Albert Lea school administrators seek expulsion after student posted fabricated shooting threat

Albert Lea Area Schools administrators told the district school board on Oct. 14 that a ninth‑grade student, Gemma Beckman, created and shared a false Snapchat message claiming a school shooting would occur, a message that officials say spread widely and disrupted instruction.

Will Seiler, the attorney representing the district administration, told the board the administration would present evidence that “the student engaged in a willful violation of reasonable school board policy, specifically school district policy 506.” Seiler said the district would show the messages were fabricated, widely circulated and caused substantial disruption.

The student was suspended and the district delivered a notice of proposed expulsion dated Oct. 8, 2025, seeking removal from district schools for 12 months under the Minnesota Pupil Fair Dismissal Act (Minn. Stat. §§ 121A.40–121A.56). The board convened an evidentiary hearing on Oct. 14 to receive testimony and exhibits; the administration rested at the end of its case and the board had not reached a decision by the close of the hearing.

School officials described the timeline and impact. Sean Gaston, principal at the high school, said the district…