VA - 6-YEAR-OLD in custody after shooting teacher, Newport News, Jan 2023 *mom charged* #2

[mickey2942]

And, who could blame anyone for not wanting to teach?!

Actually, if that is the expectation, teachers need hazardous duty pay, and have the same, exact pension plan and training as police officers.

Just saying.

Also, in regards to the parents not wanting their child in Special Education, it is a team decision, not necessarily a parent choice. If the team decides on a change in placement, that happens. The parent can appeal the decision.

 

[Eli9]

So I'm just going to say it out loud.

Is this a racial issue? Gender identity issue?
Some other controversial issue constantly in the headlines these days?
Threats of discrimination lawsuits, doxxing, "cancelling" going on?

I can't be the only one wondering this, right?

You're not the only one. It's absurd until it isn't.

 

[Simply Southern]

Actually, if that is the expectation, teachers need hazardous duty pay, and have the same, exact pension plan and training as police officers.

Just saying.

Totally agree.

 

[Eli9]

Actually, if that is the expectation, teachers need hazardous duty pay, and have the same, exact pension plan and training as police officers.

Just saying.

Excellent reply. If only.

 

[fred&edna]

The school board's suggestion of workers comp would be paid by VRSA. VRSA which I mentioned pages back.

Workers' Compensation – VRSA

www.vrsa.us

 

[fred&edna]

The absurdity of workers comp being applicable; as well as the mention of exploring a counter-suit is almost laughable. imo

 

[Simply Southern]

The school board's suggestion of workers comp would be paid by VRSA. VRSA which I mentioned pages back.

Workers' Compensation – VRSA

www.vrsa.us

Yes, and after 18 months, just betting they will want her to apply for disability. I've seen this happen before.
MOO....

 

[airportwoman]

I'm thinking that there is at least one of two reasons, and possibly others, why the parents have refused to have their obviously disturbed child evaluated. One is that they are from a culture where it's considered more stigmatized or disgraceful to have a child with some kind of diagnosis that it is for the untreated child to have behavior leading other people to suspect it, and/or they are afraid of what the child would tell doctors, etc. about them.

 

[Simply Southern]

From the attorney's website...

$40 Million Lawsuit Filed for Teacher Shot by 6-Year-Old Student - Breit Biniazan Trial Lawyers

The lawsuit alleges that the Newport News School Board and the administrators at Richneck Elementary School were negligent in protecting the safety of the teacher despite numerous red flags and warnings about the child having a gun at school. On January 6, 2023, Abigail Zwerner, a 25-year-old...

www.bbtrial.com

Essentially, this child was a ticking time bomb on school property and the administration chose to ignore the problem. Everyone knows that this is unacceptable and we look forward to bringing this case before a Newport News jury to assess the facts for themselves. We expect more from our school systems, particularly when our children are under their watch. Abigail Zwerner deserved more from the school system and now she will live with the results of their neglect for the rest of her life.”

Jeffrey Breit, Partner

 

[Ladyotm]

Teacher shot by 6-year-old student files $40 million lawsuit

A Virginia teacher who was shot and seriously wounded by her 6-year-old student filed a lawsuit Monday seeking $40 million in damages from school officials, accusing them of gross negligence and of ignoring multiple warnings the day of the shooting that the boy was armed and in a “violent mood.”...

www.yahoo.com

“Teachers' concerns with John Doe's behavior (were) regularly brought to the attention of Richneck Elementary School administration, and the concerns were always dismissed,” the lawsuit states. Often after he was taken to the office, “he would return to class shortly thereafter with some type of reward, such as a piece of candy," according to the lawsuit.
The boy's parents did not agree to put him in special education classes where he would be with other students with behavioral issues, the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit describes a series of warnings school employees gave administrators in the hours before the shooting, beginning with Zwerner, who went to the office of assistant principal Ebony Parker between 11:15 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. and told her the boy “was in a violent mood,” threatened to beat up a kindergartener and stared down a security officer in the lunchroom. The lawsuit alleges that Parker “had no response, refusing even to look up at (Zwerner) when she expressed her concerns.”
Kovac told Ebony Parker that the boy had told students he had a gun. Parker responded his "pockets were too small to hold a handgun and did nothing,” the lawsuit states.

I am also thinking the parents might need to be sued as well ?
According to the link, the weapon was on a high shelf and had a lock on it.
IMO --- I somewhat doubt that, considering this child should not have been able to access it.
To shoot Ms. Zwern the gun had to be loaded and the safety off.

This article has me seeing red !
Grrr.
Ugh.
Imo.

The comments in the articles are exactly inline to what I've seen in some of the schools I've worked in. At the end of the day, special needs students need to be in a space (class,facility, etc), where the educator is equipped to meet their unique needs. From reading this article, I get the feeling that Asst Principal Parker routinely ignored the victim's concerns about this student.

 

[Ladyotm]

I'm thinking that there is at least one of two reasons, and possibly others, why the parents have refused to have their obviously disturbed child evaluated. One is that they are from a culture where it's considered more stigmatized or disgraceful to have a child with some kind of diagnosis that it is for the untreated child to have behavior leading other people to suspect it, and/or they are afraid of what the child would tell doctors, etc. about them.

I've seen many parents refuse the special education evaluation but agree to speech or occupational therapy. All because they don't want their child labeled "sped". We continue to encourage them to seek and accept the extra help for their children.

