Virginia: After a 6-year-old boy shot and wounded a teacher, worried staff at a Virginia elementary school warned administrators three times that the boy had a gun and was threatening other students.
However, the administration was "paralyzed by apathy" and did not call police, remove the boy from class, or close the school, a lawyer for the injured teacher said Wednesday.
Later that day, the school board decided to dismiss George Parker III, the superintendent of the school district. As part of the severance agreement, Parker will receive the greater of $502,000 in severance pay, or two years of his $251,000 base salary. Since the January 6 shooting, Parker has come under severe criticism from parents and teachers.
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Abigail Zwerner's attorney, Diane Toscano, revealed at a press conference that she has notified the Newport News School Board that the 25-year-old Richneck Elementary School teacher intends to sue the school system for firing Zwerner. Gone.
"That day, within a few hours, the school administration was alerted by concerned teachers and staff that the boy was threatening people and pointed a gun at him at school. However, according to Toscano, the administration showed no interest in "
She claimed that Zwerner threatened to spank another child to an administrator at approximately 11:15 a.m. on the day of the shooting, but no action was taken.
A teacher searched the boy's bookbag about an hour later and informed an administrator that she thought the boy had put a gun in his pocket before going out for recess, according to Toscano.
According to Toscano, "The administrator downplayed the teacher's report and the possible presence of a gun by saying, and I quote, "Well, he has too few pockets."
A different student who was "crying and scared" told an administrator just after 1 p.m. The boy had shown her a gun during recess and threatened to shoot her if she told anyone else. He then claimed that nothing had been done.
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According to Toscano, after learning that the boy might have a gun, another employee requested an administrator to search the boy. According to her, she was instructed to wait because the school day was over.
Toscano claimed that within an hour, "Abby Zwerner was shot in front of those horrible kids, and the school and the community are living the nightmare, all because the school administration failed to act." He claimed that if he had not been indifferently so harsh, he would have been able to prevent the tragedy.
Michelle Price, a spokeswoman for the school district, declined to comment.
I am unable to comment at this time on the claim made by Ms. Zwerner's attorney because the school division's investigation is still ongoing, Price said in an email.
The shooting shocked Newport News, a city of about 185,000 people about 113 kilometers southeast of Richmond, and raised concerns about safety at the school.
Parker's resignation was expected because the school board was scheduled to vote on his desegregation package on Tuesday, according to an agenda posted online.
In accordance with the separation and severance agreement, the board has decided to "terminate the contract and employment of the superintendent".
The board approved the settlement by a vote of 5-1 after several members praised Parker's prior work as superintendent. Gary Hunter, a board member, spoke at length in defense of Parker as some members of the audience sighed and told him to "move on".
Hunter insisted that the real issue was a lack of "commonsense gun law" and that Parker was being unfairly held responsible for the shooting.
Hunter commented, "Getting rid of someone isn't going to fix this specific problem.
In accordance with the agreement, Board President Lisa Surless-Lawes read a statement from the board that said Parker's termination was "without cause" and that Parker "is a capable division leader" who has dedicated nearly five years to the school district. Have done Have had some tough times."
According to Parker, the boy may have had a weapon on the day of the shooting, but none was found when his backpack was searched. Parker claimed that at least one administrator had been informed of this.
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According to police, school administrators failed to inform them of the tip before the shooting occurred several hours later. According to Newport News Middle School teacher Cindy Connell, the events Toscano described were "beyond horrifying".
The only reason the incident is talked about is because, according to Connell, Abby Zwerner was shot. "This is another example of administrators not listening to teachers' concerns," Connell said.
"I believe that any administrator who was repeatedly informed that this child has a weapon, and we believe this child has a weapon, should lose their job."
The boy pointed his gun at Zwerner and fired one round, hitting her in the hand and chest, according to Police Chief Steve Drew, who has called the shooting "intentional" on numerous occasions. Zwerner spent almost two weeks in the hospital, but is now recuperating at home, according to Toscano.
Toscano said, "The road to full recovery will be long, and the psychological scars will be permanent."
According to the police, the gun used in the shooting was legally purchased by the boy's mother. In a statement released last week, the boy's family claimed that the gun was "secured."
James Ellenson, the family's lawyer, told The Associated Press that he believed the gun was in the woman's closet on a shelf that was over 6 feet (1.8 metres) high and had a trigger lock that required a combination.
The boy has a "acute disability," according to the family, and was under a care plan "that included his mother or father attending school with him and accompanying him to class every day,"
according to the statement. The week of the shooting marked the first time he had attended class without a parent, according to the family.
The boy's family, represented by James Ellenson, issued a statement on Wednesday in which they wished Ms. Zwerner "a complete and full recovery."
The school will reopen the following week after being closed since the shooting. An "administrator on special assignment" at Richneck has been named, according to Karen Lynch, a longtime principal in the Newport News school district, Lynch said in a statement.
Administrators and teachers held an Open House at the school on Wednesday in advance of the reopening to allow students and their families to meet the staff and take part in activities.
Students were encouraged by signs that read "You've got this," "We are Praying for You," and "You are Loved" along the sidewalks in front of the school.