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

[Observant-ADHD-ENFP-BSc]

Richneck boy, 6, who shot teacher threatened to kill another

The Washington Post cites messages between teachers and staff at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News which detail how faculty complained but were dismissed.

www.dailymail.co.uk

• Other teachers complained to Richneck Elementary that he was violent
• He sent one a note saying he hated her and wanted to watch her 'burn and die'

Boy, 6, who shot teacher at Virginia school 'previously threatened to burn and kill another teacher, barricaded doors and threw furniture - but elementary school dismissed complaints.​

In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, other teachers slammed the school online, saying Zwerner 'asked for help' 'many times' 'all year'.

I'm sorry for the teachers who are literally on the front lines of witnessing children's misbehavior; and from the sound of the article their concerns may have been ignored or even dismissed ?


Also from the link :

School officials had been told that day that he had a gun - but allowed him to attend class after searching his backpack and not finding it.

Not sure how they didn't notice it on his person ?
Imo.

Sorry for jumping off your post. The article made me remember a boy I went to school with when I was 5-6 yr old. I remember he caused lots of havoc in the classroom, and many times the teacher would remove him from the classroom, and he wouldn't return for the rest of the day. He would threaten to kill or hurt people.
One day we were instructed to draw dinosaurs. He was near me and i saw he was coluring the whole page black, over and over with black crayon. As a 5-6 yr old girl, I saw this as an insult to art! and I told the teacher is was colouring all black, it obviously disturbed me. The teacher came over and saw him furiously coluring the page black and spoke gently to him and guided him out of the classroom, again.
After that year at school i dont rmember ever seeing him again, I do remeber his name and could check SM but I feel I want to let sleeping dogs lie.

 

[Simply Southern]

Just a question.
The teachers spoke of violent acts, was this regarding the six year old shooter or violent acts from others in general?
TYIA

In the SB meeting, students were not identified. Parents at Richneck spoke about fear, trauma the children are experiencing. All that spoke were begging for help. Moo and referencing full video of school board meeting.

Moo...I think they may have a hard time with students and teachers returning.

 

[Hexe]

Messages obtained by the Post detail an incident prior to the shooting where the 6-year-old boy wrote a note, telling a teacher he hated her and wanted to light her on fire and watch her die. The teacher said the note was given to administrators, but they were told to drop the matter.

6-Year-Old Wanted To Light Teacher On Fire, 'Watch Her Die' Before VA Shooting: Report

At other times, the boy accused of shooting Newport News teacher Abigail Zwerner reportedly threw furniture and other items in class.

patch.com

BBM.What the heck was going on in that school? The administration gets handed a note, written by a student, in which he threats her with a brutal murder and they tell the concerned teachers to drop the matter? Just like that?
Unbelievable.
If I were the injured teacher or the parents of those poor traumatised kids, I'd be preparing right now to sue the rear end off the school administration, because they failed horribly.
<modsnip>

 

[sandy_80]

BBM.What the heck was going on in that school? The administration gets handed a note, written by a student, in which he threats her with a brutal murder and they tell the concerned teachers to drop the matter? Just like that?
Unbelievable.
If I were the injured teacher or the parents of those poor traumatised kids, I'd be preparing right now to sue the rear end off the school administration, because they failed horribly.
<modsnip>

i am curious to know.. what do you think they should have done ? transfer the kid to another school ?
when we say the whole system doesnt have any mechanism to deal with kids of this age ..that all they do with a killer is to transfer to another place anonymously

 

[Sunshine95]

I work with Behavioral and emotionally disturbed children of all school ages, as a school counselor. I do threat assessments regularly, then meet with a team to decide the level of threat. Then administration decides how to respond. One critical aspect of the assessment is the likelihood and ability for that child to follow through on the threat. A child threatens to blow up the school? We investigate if that child has knowledge and means to acquire a bomb and use it. 10 year old= not likely for example. When a child threatens to shoot someone, we speak with family about safety care planning at home and anywhere they go to ensure the child won’t have access to a gun. I can see deciding it unlikely a 6 year old would be able to catch his teacher on fire and burn her to death, however we would certainly meet with family and the child to see if he has access to lighters, if he’s caught things on fire before etc. That threat would not make me automatically consider him bringing a gun to school. It’s complicated. Kids (and adults) say things frequently out of anger so most threats are never followed through on. There is a huge lack of good, available places to send kids who need intensive inpatient mental health services as well. Final thought is that we, as a school, can’t say he needs to go somewhere for treatment or else school pays for it. All we can decide is whether he’s at high enough risk to be expelled or put in home bound or outside school environment learning which the school would provide.
Just sharing my not well organized thoughts lol! All my opinion

 

[IceIce9]

I'm glad they chose to put a statement out there.

