Student fined $2,000 for disturbing high school

THREATENING PHOTOS POSTED ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Mohammad Farawan was only kidding around when he posted on the social media site Snapchat a picture of a gun lying on a package of cigarettes and a pencil case filled with bullets.

However, students of Chinook High School on the westside, as well as their parents and the school principal, didn’t think it was funny, and neither did the police who charged him nor the court commissioner who fined him.

“A man of 18 should know better,” Commissioner David Price said Tuesday in Lethbridge court where he fined Farawan $2,000 after he pleaded guilty to one count under the School Act of disturbing or interrupting the proceeding of a school.

Price, who didn’t find the posts even “slightly amusing,” said posting such pictures in this day and age of heightened sensitivity to perceived threats is reckless, and Farawan not only interrupted school but caused alarm in the community. “This is beyond foolishness.” Prosecutor Garry Kaskiw told court police were alerted about 11 p.m. Sept. 25 by a parent who said her son had received the pictures on Snapchat. Superimposed over both pictures were the words “Chinook High School.”

The student who received the photos knew who had posted the pictures and asked Farawan if he was serious.

Farawan only responded by posting laughing emojis, then blocked the student from receiving further posts.

“This is not even remotely funny,” Kaskiw said.

Police received several complaints during the night from parents and students, wanting to know what the pictures meant. The pictures, Kaskiw added, had been reposted on social media and “spread like wildfire.”

The following morning the school issued a mass email to students and parents telling them that school would be open “and most importantly that the students would be safe.” But despite increased police presence at the school, only about 20 per cent of the student body attended.

When Farawan, who was in Grade 12, arrived at school he was confronted by authorities and admitted he sent the pictures.

Kaskiw said the consequences of Farawan’s actions could have been dire, and even though police chose to charge him under provincial legislation, he could have been charged under the Criminal Code.

“He doesn’t understand how fortunate he is to avoid a criminal record. “

The young man had pleaded not guilty during a brief court appearance Nov. 21, and was scheduled for trial June 14, 2018. However, his case was brought forward Tuesday so he could plead guilty and resolve the matter. Farawan, who no longer attends Chinook High School, told court through an Arabic interpreter that he was only kidding when he sent the pictures to some of his friends. He said one of the recipients took a picture of the Snapchat then reposted it through social media.

He has until April 30 to pay the fine or face spending 20 days in jail.

A similar yet unrelated incident occurred in October at St. Francis Junior High when police received information about a Snapchat image depicting a bag of bullets labelled "St. Francis Junior High."

Police searched the school but didn’t find any bullets, weapons or anything suspicious. At the time of the incident, classes had ended for the day, but safety protocols were initiated for the staff and students who remained inside.

The origin of the image — a stock photo off the internet — was traced to a northside home, and police questioned a 13-year-old boy who is a student at St. Francis. Police said they didn’t find any weapons or ammunition and there wasn’t any evidence to suggest criminal intent.