Teacher shot at Newport News elementary school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Payment of a judgment may be unlikely but according to AI a person is still affected:

The debt does not disappear: Being judgment proof does not erase the debt. The judgment remains on the public record for an extended period, accruing interest and negatively affecting the debtor's credit score.
Credit impacts: The judgment will appear on the person's credit report, making it difficult to obtain loans, credit cards, or even rent a home. In some cases, it may also impact eligibility for employment.

For many reasons the life of that AP is ruined. Even if she is not found liable. The debt is icing on the cake. So many lives ruined by that gun.

I agree a lot of lives were ruined, but the AP’s life wasn’t ruined by the gun: it was ruined by her own failure to do her job. She gets none of my sympathy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone ever explained how the mother was the 1 on 1 aid for this kid? Or how the kids file disappeared from the principal’s car?

The parents being required to attend class with him is explained early in this thread. I don’t remember all the reasons but this was a known violent child. He had been removed from school as a Kindergartner after choking his teacher. I think ultimately the Principal recommended an unconventional plan to allow the kid to return to school a year later.

[Anonymous]

I have not read all 91 pages of this thread. As a teacher, I have been interested in this case but found it hard to follow all the details.

I went through and combed reports I could find online, and also results of current testimony. This is the summary I have so far with just a few of my own comments.


The boy JT’s behavioral issues began in kindergarten at Richneck Elementary, when he strangled and choked a teacher from behind, and also pulled up a female classmate’s dress and touched her inappropriately on the school playground. Despite this violent act, school officials did not create a behavioral plan. Administrators later decided he should attend a different school, but he returned to Richneck Elementary for first grade without completing kindergarten.

Once back, JT's troubling behaviors resumed. The boy was required to be accompanied by a parent at school “because of his violent tendencies" (although they did not background check his parents and apparently didn't know or care that his father had a criminal background).

Two days before the incident, the boy had been suspended for smashing teacher Abby Zwerner’s phone. The day of the incident was the first day back from suspension, and for some reason, the boy was allowed to come to school without a parent accompanying him.

On January 6, 2023, a series of escalating warnings went unaddressed by Assistant Principal Dr. Ebony Parker. (The principal was present in the building, but was never contacted by any of the teachers nor by the AP so she was unaware of these events and warnings.)

11:15–11:30 a.m. – Following protocol, first-grade teacher Abby Zwerner (fairly young and with just 2 years experience, I think) notified Assistant Principal Dr. Ebony Parker that the 6-year-old had threatened (earlier that morning) to beat up a kindergartner and had been aggressive with a security officer during lunch. The reading specialist, Amy Kovac , an experienced teacher, was in Dr. Parker’s office at the time and testified that Dr. Parker never looked up from her computer as Zwerner reported the threats. Instead of contacting security or removing the child, the AP Dr. Ebony Parker told Amy Kovac that Zwerner could “call his mom to come pick him up.”

My comments: So right away, notice the message that Ms. Zwerner is getting from her admin. Here's a kid who smashed her phone, has a history of violence, and is *supposed* to have a parent in with him every day and that didn't happen. The AP could not care less that the kid is back from his one day suspension and already is acting out.

between 11:30 and 12:30 – Two students told Reading specialist Amy Kovac that JT had a gun in his backpack. Ms Kovac went to Ms Zwerer's classroom and pulled the 1st grader aside and talked to him. When she questioned him, he refused to let her check the bag, saying, “No one is getting that bag.” Ms. Kovac immediately reported this to Assistant Principal Dr. Ebony Parker, who again took no action.

Recess period (around 12:30 p.m.) – Reading specialist Amy Kovac decided to wait until recess, when the boy was out of the classroom, to search his backpack. She found only school materials, but no gun. Phew... but while she was walking back to her classroom, Kovac received a text from Abby Zwerner who was outside at recess, saying either that she, herself had seen JT take something from his bag and put it in his pocket, or that a child told her that is what he had seen. Amy Kovac again immediately went to the AP's office to report this new concern. Dr. Parker dismissed the concern, responding, “He has little pockets.”

The AP didn't inform the principal of any of these reports or concerns. She didn't get up and leave her office to go check things out. She didn't do anything.

