VA- 6-YEAR-OLD is in custody after shooting teacher

[Observant-ADHD-ENFP-BSc]

Yes, I agree @FunkyMonkey ... I'm willing to bet he has had many behavior problems and reports before now. The trend, as I'm seeing (former preschool teacher, have my own day care now, and keep in touch with preschool workers & ECE's) seems to be kids feeling like they "rule the roost" and discipline problems get poo-pooed, swept under the rug, teachers get hit, spit on, cursed at, etc. One complaint I hear also is parents expect the schools to deal with the behavior problems. However, many times, no real consequences are carried out at school or home. Then, the issues only get bigger and more severe.

Weren't these kids who were shipped off to "reform school" back in the olden days?

I want to clarify first I AM NOT advocating physical punishment, one little bit.

These two posts made me think. Even when I was in school (80's and 90's), problem children were not allowed to do what they wanted. There were punishments. Also, a one-on-one teacher's assistant or SERT would shadow said child for the day. The one-on-one still happens, as far as I know, here in Canada.
But teachers and parents now have a lot of legal implications as regards to punishment now.

*I am not advocating physical punishment or justifying it; it is purely an observation*
I was spanked when I was rude at home or misbehaved. Many of my peers were; also, some were even punished with belts, slippers, or wooden spoons. As well as non-physical punishments like being grounded, no treats, no TV, etc.
The laws and rights of children have been upgraded significantly since the 90s, and I fear that parents are scared to punish their children; I do not mean physically but non-physically. There have been cases of children who have had their video games are taken away, and they have run away and found frozen to death, and I think I read of a child who shot his mother for taking a video game away. Not just these extreme examples, but I feel parents are perplexed as to what they should and can do. This can only lead to children who basically can do what they want.
JMO, and again I am NOT advocating physical punishment.

 

[arielilane]

Official at Virginia school knew 6-year-old boy had gun hours before he shot teacher​

At least one official at the Virginia school where a 6-year-old boy shot his teacher last week knew the child had brought a 9mm gun with him to class hours before the shooting, but did not take the weapon away, the Newport News school superintendent revealed.

School system Superintendent George Parker told parents during an online town hall Thursday night that an unnamed administrator at Richneck Elementary School was notified about the gun in the first-grader’s possession ahead of time.

“At least one administrator was notified of a possible weapon in the timeline that we’re reviewing and was aware that that student had … a weapon on campus,” the superintendent told parents.

The boy’s backpack was searched, but no gun was found. Two-and-a-half hours later, the 6-year-old pointed his mother’s 9mm Taurus handgun at teacher Abigail Zwerner and shot her in class.

Official at Virginia school knew 6-year-old boy had gun hours before he shot teacher

The superintendent of the Newport News, Virginia, school system revealed that an administrator at Richneck Elementary School knew a 6-year-old had brought a gun to class hours before the child shot…

nypost.com

 

[cujenn81]

I'm wondering if anyone might know, IF the mother isn't charged, what would be the reason for that?
I'm honestly surprised there haven't been charges yet.

The only reasons I can think of --
a) mom realized the gun was missing and acted in good faith by taking steps to notify the school in advance
b) mom says the gun was secured, doesn't know how the boy accessed it, and the cops can't prove otherwise

Backpack of 6-year-old boy was searched prior to Virginia school shooting after tip about weapon

The schools superintendent in Newport News provided additional details of the Jan. 6 shooting, which left a first-grade teacher hospitalized with injuries to her hand and chest.

www.nbcnews.com

According to this article, the boy arrived late to school and his backpack was searched by a school employee upon his arrival at check-in but the search turned up nothing. This only raises MORE questions for me. Was the boy hiding the gun in his pants?

A spokeswoman for the Newport News police said that authorities also determined through their ongoing investigation that "a school employee was notified of a possible firearm at Richneck Elementary before the shooting occurred. The Newport News Police Department was not notified of this information prior to the incident."

Even if parent(s) are charged, allowing access to firearms by children is a Class 1 misdemeanor in Virginia and the punishment is confinement of not more than 12 months and/or a fine of not more than $2,500.

 

[shotgun09]

The only reasons I can think of --
a) mom realized the gun was missing and acted in good faith by taking steps to notify the school in advance
b) mom says the gun was secured, doesn't know how the boy accessed it, and the cops can't prove otherwise

Backpack of 6-year-old boy was searched prior to Virginia school shooting after tip about weapon

The schools superintendent in Newport News provided additional details of the Jan. 6 shooting, which left a first-grade teacher hospitalized with injuries to her hand and chest.

www.nbcnews.com

According to this article, the boy arrived late to school and his backpack was searched by a school employee upon his arrival at check-in but the search turned up nothing. This only raises MORE questions for me. Was the boy hiding the gun in his pants?

