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

[Simply Southern]

My mind instinctively goes to the poor poor children in that classroom. What their little brains and hearts had to observe!
Violence, Destructiveness, Aggressiveness, Fear.
And, obviously it didn't stop. Until a shot was fired.
All those children were at risk, and were failed horribly.

Heads should be rolling...

Yes, from the information released, this was daily or at least several times per week. The child was suspended the day before for smashing AZ cell phone.

How or what did the other children learn, daily? Violence, being assaulted/threatened frequently, profanity, watching teachers assaulted.How much time was spent on actual education?

Moo... Teachers are hired to comply the federal and state laws, a free education for all. In moo.... Teachers are hired to teach. Principals are hired to deal with extreme behavior issues, that prevent a safe learning environment for all students.

All my opinions

 

[shotgun09]

From the article posted above:

"Two days before the shooting, the boy allegedly “slammed” Zwerner’s cellphone and broke it, according to the claim notice. He was given a one-day suspension, but when he returned to Zwerner’s class the following day, he pulled a 9mm handgun out of his pocket and shot her while she sat at a reading table, the notice says.
“It is a miracle that more people were not harmed,” Toscano wrote in her notice. “The shooter spent his entire recess with a gun in his pocket, a gun that was loaded and ready to fire ... while lots of first-grade students played.”

 

[IDK]

From the article posted above:

"Two days before the shooting, the boy allegedly “slammed” Zwerner’s cellphone and broke it, according to the claim notice. He was given a one-day suspension, but when he returned to Zwerner’s class the following day, he pulled a 9mm handgun out of his pocket and shot her while she sat at a reading table, the notice says.
“It is a miracle that more people were not harmed,” Toscano wrote in her notice. “The shooter spent his entire recess with a gun in his pocket, a gun that was loaded and ready to fire ... while lots of first-grade students played.”

So he was retaliating against her for the suspension?! We really are lucky he only fired one shot. IMO.
I wonder if his parents had him in any type of counseling or behavioral therapy? As others have said— he was crying out for help…

 

[Simply Southern]

BoardDocs® Policy: LI Professional Visitors and Observers

go.boarddocs.com

Title
Procedures: Serious Incident Reporting

Each principal/supervisor shall immediately report to the police any of the following acts that may constitute a criminal offense:

• The assault and battery that results in bodily injury, sexual assault, death, shooting, stabbing, cutting, or wounding of any person, or stalking of any person as described in Code of Virginia 18.2-60.3, on a school bus, on school property, or at a school-sponsored activity
• Any conduct involving alcohol, marijuana, a controlled substance, imitation controlled substance, or an anabolic steroid on a school bus, on school property, or at a school-sponsored activity, including the theft or attempted theft of student prescription medications
• Any threats against school personnel while on a school bus, on school property, or at a school-sponsored activity
• The illegal carrying of a firearm, as defined in §22.1-277.07, onto school property
• Any illegal conduct involving firebombs, explosive materials or devices, or hoax explosive devices, as defined in §18.2-85, or explosive or incendiary devices, as defined in §18.2-433.1, or chemical bombs, as described in §18.2-87.1, on a school bus, on school property, or at a school-sponsored activity
• Any threats or false threats to bomb, as described in §18.2-83, made against school personnel or involving school property or school buses

Each principal/supervisor may report to the police any incident described below:

• The assault or assault and battery, without bodily injury, of any person on a school bus, on school property, or at a school-sponsored activity

If any of the above-listed incidents or the following occur:

• False fire alarm activation
• Hate-motivated incident
• Lockdown (not including drills)
• Arrest of any person on school property;

 

[shotgun09]

BoardDocs® Policy: LI Professional Visitors and Observers

go.boarddocs.com

Title
Procedures: Serious Incident Reporting

Each principal/supervisor shall immediately report to the police any of the following acts that may constitute a criminal offense:

• The assault and battery that results in bodily injury, sexual assault, death, shooting, stabbing, cutting, or wounding of any person, or stalking of any person as described in Code of Virginia 18.2-60.3, on a school bus, on school property, or at a school-sponsored activity
• Any conduct involving alcohol, marijuana, a controlled substance, imitation controlled substance, or an anabolic steroid on a school bus, on school property, or at a school-sponsored activity, including the theft or attempted theft of student prescription medications
• Any threats against school personnel while on a school bus, on school property, or at a school-sponsored activity
• The illegal carrying of a firearm, as defined in §22.1-277.07, onto school property
• Any illegal conduct involving firebombs, explosive materials or devices, or hoax explosive devices, as defined in §18.2-85, or explosive or incendiary devices, as defined in §18.2-433.1, or chemical bombs, as described in §18.2-87.1, on a school bus, on school property, or at a school-sponsored activity
• Any threats or false threats to bomb, as described in §18.2-83, made against school personnel or involving school property or school buses

Each principal/supervisor may report to the police any incident described below:

• The assault or assault and battery, without bodily injury, of any person on a school bus, on school property, or at a school-sponsored activity

If any of the above-listed incidents or the following occur:

• False fire alarm activation
• Hate-motivated incident
• Lockdown (not including drills)
• Arrest of any person on school property;

So......It doesn't say anywhere in there, that if the school day is close to ending time...you can just ignore? Put your head in the sand? Roll your eyes? Brush it all off?