Outside at Recess – Lead first-grade teacher Jennifer West said Abby Zwerner reported that a student had seen the boy move something from his backpack to his coat. Jennifer West watched the boy and another student, “R,” behind a tree for 15–20 minutes. When questioned, “R,” visibly upset, told her the boy had a gun and had threatened to “hurt us, blow us up.” Jennifer West immediately followed protocol and called the office..

My comments: Remember, these are teachers supervising classes of grade 1 students outside on a playground/recess area. They are BOTH calling the office and calling experienced teachers for help and guidance as to how to handle this boy who again, remember, was deemed so violent and explosive that he wasn't even allowed to be in school without a one-to-one aide (his parents) who were allowed to not be there that day.

Guidance counselor Rolonzo Rawles presumably was in the office and heard this call, or was somehow made aware of what was going on. He asked the AP Dr. Parker for permission to search the student (not his backpack - his body/clothing). The AP told him to “wait it out” because the school day was nearly over.

Around 1:00 PM I assume the class came in from recess. I assume 1-2 PM was their reading instruction time. At some point, the guidance counselor went to Ms. Zwerner's classroom and told her that they did not have permission from the AP to search the boy's pockets and clothing. Ms. Zwerner was sitting at her reading desk, instructing students, when...

Around 2:00 p.m., JT pulled his mother’s handgun from his pocket and shot Abby Zwerner in the hand and chest while she was teaching. The gun jammed after the first shot, though it still contained seven rounds.

Despite her injuries, Zwerner guided her students from the classroom to the school office before collapsing.
Ms. Kovac testified that she heard a gunshot near the end of the school day and ran into the classroom as children were “screaming and running out.” She saw Zwerner bleeding and immediately contained JT (grabbed and held him firmly) and also managed to call 911, stating, “This is Richneck. A teacher’s been shot, I have the shooter.” Police confirmed that none of the students (about 16-20 according to their report) were physically injured during the incident. Police also confirmed they saw a teacher contraining JT and that the teacher was being hit and kicked by him.

Investigators later found that Assistant Principal Dr. Ebony Parker had been informed multiple times throughout the day of threats and possible possession of a weapon but failed to alert the principal, the school resource officer, or police, which was a clear violation of the district’s crisis management policy. There was no school security officer on duty at the time of the shooting although there was one in the morning, it appears.

Principal Briana Foster-Newton, though present in the building, was never informed of these reports and was found not criminally liable.

Assistant Principal Dr. Ebony Parker resigned shortly after the shooting. She was indicted by a special grand jury on eight felony counts of child neglect/abuse in connection with the shooting at Richneck Elementary School in Newport  News, Virginia.

JT’s mother Deja Tyler was sentenced to two years in prison; she pled guilty to a state charge of felony child neglect. She is also serving 21 months for two federal felony charges, the unlawful use of a controlled substance while possessing a firearm and making a false statement while purchasing the firearm.

Newport News School District washed its hands of the whole thing. They say they had procedures in place, the administrator just didn’t follow them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The defense is trying to pin the responsibility on “Mrs. Kovak”. She’s a reading specialist who held down “JT” after he shot the teacher.

How in the world is the reading specialist at fault?

Basically, they’re saying that because she did not search his backpack when she had the opportunity to do so. They asked if she was intimidated by a six-year-old, so mocking her abilities. They also questioned her in her lack of urgency at the playground when they suspected he took “something” out of his bag.

They don’t have much of a defense so I guess they have to reach for something, but the idea that the reading specialist is responsible instead of the school administrator who was warned no less than 4 times that this kid might be armed is laughable.

My feelings are that not only is the school administrator responsible but this shooting could’ve been prevented at other points, so the defense has a point. Had somebody searched his backpack as soon as kids started telling them that the boy had a gun.

However, they were very concerned about protecting the shooters dignity and they did not search his person because the administrator told them to hold until the mom came later in the day.

They were all very concerned with the chain of command and their abilities to take action without permission.

I find it concerning that grown professionals have been so hamstringed by policy and fear of retribution that this turned into a seemingly all day event. This school screams toxic work environment.

I just summarized all the events in the earlier post. Here's my take as a teacher...