A spokeswoman for the Newport News police said that authorities also determined through their ongoing investigation that "a school employee was notified of a possible firearm at Richneck Elementary before the shooting occurred. The Newport News Police Department was not notified of this information prior to the incident."

Even if parent(s) are charged, allowing access to firearms by children is a Class 1 misdemeanor in Virginia and the punishment is confinement of not more than 12 months and/or a fine of not more than $2,500.

From the same article:

"But further details were not made available about who conducted the search, why the gun was not found and if the child's clothing was physically examined."
"A spokeswoman for the Newport News Public Schools said Friday that outstanding questions remain about the timeline, and she could not immediately say when the tip was received or who made it."

 

[Ontario Mom]

From the same article:

"But further details were not made available about who conducted the search, why the gun was not found and if the child's clothing was physically examined."
"A spokeswoman for the Newport News Public Schools said Friday that outstanding questions remain about the timeline, and she could not immediately say when the tip was received or who made it."

This case just gets more tragic.
Imagine being the person who searched the backpack and thought everything was fine because there was no gun in there.

I have to assume it was his mother, who called the school. It couldn't have been anyone else, could it?

 

[tlcya]

wow, what a mess. So w have a parent who doesn't know (allegedly) their 6 year old has access to and has taken their gun. A school official who is told of the gun, does, or causes to be done, a search for said weapon, doesn't locate it and within hours the 6 year old uses said weapon to shoot his teacher. Good gravy!

 

[shotgun09]

wow, what a mess. So w have a parent who doesn't know (allegedly) their 6 year old has access to and has taken their gun. A school official who is told of the gun, does, or causes to be done, a search for said weapon, doesn't locate it and within hours the 6 year old uses said weapon to shoot his teacher. Good gravy!

Yep!
And the school will remain closed, until the state of the art metal detectors are installed. Got that, kiddos?

 

[tlcya]

Yep!
And the school will remain closed, until the state of the art metal detectors are installed. Got that, kiddos?

welp, problem solved then, nothin to see here (sarcasm alert)

 

[Stunned]

From the same article:

"But further details were not made available about who conducted the search, why the gun was not found and if the child's clothing was physically examined."
"A spokeswoman for the Newport News Public Schools said Friday that outstanding questions remain about the timeline, and she could not immediately say when the tip was received or who made it."

Odd that apparently the child was NOT carrying the gun in the backpack at the search. Did he know not too?

 

[Simply Southern]

Duplicate

 

[Simply Southern]

The only reasons I can think of --
a) mom realized the gun was missing and acted in good faith by taking steps to notify the school in advance
b) mom says the gun was secured, doesn't know how the boy accessed it, and the cops can't prove otherwise

I, also think the mom reported or a family member. Moo

Yes, mom states the gun was secured.

Gun ownership comes with all the laws for use, storage, when/where can carry, etc. You except these when you purchase or pick up a gun. They are laws. If the gun was properly stored, then how did this happen?

According to this article, the boy arrived late to school and his backpack was searched by a school employee upon his arrival at check-in but the search turned up nothing. This only raises MORE questions for me. Was the boy hiding the gun in his pants?

A spokeswoman for the Newport News police said that authorities also determined through their ongoing investigation that "a school employee was notified of a possible firearm at Richneck Elementary before the shooting occurred. The Newport News Police Department was not notified of this information prior to the incident."

Was the school employee trained in fire arm safety, searching for weapons? This is clearly, (MOO,) is NOT in a job description or scope of service.

Why was this not reported to the school resource officer or local LE to search? Virginia requires reporting as of July 2022 to LE, except for disable children, which are reviewed by a board prior to contacting LE.
[URLunfurl="true"]Title 22.1. Education[/URL]

MOO...Norfolk school will be VERY careful to report information accurately. Recently, several school administrators were charged with providing incorrect/false information to the public.

2 Virginia school officials indicted amid student sexual assault probe

Two Virginia school officials were indicted Tuesday by a special grand jury investigating the mishandling of two sexual assaults committed last year by the same student.

www.abcactionnews.com

My opinion only....

Side note I have grandchildren in VA PS and I keep very informed on our schools, locally and on a state level.

 

[Simply Southern]

Yep!
And the school will remain closed, until the state of the art metal detectors are installed. Got that, kiddos?

I must have missed this. Did the school state it would be closed until metal dectors are installed? Do we have a MSM confirmation?

I ask because VA code requires schools to be open.
Moo

 

[airportwoman]

I want to clarify first I AM NOT advocating physical punishment, one little bit.

These two posts made me think. Even when I was in school (80's and 90's), problem children were not allowed to do what they wanted. There were punishments. Also, a one-on-one teacher's assistant or SERT would shadow said child for the day. The one-on-one still happens, as far as I know, here in Canada.
But teachers and parents now have a lot of legal implications as regards to punishment now.

