Teacher shot at Newport News elementary school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I teach kindergarten and I have to say it never occurred to me that I wouldn’t be allowed to search a student’s backpack or pockets. I go in their backpacks all the time to locate forms, put papers in etc. for older kids I wouldn’t but most 6 year olds still need assistance.

+1 same for any student in elemtary school where I've worked. I'll add that I've never had an admin who would not support teacher concerns if any kind of weapon were suspected. I honestly can't imagine what the members of this school's admin team (or at Ethan Crumblry"s school) were thinking!

They were terrified of getting sued by the kids parents. Some admin are so scared of this they will not handle any issue. Ironically they’re now going to get sued into the ground by the teacher who could have been killed because they were so unwilling to do anything that would protect her and the students but upset the boy’s negligent parents

Just because the school gets sued doesn’t mean there is a case. Workers comp is the exclusive remedy for injuries that occur in the workplace and I’m sure the school is going to accept her claim.

Oh, there is a case. Worth millions. Wait for a settlement from the City.

This person keeps claiming this is a simple workman’s comp case. Delusional.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did I read that article correctly that they haven't been in school since the shooting and won't go back until next week?

That's even more appalling! I would have assumed a day or two off, but then get the kids and teachers back on campus with therapists and social workers. Instead all of the famlies in the school had to handle helping their children on their own, not to mention three weeks of childcare for those that work?

Ma'am or sir, a teacher nearly died...

There’s a subset of parents whose brains are so broken that they think there’s literally zero reason for a school building not to be operating on a particular day. Disease, extreme weather, lack of water/power… it’s hardly surprising that they think a student shooting a staff member is just a “oh that’s too bad, but what about ME?” moment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did I read that article correctly that they haven't been in school since the shooting and won't go back until next week?

That's even more appalling! I would have assumed a day or two off, but then get the kids and teachers back on campus with therapists and social workers. Instead all of the famlies in the school had to handle helping their children on their own, not to mention three weeks of childcare for those that work?

Ma'am or sir, a teacher nearly died...

There’s a subset of parents whose brains are so broken that they think there’s literally zero reason for a school building not to be operating on a particular day. Disease, extreme weather, lack of water/power… it’s hardly surprising that they think a student shooting a staff member is just a “oh that’s too bad, but what about ME?” moment.

I agree with the first poster. That's a long time to be out of school. And it will make the trauma worse, not better, to be so long out of routine and normal.

Sounds like the reason the school has been closed for so long has more to do with externals, including firing the superintendent, rather than what's best for the teachers and students of the school.

[Anonymous]

I would understand needing the kids out of school for a bit while the school determines how to handle the return. It is more then just Counselors and Therapy but also physically moving that first grade classroom. They are not going to want to send the kids in that class back to that classroom. I would also guess that there are lots of conversations about how to run that particular school after this type of a failure. They need to bring in new leadership at the school and let those folks get a handle on what is happening and start to have meetings with Staff and Teachers so that there is less chaos when they return to school.

I have not read what type of programs they have been offering for parents of kids attending that school, I would hope that they have been able to find a way to provide some camp like structure for working parents to use because it is a long time to be out of school and to try and find some type of child care solutions.

[Anonymous]

We really need to understand why these administrators refused to deal with this situation. Was it motivated by fear of lawsuit? Was it motivated by race? Was there a desire to reduce disciplinary action statistics? This really needs to come out.

[Anonymous]

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that at least half those parents either a) aren't comfortable sending their kids back to that school ever and won't or b) aren't comfortable sending their kids back and are dreading school reopening and or c) the kids don't want to go back because they are terrified.

I also wonder how many of the staff will return. And when I say staff, I'm talking everyone from the administrators who didn't get hired, to the teachers, to the lunch staff to the custodians. How are they going to replace all the people quitting when there aren't people to hire? How is the school going to deal with gen ed teachers resentment towards the sped team that likely went to bat for this kid staying in gen ed when everyone knew he shouldn't be there?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm going to go out on a limb and say that at least half those parents either a) aren't comfortable sending their kids back to that school ever and won't or b) aren't comfortable sending their kids back and are dreading school reopening and or c) the kids don't want to go back because they are terrified.