Unfortunately they've already been demonized in the court of public opinion so anything they say now will be used to further castigate them. They're basically danged if they do, danged if they don't.

My heart goes out to them, their boy, the teacher, all the kids in the class, and anyone else directly affected by this.

jmo

I just don’t follow how blaming his disability and a parent not being with him explains how he was able to get his hands on a gun and take it to school?

Aren’t parents required to keep guns locked away and out of the reach of children? The fact that the child has a disability is irrelevant IMO.

 

[Tweet57]

I just don’t follow how blaming his disability and a parent not being with him explains how he was able to get his hands on a gun and take it to school?

Aren’t parents required to keep guns locked away and out of the reach of children? The fact that the child has a disability is irrelevant IMO.

If his acute disability has lead to these consequences, perhaps school is not the place for him at this time. A medical facility with extensive treatment has to be the option of choice. Everyone at his school and neighbourhood have the right to be safe.

 

[amaraya]

We also have not heard if any words were spoken prior to the shooting between Abby Zwerner and the 6 year old. It seems very possible that from early witness reports ( AZ and other children present ?) there may have been words spoken, therefore intention was clear to LE from the get go. Just a guess, but also very possible.

It was said he just shot her with no warning when she was just in front of him

"In the moments before, there was no fight, no physical struggle and no warning, authorities said Monday.
“What we know today is that she was providing instruction. He displayed a firearm, he pointed it and he fired one round,” Newport News police Chief Steve Drew said.
What happened to 6-year-old who shot teacher? How did he get the gun?

 

[amaraya]

i am curious to know.. what do you think they should have done ? transfer the kid to another school ?
when we say the whole system doesnt have any mechanism to deal with kids of this age ..that all they do with a killer is to transfer to another place anonymously

They should follow protocol of the district, of which there certainly must be something listed, such as if violent threats are made parents, school psych and outside mental health and/or cps professionals are contacted and the issue is dealt with before the child is allowed back in school and /or at the very least a meeting with parents, staff (school psy etc) and teachers.

Transfer to another school would never be an option unless it was a documented long term problem that needed very special care in a different kind of school environment. Schools or admins would never just send a child to be someone eles's problem, though often i have seen parents move district to district hoping to 'start over' and putting others at risk...

 

[Ontario Mom]

I just don’t follow how blaming his disability and a parent not being with him explains how he was able to get his hands on a gun and take it to school?

Aren’t parents required to keep guns locked away and out of the reach of children? The fact that the child has a disability is irrelevant IMO.

I didn't get the impression the parents were either blaming his disability or them not being in the class that day, as the reason for the shooting. My impression was, they were trying to fill in some details the public wasn't aware of, or maybe they were answering questions that had actually been asked, in local circles. Namely, questions about gun safety, which they also addressed.

I will continue to give these parents the benefit of the doubt until or unless LE tells a different story.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

BBM.What the heck was going on in that school? The administration gets handed a note, written by a student, in which he threats her with a brutal murder and they tell the concerned teachers to drop the matter? Just like that?
Unbelievable.
If I were the injured teacher or the parents of those poor traumatised kids, I'd be preparing right now to sue the rear end off the school administration, because they failed horribly.
<modsnip>

As the families of the four deceased high school students in Oxford, Michigan are learning, it is extremely difficult to sue a school district, an individual school, administrators/teachers. As government agencies, all are protected by sovereign immunity. There are several lawsuits ongoing in the Oxford case with no progress to a resolution in any of them.

Is It Hard to Sue a School District? - Education Attorney

 

[Laughing]

I didn't get the impression the parents were either blaming his disability or them not being in the class that day, as the reason for the shooting. My impression was, they were trying to fill in some details the public wasn't aware of, or maybe they were answering questions that had actually been asked, in local circles. Namely, questions about gun safety, which they also addressed.

I will continue to give these parents the benefit of the doubt until or unless LE tells a different story.

Wondering since the beginning about possibly other children/persons in the household, perhaps.

Just very hesitant to mention it.

As we've discussed, someone demonstrated accessing & loading that pistol. Possibly available on YouTube, but....

We may never know who that (hypothetical person) was, especially if that person is also a minor.

Just wondering, just wondering.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

They should follow protocol of the district, of which there certainly must be something listed, such as if violent threats are made parents, school psych and outside mental health and/or cps professionals are contacted and the issue is dealt with before the child is allowed back in school and /or at the very least a meeting with parents, staff (school psy etc) and teachers.

Transfer to another school would never be an option unless it was a documented long term problem that needed very special care in a different kind of school environment. Schools or admins would never just send a child to be someone eles's problem, though often i have seen parents move district to district hoping to 'start over' and putting others at risk...