Teachers aren't supposed to search a child's backpack or their person, in my school district. We really aren't allowed to and we can be fired or disciplined if we do so. We are supposed to report to the principal or AP who ARE authorized to do so.

You can say that we should just feel free to do so, anyhow. But who protects us, if we search and find nothing? And now the parents complain and sue, and we get fired?

Of course, if we are truly concerned for our own safety and that of the children in our care, we should search anyhow and just take the chance that we are wrong. And it sounds from the timeline, that the reading specialist got to that point. It's hard to believe that the 6 year old child in front of you, the little boy you have been teaching reading, would really have brought a gun to school though. I can see not being 100% sure of myself in such a situation - sure enough to go againts school procedures and risk my own job security.

By the time the reading teacher did (apparently on her own initiative) search the boys backpack though, the gun was no longer there. Now they suspect it is in his pocket.

Searching a child PHYSICALLY is a much bigger deal than searching his backpack while he isn't present. You are approaching a child who is known to be violent, known to be explosive, who isn't even supposed to be in school without his parent? And not to mention, you really do NOT have the legal authority to conduct the search. If anything happens at all - kid gets hurt, you get hurt, other kids get hurt - it is your neck on the line and your job on the line.

Meanwhile the person who DOES have the legal authority to conduct this search is just sitting in her office an dhasn't even notified the principal of any of the reports.

There might have been a few things the first grade teacher could have done differently from the start, but I don't blame her at all for following school policy and notifying admin of her concerns. He was in her what, second-third year of teaching? Dealing with these issues isn't easy at all and it sounds like she got zero support from admin.

[Anonymous]

Newporr News School District washed its hands of the whole thing. They say they had procedures in place, the administrator just didn’t follow them.

What does that even mean? What do you think should have been done that wasn’t done?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Newporr News School District washed its hands of the whole thing. They say they had procedures in place, the administrator just didn’t follow them.

What does that even mean? What do you think should have been done that wasn’t done?

Better hiring and training of their administrators.
Care more about student safety versus keeping disciplinary rates and suspension rates low.
LISTEN to teachers who say that they need help with troubled students and violent behavior. Don't just move kids around the school district.
Require students who damage teacher property to be suspended more than one day.
Provide school employees as one-to-one aides for violent students instead of allowing parents to fulfil that role.
Create administrative safety procedures stating that teachers are allowed to call 911 if they suspect that there is a gun in their classroom and that teachers will not be disciplined for doing so, there will be no professional repercussions.

“Metal detectors in every building is a nice start, but the most effective solution is for staff and teachers to be listened to and supported when they report dangerous behaviors and threats,” said James Graves, president of the Newport News Education Association.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Newporr News School District washed its hands of the whole thing. They say they had procedures in place, the administrator just didn’t follow them.

What does that even mean? What do you think should have been done that wasn’t done?

It also would have been nice if the school district's lawyer hadn't said that getting shot on the job was just an expected risk of being a teacher so the victim should file for Workman's Compensation instead of sueing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Newporr News School District washed its hands of the whole thing. They say they had procedures in place, the administrator just didn’t follow them.

What does that even mean? What do you think should have been done that wasn’t done?

It also would have been nice if the school district's lawyer hadn't said that getting shot on the job was just an expected risk of being a teacher so the victim should file for Workman's Compensation instead of sueing.

This was a very specific question about school district response, not the lawyer. And the lawyer wasn’t wrong to make that defense. If the school district had been held in the case, that question would have gone up on appeal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Newporr News School District washed its hands of the whole thing. They say they had procedures in place, the administrator just didn’t follow them.

What does that even mean? What do you think should have been done that wasn’t done?

Better hiring and training of their administrators.
Care more about student safety versus keeping disciplinary rates and suspension rates low.
LISTEN to teachers who say that they need help with troubled students and violent behavior. Don't just move kids around the school district.
Require students who damage teacher property to be suspended more than one day.
Provide school employees as one-to-one aides for violent students instead of allowing parents to fulfil that role.
Create administrative safety procedures stating that teachers are allowed to call 911 if they suspect that there is a gun in their classroom and that teachers will not be disciplined for doing so, there will be no professional repercussions.

