 

“This could have really been bad. I think he understands,” the parent wrote, adding that the two had returned home with the legal matter resolved. Approaches to school discipline vary widely, and some places have gone in a notably different direction, such as a government permitting corporal punishment in schools as a response to student misbehavior.