And, my personal favorite...." His pockets are too small".

Goodness

 

[Stunned]

How did the parents handle him? Surely, there were incidents at home. Moo

The parents can be a whole lot tougher on him at home than any teacher would ever dream of being. I’m not talking abusive, I’m talking restraining and much tougher discipline.
I had to go to Charlotte for an intense training on restraining. I was working one on one with a very violent 3 year old. I worked with him for 3 years. The two things I came away with is that I never wanted to restrain him and I never wanted to be restrained. I was the only teacher there, the rest were prison guards and psychiatric orderlies.

 

[Simply Southern]

The parents can be a whole lot tougher on him at home than any teacher would ever dream of being. I’m not talking abusive, I’m talking restraining and much tougher discipline.
I had to go to Charlotte for an intense training on restraining. I was working one on one with a very violent 3 year old. I worked with him for 3 years. The two things I came away with is that I never wanted to restrain him and I never wanted to be restrained. I was the only teacher there, the rest were prison guards and psychiatric orderlies.

Thank you for sharing.

What causes/contributes to extreme anger?

What actions help children with this diagnosis?

I admire you for teaching exceptional children. It takes a heart of gold.
Moo

 

[Ceska]

Unfortunately, this is happening all too often in the U.S. I can't imagine being a teacher in today's society of easy access to guns. We can do all we can to keep school kids and teachers safe, but this goes pretty deep into the culture.

 

[shotgun09]

We've entered week 5 since Ms Zwerner was shot... bring on the charges!!

ETA: If news reporters were able to obtain the communications from the school then so have the investigators. The picture is just becoming more and more clear.

Using my very best impersonation voice, from " Khaleesi" 'Mother of Dragons' from the Game of Thrones...

" WHERE ARE THE CHARGES ?????"

Let's Go, Virginia!

 

[Ontario Mom]

And they kept a gun in the home that he was somehow able to access despite it being “secured”

Yep, that's the story the parents are telling. It's certainly curious, that's for sure.

 

[Stunned]

Thank you for sharing.

What causes/contributes to extreme anger?

What actions help children with this diagnosis?

I admire you for teaching exceptional children. It takes a heart of gold.
Moo

My little guy was born addicted. His mother handed over custody to his grandmother and went beck to the streets. I believe he was her 4th som. I have no idea what happened to the others. Mom had a stroke when he was one and lost her eyesight, she moved back in with grandma. Grandma could not handle both, so my guy went into foster care. When I met him he was three, in his 10th foster home, had been thrown out of practically every preschool in 2 counties. He hit gold with his last foster family.
I was working for Head Start and had a reputation with the, well for lack of a better word, “terrifying” children. I got called in Friday that I was being pulled from my classroom and going to be one on one with this unknown child starting Monday.
Oh, hell no, I called his fosters and made an appointment with them to meet together before school Monday. I suggested a nearby park, it was gonna be a beautiful weekend and was told by his foster mom it would be better to meet in the safety of their home. First clue!
The next day I met him, and our own personal trail of tears and laughter started. He was one angry little boy. Lashed out at everything and everyone. Could not get him in a classroom, except for the times he would break away from me and charge into random ones to destroy them. And destroy them he did! We would just pace the hallways with him trying to attack anyone who came into sight. He broke my nose, my Head Start support team freaked, who was gonna keep him with me at emergency room? But other than my support team he had a great one with the PS.
It took 6 months to get him in the classroom, another month he had a friend. We were constantly twerking his IEP. He refused school food by throwing it across the room, every stinking time. So, because it’s HS, we had to have it in writing some thing as simple as bringing a lunch.
My guy successfully entered kindergarten 3 years ago. He plays soccer, and the other team isn’t wiped out or bloodied. So many other things, good, glorious, bad and horrific happened during our time together. But the best? He was adopted and then became a big brother!

 

[Stunned]

My little guy was born addicted. His mother handed over custody to his grandmother and went beck to the streets. I believe he was her 4th som. I have no idea what happened to the others. Mom had a stroke when he was one and lost her eyesight, she moved back in with grandma. Grandma could not handle both, so my guy went into foster care. When I met him he was three, in his 10th foster home, had been thrown out of practically every preschool in 2 counties. He hit gold with his last foster family.
I was working for Head Start and had a reputation with the, well for lack of a better word, “terrifying” children. I got called in Friday that I was being pulled from my classroom and going to be one on one with this unknown child starting Monday.
Oh, hell no, I called his fosters and made an appointment with them to meet together before school Monday. I suggested a nearby park, it was gonna be a beautiful weekend and was told by his foster mom it would be better to meet in the safety of their home. First clue!
The next day I met him, and our own personal trail of tears and laughter started. He was one angry little boy. Lashed out at everything and everyone. Could not get him in a classroom, except for the times he would break away from me and charge into random ones to destroy them. And destroy them he did! We would just pace the hallways with him trying to attack anyone who came into sight. He broke my nose, my Head Start support team freaked, who was gonna keep him with me at emergency room? But other than my support team he had a great one with the PS.
It took 6 months to get him in the classroom, another month he had a friend. We were constantly twerking his IEP. He refused school food by throwing it across the room, every stinking time. So, because it’s HS, we had to have it in writing some thing as simple as bringing a lunch.
My guy successfully entered kindergarten 3 years ago. He plays soccer, and the other team isn’t wiped out or bloodied. So many other things, good, glorious, bad and horrific happened during our time together. But the best? He was adopted and then became a big brother!