*I am not advocating physical punishment or justifying it; it is purely an observation*
I was spanked when I was rude at home or misbehaved. Many of my peers were; also, some were even punished with belts, slippers, or wooden spoons. As well as non-physical punishments like being grounded, no treats, no TV, etc.
The laws and rights of children have been upgraded significantly since the 90s, and I fear that parents are scared to punish their children; I do not mean physically but non-physically. There have been cases of children who have had their video games are taken away, and they have run away and found frozen to death, and I think I read of a child who shot his mother for taking a video game away. Not just these extreme examples, but I feel parents are perplexed as to what they should and can do. This can only lead to children who basically can do what they want.
JMO, and again I am NOT advocating physical punishment.

Parents who are afraid of setting reasonable limits and rules because they fear being on CPS' radar have, in my own observation, had plenty of reasons to worry about CPS involvement that had nothing to do with things like limiting snacks or screen time. A child like you describe, who froze to death because they lost their video games, almost certainly had deeper issues. And if the child who shot his mother over a confiscated video game is the story I think it is, this youngster was in yet another foster home.

Like, their own drug use, moving parades of ex-convict boyfriends into the house, leaving young children unattended for long periods of time, etc.

 

[mickey2942]

The problem with "emotionally disturbed" children, is that if the child meets the eligibility for an IEP, the school can't send the child to a higher level of care, ie, inpatient, until either there is enough data or severe manifestation of inappropriate behavior to send him to "behavior school". It takes an incident like this or injuring students to justify it.

 

[shotgun09]

I must have missed this. Did the school state it would be closed until metal dectors are installed? Do we have a MSM confirmation?

I ask because VA code requires schools to be open.
Moo

I believe it was stated in the SB press conference held yesterday afternoon.

ETA: They were just speaking of this particular school remaining closed, until the devices are in place. The remainder of the schools in NN will be open

 

[fred&edna]

This child's mother should be identified and charged (with more than a misdemeanor but I guess that's impossible) for failing to properly keep the gun hidden AND secured. Is it really that difficult for a parent to behave more responsibly than a 6 year old??

jmo

 

[Simply Southern]

I believe it was stated in the SB press conference held yesterday afternoon.

ETA: They were just speaking of this particular school remaining closed, until the devices are in place. The remainder of the schools in NN will be open

Thanks for the information.

Wondering how this will play out having metal dector is this school and not others?

 

[Ap186]

A 4 yr old is not born with the ability to ‘fully use the internet’.
They learned from someone, watching or by being given a phone, and had help unless they are literate.
Would I ever give my phone or any other device to a toddler? Not under any circumstance.

I’ve not met a toddler who has issues without a cause found within the people they are around on a daily basis, in the home. The first red flag is a parent blaming the child for behavior that is in no way typical of a healthy child, as if the child chose to be bad.
Kids live in a system and they are masters at figuring it out, they do what works for them.
If they need attention, they do whatever it takes to get it.

Did my kids manipulate me? No way. I’m the adult, I was in charge. Does ‘in charge’ mean I hit or screamed at them or yanked their arms? No. I knew kids were a huge demand on parental energy, I had them when I was ready, willing, and able. I anticipated their needs, rearranged my life for their sake. Having the equipment to be a parent does not = being willing or able.
There is a steep learning curve, it is a very tough labor of love.
Enjoy every single moment, and even the learning moments- you miss all of them when your kids move out.

Do I believe there are kids at the age of six who are ‘evil’, or bad kids and who they are is unrelated to any nurture issue? No
Do I believe some kids choose to be evil? No.

JMO

.. a 4 year old can’t even spell words to type internet searches. I have a 7 year old boy and he is very smart. He plays video games and has a tablet and has a high level of understanding how to operate electronics. And although he can spell, even he wouldn’t know how to get online and cruise the internet. You’re exactly right everything at that young of an age is shown and taught. And with all due respect to the poster you responded to.. toddlers aren’t manipulative. The toddler in your family isn’t manipulative and bad. Toddlers, children all need structure, consistency and love. Even the way you allow your child to have emotions and feel safe in expressing those emotions.To feel safe, to be shown patience. When those things aren’t provided kids usually push boundaries which can look like “just being bad”. This case hurts my heart. For the teacher, the other kids who saw this happen, their parents, everyone in the schools community, and this 6 year old boy. Who was probably dealing with a feeling he had the way he sees the adults around him deal with feelings, physically rather than with his words, aggressively and violently.

 

[shotgun09]

Thanks for the information.

Wondering how this will play out having metal dector is this school and not others?

The plan was said to be that they were purchasing I believe 90 metal detectors overall. So, eventually all schools would have them.

 

[TGIRecovered]

Odd that apparently the child was NOT carrying the gun in the backpack at the search. Did he know not too?

Maybe the gun was in the backpack or the child's possession, but the person who says they searched for it- didn't. MOO