I also wonder how many of the staff will return. And when I say staff, I'm talking everyone from the administrators who didn't get hired, to the teachers, to the lunch staff to the custodians. How are they going to replace all the people quitting when there aren't people to hire? How is the school going to deal with gen ed teachers resentment towards the sped team that likely went to bat for this kid staying in gen ed when everyone knew he shouldn't be there?

Most people can't afford to just quit their jobs. This isn't an ongoing threat - they aren't going to put that kid back in the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm going to go out on a limb and say that at least half those parents either a) aren't comfortable sending their kids back to that school ever and won't or b) aren't comfortable sending their kids back and are dreading school reopening and or c) the kids don't want to go back because they are terrified.

I also wonder how many of the staff will return. And when I say staff, I'm talking everyone from the administrators who didn't get hired, to the teachers, to the lunch staff to the custodians. How are they going to replace all the people quitting when there aren't people to hire? How is the school going to deal with gen ed teachers resentment towards the sped team that likely went to bat for this kid staying in gen ed when everyone knew he shouldn't be there?

Most people can't afford to just quit their jobs. This isn't an ongoing threat - they aren't going to put that kid back in the school.

I wouldn't feel comfortable going back to work for a place that essentially helped this to occur. There's tons of other job openings out there for school staff. Wouldn't be hard to get another job elsewhere.

[Anonymous]

I agree with the first poster. That's a long time to be out of school. And it will make the trauma worse, not better, to be so long out of routine and normal.

After school shootings, it is not uncommon for the site to be closed for two weeks. The fact that this was a six year old and the only victim was a teacher doesn’t change the trauma of the event or the logistics needed to put comprehensive supports into place for students and staff. You can’t just tell teachers “be reassuring” and hope for the best. I’ve seen a lot of varying responses from teachers to minor-league trauma in comparison with this, and poor responses from teachers worsen the trauma effects in their students. Teachers are not trained in what to say or how to handle things after a violent incident. They need time to get the many, many counselors and psychologists in place that may be needed by students returning to a site where a trusted adult could be shot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We really need to understand why these administrators refused to deal with this situation. Was it motivated by fear of lawsuit? Was it motivated by race? Was there a desire to reduce disciplinary action statistics? This really needs to come out.

Exactly. Superintendent was simply lazy in my opinion. There’s zero motivation for them to get off their arrses to do their freggin job. Despicable. Why would anyone go back to work in such a dangerous environment where staff has zero support from administration?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We really need to understand why these administrators refused to deal with this situation. Was it motivated by fear of lawsuit? Was it motivated by race? Was there a desire to reduce disciplinary action statistics? This really needs to come out.

Agreed. 100% relevant and important for all schools what motivated this non-response.

I can't imagine a situation where "student X is terrified, has seen student Y show him a gun" leads to the answer: "just wait, the school day is almost over".

[Anonymous]

Who is going to sub for the class?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I teach kindergarten and I have to say it never occurred to me that I wouldn’t be allowed to search a student’s backpack or pockets. I go in their backpacks all the time to locate forms, put papers in etc. for older kids I wouldn’t but most 6 year olds still need assistance.

+1 same for any student in elemtary school where I've worked. I'll add that I've never had an admin who would not support teacher concerns if any kind of weapon were suspected. I honestly can't imagine what the members of this school's admin team (or at Ethan Crumblry"s school) were thinking!

They were terrified of getting sued by the kids parents. Some admin are so scared of this they will not handle any issue. Ironically they’re now going to get sued into the ground by the teacher who could have been killed because they were so unwilling to do anything that would protect her and the students but upset the boy’s negligent parents

I wonder if they’d threatened before. We have a family like that at our school. Kid is out of control, takes multiple staff to control but they refuse placement changes and threaten.

Contact your Senator and Congresspeople. Policy needs to be reviewed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What happens to children like the 6 year old in this situation? Are they institutionalized for the remainder of their youth?

No. They send them to another public school and due to “privacy,” they do not inform the school admin of what’s coming their way.

[Anonymous]

Institutionalized? Hilarious, such places don't exist. Who would pay?