To Grant a Pardon to the Alleged Mastermind of the Connetquot High School Bomb Plot

We, the undersigned, petition Governor Spitzer to grant a pardon to the 15-year-old Special Education student who was arrested on July 13, 2007, for being the alleged mastermind of the attempt to attack Connetquot High School of Bohemia, New York on April 2008. While we do not condone what he was planning to do, we must beg to ask the question: Who was the true victim in this affair--the students who were spared from the attack or the Special Education student who was subjected to ridicule, insults, teasing and other acts of intimidation and abuse, including having the contents of his backpack dumped into a garbage pail?

For far too long Special Education students have been the targets of such intimidation and abuse and have been ostracized from the rest of the student body, and teachers, principals, boards of education and even the New York State Board of Regents have largely turned a blind eye to these atrocities. Although the sentence imposed on the student was light given the circumstances, he will have a permanent criminal record that will be an obstacle for him when he seeks employment in the future.

We feel, therefore, that the student should be given a fresh start, beginning with being given a pardon for his crimes, and continuing to receive the counseling and treatment he's been receiving. Furthermore, we implore Governor Spitzer, the Board of Regents, the Connetquot Central School District of Islip and Connetquot High School to investigate the incidents of abuse that were made against the student and to appropriately discipline those who did such abuse against him. Justice demands nothing less in this matter.

We therefore hope that Governor Spitzer in his mercy and in his good judgment will grant this pardon to the student so he can be given an opportunity to put this incident behind him.