I have skimmed over so much, but I think it could have turned out to be so much worse for my guy. I realize this other little guy probably had more support, but I and mines foster parents, for one single moment never took our eyes off the ball, except when he broke my nose. You can’t, you have to stay hyper vigilant and that’s impossible when you also have a classroom with other children you’re responsible for.

 

[fred&edna]

Let's see now, per attorney, ... the gun was secured AND the day of the shooting was the first day the child wasn't accompanied by a parent.

<modsnip: not victim friendly toward parents>

 

[shotgun09]

Let's see now, per attorney, ... the gun was secured AND the day of the shooting was the first day the child wasn't accompanied by a parent.

<modsnip: not victim friendly toward parents>

...and...the shooting was the day AFTER the child was suspended for a day....

I've got a mini timeline running in my brain. <modsnip: not victim friendly toward parents>

When did the children return to school from Christmas Break? On what day? Does anyone here know?

 

[NuttMegg]

How did the 6 year old get the key, and was the gun really stored >6' high? Was the door to the room also locked? Sorry: mandatory registration of guns and ammo. Also liability insurance for gun owners, just like for car owners.

Does $250k per year and >$500k severance pay sound a little high for a grade school administrator? I wonder how much AZ was making with her topnotch education and working in the line of fire, with her phone being destroyed, etc.

 

[chipwhitley]

It's likely these "administrators" will skip on their merry way to new jobs dealing with children or making decisions that are associated with children. It's infuriating.

IF it's anything my local school district, they'll get jobs sitting on their butts in the downtown offices, making $100k plus.

 

[Stunned]

How did the 6 year old get the key, and was the gun really stored >6' high? Was the door to the room also locked? Sorry: mandatory registration of guns and ammo. Also liability insurance for gun owners, just like for car owners.

Does $250k per year and >$500k severance pay sound a little high for a grade school administrator? I wonder how much AZ was making with her topnotch education and working in the line of fire, with her phone being destroyed, etc.

I would bet she’s not making much. You have to really, really love what you’re doing and even then, sometimes, that won’t be enough for some. IMO

 

[NuttMegg]

I would bet she’s not making much. You have to really, really love what you’re doing and even then, sometimes, that won’t be enough for some. IMO

That part was rhetorical, I know some grade school teachers that are getting around 50k, if lucky and have to buy school supplies for their class.

 

[Simply Southern]

The line is forming...

Families of 2 Richneck students plan lawsuits against Newport News Public Schools

The families of two Richneck Elementary School students have put Newport News Public Schools on notice of their intent to file lawsuits against it.

www.wavy.com

10 On Your Side’s investigative team spoke with the parent of one of the children. That parent is represented by attorney Emily Mapp Brannon and asked to remain unnamed. They told us they sent the school division an intent-to-sue letter because their son was in the lunchroom with the accused 6-year-old on the day of the shooting and while he may have had the gun in the pocket of his hoodie.
....
The family of a first grader who was in Zwerner’s classroom at the time of the shooting also filed an intent-to-sue on behalf of their daughter. The letter claims the girl was bullied, harassed and assaulted at Richneck during the current school year.

The girl’s parents reported their concerns to NNPS multiple times, but claim the school division failed to protect their daughter, according to the letter.

 

[fred&edna]

The line is forming...

Families of 2 Richneck students plan lawsuits against Newport News Public Schools

The families of two Richneck Elementary School students have put Newport News Public Schools on notice of their intent to file lawsuits against it.

www.wavy.com

10 On Your Side’s investigative team spoke with the parent of one of the children. That parent is represented by attorney Emily Mapp Brannon and asked to remain unnamed. They told us they sent the school division an intent-to-sue letter because their son was in the lunchroom with the accused 6-year-old on the day of the shooting and while he may have had the gun in the pocket of his hoodie.
....
The family of a first grader who was in Zwerner’s classroom at the time of the shooting also filed an intent-to-sue on behalf of their daughter. The letter claims the girl was bullied, harassed and assaulted at Richneck during the current school year.

The girl’s parents reported their concerns to NNPS multiple times, but claim the school division failed to protect their daughter, according to the letter.

I wonder exactly what NNPS has been "doing" other than nothing?!