“Metal detectors in every building is a nice start, but the most effective solution is for staff and teachers to be listened to and supported when they report dangerous behaviors and threats,” said James Graves, president of the Newport News Education Association.

I was asking in response to this situation. And specifically about the comment relating to the district not the school itself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have not read all 91 pages of this thread. As a teacher, I have been interested in this case but found it hard to follow all the details.

I went through and combed reports I could find online, and also results of current testimony. This is the summary I have so far with just a few of my own comments.


The boy JT’s behavioral issues began in kindergarten at Richneck Elementary, when he strangled and choked a teacher from behind, and also pulled up a female classmate’s dress and touched her inappropriately on the school playground. Despite this violent act, school officials did not create a behavioral plan. Administrators later decided he should attend a different school, but he returned to Richneck Elementary for first grade without completing kindergarten.

Once back, JT's troubling behaviors resumed. The boy was required to be accompanied by a parent at school “because of his violent tendencies" (although they did not background check his parents and apparently didn't know or care that his father had a criminal background).

Two days before the incident, the boy had been suspended for smashing teacher Abby Zwerner’s phone. The day of the incident was the first day back from suspension, and for some reason, the boy was allowed to come to school without a parent accompanying him.

On January 6, 2023, a series of escalating warnings went unaddressed by Assistant Principal Dr. Ebony Parker. (The principal was present in the building, but was never contacted by any of the teachers nor by the AP so she was unaware of these events and warnings.)

11:15–11:30 a.m. – Following protocol, first-grade teacher Abby Zwerner (fairly young and with just 2 years experience, I think) notified Assistant Principal Dr. Ebony Parker that the 6-year-old had threatened (earlier that morning) to beat up a kindergartner and had been aggressive with a security officer during lunch. The reading specialist, Amy Kovac , an experienced teacher, was in Dr. Parker’s office at the time and testified that Dr. Parker never looked up from her computer as Zwerner reported the threats. Instead of contacting security or removing the child, the AP Dr. Ebony Parker told Amy Kovac that Zwerner could “call his mom to come pick him up.”

My comments: So right away, notice the message that Ms. Zwerner is getting from her admin. Here's a kid who smashed her phone, has a history of violence, and is *supposed* to have a parent in with him every day and that didn't happen. The AP could not care less that the kid is back from his one day suspension and already is acting out.

between 11:30 and 12:30 – Two students told Reading specialist Amy Kovac that JT had a gun in his backpack. Ms Kovac went to Ms Zwerer's classroom and pulled the 1st grader aside and talked to him. When she questioned him, he refused to let her check the bag, saying, “No one is getting that bag.” Ms. Kovac immediately reported this to Assistant Principal Dr. Ebony Parker, who again took no action.

Recess period (around 12:30 p.m.) – Reading specialist Amy Kovac decided to wait until recess, when the boy was out of the classroom, to search his backpack. She found only school materials, but no gun. Phew... but while she was walking back to her classroom, Kovac received a text from Abby Zwerner who was outside at recess, saying either that she, herself had seen JT take something from his bag and put it in his pocket, or that a child told her that is what he had seen. Amy Kovac again immediately went to the AP's office to report this new concern. Dr. Parker dismissed the concern, responding, “He has little pockets.”

The AP didn't inform the principal of any of these reports or concerns. She didn't get up and leave her office to go check things out. She didn't do anything.

Outside at Recess – Lead first-grade teacher Jennifer West said Abby Zwerner reported that a student had seen the boy move something from his backpack to his coat. Jennifer West watched the boy and another student, “R,” behind a tree for 15–20 minutes. When questioned, “R,” visibly upset, told her the boy had a gun and had threatened to “hurt us, blow us up.” Jennifer West immediately followed protocol and called the office..

My comments: Remember, these are teachers supervising classes of grade 1 students outside on a playground/recess area. They are BOTH calling the office and calling experienced teachers for help and guidance as to how to handle this boy who again, remember, was deemed so violent and explosive that he wasn't even allowed to be in school without a one-to-one aide (his parents) who were allowed to not be there that day.

Guidance counselor Rolonzo Rawles presumably was in the office and heard this call, or was somehow made aware of what was going on. He asked the AP Dr. Parker for permission to search the student (not his backpack - his body/clothing). The AP told him to “wait it out” because the school day was nearly over.

