If this boy has some issues that need to be addressed, it doesn't do him or anyone else any good to ignore them.
I get tired of seeing MSM report these things without all the facts. It's not fair when the other side is prevented from showing or speaking about past behavior.
Without doing more research, I don't know what the disciplinary policy is at the school. Considering the suspension was for a entire year and considering the statement they released, I would venture to say that there are more recent problems than "he" stated in his interview. He is a senior now and he told of incidents that happened in 7th and 9th grade, both of which he attributed to another student. In 7th grade the incident involved a weapon, but he states another student mysteriously put it there. In 9th grade he doesn't elaborate on the extent of what he did, but he blames it on a pill he took that someone else gave him. His mother might buy his stories, but I don't.
Does he have a pattern of blaming others for his actions?
Giving a person national media attention, insinuating or portraying the school and teachers as being the bad guys, signing petitions and all these other things don't help a individual that may need help to prevent future problems. They enable and support the person that may be in the wrong. It's not a good message to send.