 

[mickey2942]

I'm thinking that there is at least one of two reasons, and possibly others, why the parents have refused to have their obviously disturbed child evaluated. One is that they are from a culture where it's considered more stigmatized or disgraceful to have a child with some kind of diagnosis that it is for the untreated child to have behavior leading other people to suspect it, and/or they are afraid of what the child would tell doctors, etc. about them.

This. Normal kids, from Normal home environments are not like this child. I was particularly disturbed by the information that this child lifted a girl's dress during recess, and was on top of her. That is NOT what five year old children do...

Even if there is a diagnosis of reactive attachment disorder, which is definitely what this child sounds like, there is a lot more beyond this diagnosis, to unpack in this particular case. INMO.

 

[shotgun09]

This shielding and cover up of neglectful ( IMO) parenting as well as school admins is suspicious as hell. This boy sounds like a nightmare, ( 'Chucky' comes to mind ) and they all knew it!!!
Poor Abby

 

[iamnotagolem]

I'm thinking the parents must be LE or connected that way somehow to keep their names out of the news and to not have charges against them. I wonder if the child had been abused, the sexual assault on a classmate screams sex abuse. Which makes me think that's why there haven't been evaluations and diagnosis for the child.

But then I go back to the admin of the school not dealing with the issue which lead to him shooting his teacher, so maybe the connection is the parents to the school.

 

[sds71]

Emily Mapp Brannon represents several Richneck Elementary School families whose children were in the classroom and witnessed the shooting, including one referred to as Ron Doe

Mapp Brannon also said she intends to file lawsuits on their behalf for the trauma the children experienced.

“My client’s parents seek an answer to the following questions,” Mapp Brannon said. “Why didn’t Ms. Zwerner or any other teacher call 911? Could this have all been prevented with that call?”

The claim that Zwerner was warned of the shooter’s intention to harm her ahead of the shooting was also made on Monday by Pamela Branch, the attorney representing Foster-Newton. Branch has previously said Foster-Newton was never warned that the 6-year-old had a gun.

Zwerner’s legal team responded to Foster-Newton’s statement on Monday.

“It sounds like the principal is now blaming Abby for getting shot. That is absurd. The unheeded warnings to the school administration were clear and the timing of when they knew the threat was on school property is spelled out in our complaint.”

Attorney: Student reported gun to teacher before she was shot by 6-year-old

A first-grade student who allegedly warned Abby Zwerner that his classmate had a gun and planned to shoot her was told by the teacher to “sit down and be quiet,” his attorney says.

www.wavy.com

 

[Simply Southern]

I'm thinking the parents must be LE or connected that way somehow to keep their names out of the news and to not have charges against them. I wonder if the child had been abused, the sexual assault on a classmate screams sex abuse. Which makes me think that's why there haven't been evaluations and diagnosis for the child.

But then I go back to the admin of the school not dealing with the issue which lead to him shooting his teacher, so maybe the connection is the parents to the school.

NN COP has been outspoken about the law. MOO

 

[fred&edna]

Is there anything stopping the family from taking the child (if he isn't already back with them) and moving to a different city and/or state... and enrolling in another school? Will they demand no special ed for him, again... and if so, will the school board appease, again?? I doubt there are any laws/rules about tracking him... as that would invade his privacy

 

[fred&edna]

We already know what happened to Austin Lyle.

 

[mickey2942]

Is there anything stopping the family from taking the child (if he isn't already back with them) and moving to a different city and/or state... and enrolling in another school? Will they demand no special ed for him, again... and if so, will the school board appease, again?? I doubt there are any laws/rules about tracking him... as that would invade his privacy

Yes. I worked at a summer program years ago, we had a child enrolled, he was 10. We had absolutely no background information on him, as the application didn't ask any of that information.

He was a perpetrator on younger children. We only found that out, after he victimized another child. Or rather, he tried, we intervened immediately.

 

[Ladyotm]

Emily Mapp Brannon represents several Richneck Elementary School families whose children were in the classroom and witnessed the shooting, including one referred to as Ron Doe

Mapp Brannon also said she intends to file lawsuits on their behalf for the trauma the children experienced.

“My client’s parents seek an answer to the following questions,” Mapp Brannon said. “Why didn’t Ms. Zwerner or any other teacher call 911? Could this have all been prevented with that call?”

The claim that Zwerner was warned of the shooter’s intention to harm her ahead of the shooting was also made on Monday by Pamela Branch, the attorney representing Foster-Newton. Branch has previously said Foster-Newton was never warned that the 6-year-old had a gun.

Zwerner’s legal team responded to Foster-Newton’s statement on Monday.

“It sounds like the principal is now blaming Abby for getting shot. That is absurd. The unheeded warnings to the school administration were clear and the timing of when they knew the threat was on school property is spelled out in our complaint.”

Attorney: Student reported gun to teacher before she was shot by 6-year-old

A first-grade student who allegedly warned Abby Zwerner that his classmate had a gun and planned to shoot her was told by the teacher to “sit down and be quiet,” his attorney says.

www.wavy.com

This is horrible. Trying to blame the victim. And now all these parents are ganging up on her. I still want to know why wasn't the principal approachable that day? What was she doing? School leaders knew this kid was dangerous, were approached several times about a gun, and did nothing...