Around 1:00 PM I assume the class came in from recess. I assume 1-2 PM was their reading instruction time. At some point, the guidance counselor went to Ms. Zwerner's classroom and told her that they did not have permission from the AP to search the boy's pockets and clothing. Ms. Zwerner was sitting at her reading desk, instructing students, when...

Around 2:00 p.m., JT pulled his mother’s handgun from his pocket and shot Abby Zwerner in the hand and chest while she was teaching. The gun jammed after the first shot, though it still contained seven rounds.

Despite her injuries, Zwerner guided her students from the classroom to the school office before collapsing.
Ms. Kovac testified that she heard a gunshot near the end of the school day and ran into the classroom as children were “screaming and running out.” She saw Zwerner bleeding and immediately contained JT (grabbed and held him firmly) and also managed to call 911, stating, “This is Richneck. A teacher’s been shot, I have the shooter.” Police confirmed that none of the students (about 16-20 according to their report) were physically injured during the incident. Police also confirmed they saw a teacher contraining JT and that the teacher was being hit and kicked by him.

Investigators later found that Assistant Principal Dr. Ebony Parker had been informed multiple times throughout the day of threats and possible possession of a weapon but failed to alert the principal, the school resource officer, or police, which was a clear violation of the district’s crisis management policy. There was no school security officer on duty at the time of the shooting although there was one in the morning, it appears.

Principal Briana Foster-Newton, though present in the building, was never informed of these reports and was found not criminally liable.

Assistant Principal Dr. Ebony Parker resigned shortly after the shooting. She was indicted by a special grand jury on eight felony counts of child neglect/abuse in connection with the shooting at Richneck Elementary School in Newport  News, Virginia.

JT’s mother Deja Tyler was sentenced to two years in prison; she pled guilty to a state charge of felony child neglect. She is also serving 21 months for two federal felony charges, the unlawful use of a controlled substance while possessing a firearm and making a false statement while purchasing the firearm.

Newport News School District washed its hands of the whole thing. They say they had procedures in place, the administrator just didn’t follow them.

This happened in Hampton Roads, where I grew up. Thankfully my parents live in Virginia Beach, which is far enough away from Newport News that I don't have to worry that they'll be this kid's murder victims in 20 years. Which is what's going to happen, unfortunately.

[Anonymous]

Perfect example of IDEA run amok. Without an IEP, kid would not have been so protected for his terrible behavior.

Don’t come at me. I fully support inclusion and disability services within reason. But the law needs major overhaul. Major. And not just for this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Perfect example of IDEA run amok. Without an IEP, kid would not have been so protected for his terrible behavior.

Don’t come at me. I fully support inclusion and disability services within reason. But the law needs major overhaul. Major. And not just for this.

I don’t think he had an IEP, actually.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

They were all very concerned with the chain of command and their abilities to take action without permission.

I agree. But also note that two teachers defied procedure when they heard a gunshot. When in an active shooter situation, procedure is to lockdown. The reading teacher and the guidance counselor both ran TOWARD the classroom knowing full well it was likely JT and a loaded gun.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Perfect example of IDEA run amok. Without an IEP, kid would not have been so protected for his terrible behavior.

Don’t come at me. I fully support inclusion and disability services within reason. But the law needs major overhaul. Major. And not just for this.

I don’t think he had an IEP, actually.

There is no way this child didn’t have some type of formalized plan.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Payment of a judgment may be unlikely but according to AI a person is still affected:

The debt does not disappear: Being judgment proof does not erase the debt. The judgment remains on the public record for an extended period, accruing interest and negatively affecting the debtor's credit score.
Credit impacts: The judgment will appear on the person's credit report, making it difficult to obtain loans, credit cards, or even rent a home. In some cases, it may also impact eligibility for employment.

For many reasons the life of that AP is ruined. Even if she is not found liable. The debt is icing on the cake. So many lives ruined by that gun.

I agree a lot of lives were ruined, but the AP’s life wasn’t ruined by the gun: it was ruined by her own failure to do her job. She gets none of my sympathy.

+1 million. She sat on her rear when kids could have been shot in that classroom, and she was well aware of that child's violent history and drug-using parents.