A South Whidbey middle school student was arrested last week for allegedly making a bomb threat, according to police.

Every indication is that the student intended the message as a joke and had no plans to harm anyone, according to Sgt. Darren Crownover with the Island County Sheriff’s Office.

“There is no such thing as a joke anymore when it comes to this stuff,” he said.

Crownover said that a teacher at the South Whidbey High School / Middle School saw a 12-year-old boy acting suspiciously before going over to a poster on the wall that was meant for well-wishes, poetry and other positive messages. After the student left, the teacher investigated and found that he had written “I have a bomb.”

The boy was called out of class, taken to the principal’s office and given an emergency expulsion that will last at least a couple of weeks, Crownover said.

The poster and samples of the boy’s writing were taken into evidence. School staff searched the boy’s backpack and didn’t find anything suspicious.

Crownover and another deputy went to the boy’s house and spoke with his family. They didn’t find anything related to bombs or bomb making; the boy didn’t have access to firearms.

The boy was arrested on suspicion of making a threat. He was booked and released to his family.