COBB COUNTY, GA — A judge has reversed the expulsion of a Cobb County middle school student who was disciplined for allegedly causing a disruption by warning friends about a shooting threat he saw online.

Attorney Claire Sherburne of the Southern Poverty Law Center said the judge ruled her client, identified as “GD,” did not violate district policy and he did not intend to cause a disruption.

“Punishing students by suspending them out of school for behaviors like this doesn’t advance student safety,” Sherburne said. “I understand that the school might have preferred that GD handle the situation differently, but GD was 13 and he was scared.”

Sherburne added that the student has been affected by the expulsion.

Cobb County Schools has not commented on the case but stated that it takes all reports of threats seriously.