First of all, most Americans have no sense of history. If it happened more than five years ago, it's irrelevant to their lives. Hence other than those directly impacted by the attacks in New York and DC, nobody is hitting the dirt when a firecracker goes off. So I doubt the people in that school were so traumatized that they'd panic at the sound of firecracker-like "pop".
So why did the principal expel the girl? Like they say: Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach. And those who can't teach become principals.
Haven't you seen the news accounts of principals disciplining kids for making gun shapes with their fingers?! For bringing toy soldiers to class? For drawing pictures of guns (OK, that one's Canada)?
http://patterico.com/2013/03/12/law...-making-his-pop-tart-into-the-shape-of-a-gun/
http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2013/...uspended-after-playing-with-imaginary-weapon/
http://radio.foxnews.com/toddstarne...tes-cupcakes-decorated-with-toy-soldiers.html
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/...hool_after_daughter_draws_picture_of_gun.html
Our education system has been broken for years and one of the big reasons is unions that coddle mediocrity. Principal Ron Pritchard is a shining example of that axiom.
I never cared abouth the expulsion. She did something dangerous at school, and she knew it.
What I did care about was the criminal charges, and I'm glad to hear the police didn't pursue this any further.