Given that the parents had been accompanying the child to school, I suspect that there was a meeting of school administrators, teacher/s, and the boy's parents. JMO

 

[ilovewings]

Virginia boy who shot teacher Abigail Zwerner told another he wanted to set her on fire: report

A 6-year-old who shot his teacher allegedly told another educator he wanted to light her on fire and watch her die, according to a report.

nypost.com

IMO <modsnip - speculation on specific mental health issues>. Since we know they won't put him in prison- what will they do with him?, oh he'll get counseling and all that stuff, but at the end of the day, this now child will grow into a dangerous adult, a very dangerous adult. Scary to even think about it. <modsnip - personalizing> he can be rehabilitated- I don't think so. I see a bad seed who will do more destruction in his life against others.

 

[sandy_80]

They should follow protocol of the district, of which there certainly must be something listed, such as if violent threats are made parents, school psych and outside mental health and/or cps professionals are contacted and the issue is dealt with before the child is allowed back in school and /or at the very least a meeting with parents, staff (school psy etc) and teachers.

Transfer to another school would never be an option unless it was a documented long term problem that needed very special care in a different kind of school environment. Schools or admins would never just send a child to be someone eles's problem, though often i have seen parents move district to district hoping to 'start over' and putting others at risk...

sorry.. i dont think any of what you stated can give an alternative result ...
especially with such a young age.. i very much doubt any specialist would announce him as ( dangerous) after whatever analysis
the teacher however could have refused to allow the kid in the class. if there is such a choice

 

[fred&edna]

Do we believe the Washington Post quotes regarding the warnings?? I do believe the reports. However, since no charges have been filed against school administrators and we haven't heard from the school attorney... could they be considered victims, too?! I assume none of them are family members of the shooter nor the teacher but should we give them the benefit of the doubt?

 

[shotgun09]

First off, Welcome Back eddybody!

Let me take this time to be hopeful ( and 'other methods' if you are so inclined)

that:

1. AZ continues to heal and strengthen, both physically and mentally.

2. The young 6 year old boy has every tool and option available for his growth, safety and healing.

3. The parents of the boy, who also need strength and healing, while coming too grips with the reality set before them.

4. The students and staff of Richneck, who have been put on the frontlines of this horror. They need much help and hope.

5. The entire community of Newport News for the same.

Much needs to be accomplished here, and IMO first is the truth shall be known. Then and only then are we able to move forward, and fix and possibly prevent another catastrophe .

RMOO

 

[Ontario Mom]

First off, Welcome Back eddybody!

Let me take this time to be hopeful ( and 'other methods' if you are so inclined)

that:

1. AZ continues to heal and strengthen, both physically and mentally.

2. The young 6 year old boy has every tool and option available for his growth, safety and healing.

3. The parents of the boy, who also need strength and healing, while coming too grips with the reality set before them.

4. The students and staff of Richneck, who have been put on the frontlines of this horror. They need much help and hope.

5. The entire community of Newport News for the same.

Much needs to be accomplished here, and IMO first is the truth shall be known. Then and only then are we able to move forward, and fix and possibly prevent another catastrophe .

RMOO

Agreed completely. Well said.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

RSBM.

he can be rehabilitated- I don't think so. I see a bad seed who will do more destruction in his life against others.

I respectfully disagree. He is only 6 and and hasn't reached the age of reason yet.

He could not have used that gun if it had not been there.

He may feel anger because of his diagnosis/disability and be making threats or pushing over furniture to express his anger, repeating things he's heard and seen from older kids or in media.

But I believe he can learn to better cope with his intense feelings with time, simply because he is currently only 6.

I think he wasn't receiving all of the services/help he needed. He should have had help while attending school or been at a special school. He should have been safe from weapons at home. IMO.

We can't just "write off" kids this young as being hopeless.

 

[amaraya]

sorry.. i dont think any of what you stated can give an alternative result ...
especially with such a young age.. i very much doubt any specialist would announce him as ( dangerous) after whatever analysis
the teacher however could have refused to allow the kid in the class. if there is such a choice

There is no way to know what would provide an alternative result, but there are many ways to create an environment that is safe for the student in question snd other students, which by going by comments in the mentioned articles, this was not.

The fact that this child had issues before in the school and that other children had to witness furniture thrown or whatnot is not acceptable for any of the kids.

The school could have provided a one on one to shadow the child if that was an option in their discussions, but after all of what we know that has happened, not doing anything or simply having the parents accompany the child in question is not nearly enough for the other children nor for this boy, whose needs were obvious not being met either.

My point was that sending him to another school is a 'solution' i have never heard used by any school, nor do i see the logic, unless it is a specialized school. In any case, school admin have really let down all involved, as their certainly are ways to deal with children who have special needs (at least in the states where i have taught)