comment: >
context: This teacher should be able to win a lawsuit against the school and the kid's parents. They claim the gun was secured but that was plainly not the case if a six year old could get a hold of it. >
  
  If you have a child so disturbed that a parent is supposed to be in class with them, why do you have a gun in your house let alone a loaded one?! >
  
  
  why do you have a gun in your house let alone a loaded one?!
  
  Yeah. Only in the US a 6 years old does a shooting and the coverage is like "they should have listened to warnings about kid's behavior" and not "they should have listened to warnings about parent's behavior". Everywhere else the focus would be on parents being crazy first and foremost. >
  
  It’s really both things. Even if that kid never had access to a gun - his behavior should not have been ignored. >
  
  That is a purely American statement. The parents that leave guns around kids, normally, are considered to be bugfuck crazy. The kid probably needs therapy, but as secondary to being raised by bugfuck crazy parents. This is absolutely no better than I dunno leaving meth around a 6 years old and having a 6 years old do meth at school. It is merely less illegal.
  Of course, in the US, leaving loaded guns around kids is disturbingly common, then there's "guns don't kill people people kill people" and all other shibboleths. The way this craziness goes (accelerated further during covid), in a few years we'll have a story about how the daycare down-played warnings about some 3 year old's behavior.
  That the kid loaded the gun himself being considered any kind of defense... like, okay, so you leave the ammo and the gun around the kid and show the disturbed kid how to eject the magazine, how to put ammo in it, how to take the safety off... what other fun activities do you do with the kid then, taking the dog behind the barn or something? >
  
  Yes - there is a huge gun control problem in this country. 
  There is also a huge issue with out of control behaviors being ignored in our schools. It happens everyday. It’s shocking and unacceptable. 
  Both of these things are true. Sometimes - or really - most of the time - issues are complex. In this case we have the nexus of poor gun control meeting poor response to student behaviors. >
  
  Sounds like the teacher has a good case against the school. >
  
  Sounds like it, but this is what will probably happen: the school/district will blame her for having “poor classroom management skills” and “not building a better relationship with the student”. 
  From what I’ve read about her, she was good teacher who was just trying to do her job (teach) and essentially begging for help with (and for) this child.
  They failed her and they will fail her again - drag her through the mud - if she tries to take action. >
  
  
  “poor classroom management skills” and “not building a better relationship with the student”.
  
  That's not gonna work on a jury when the teacher got shot. >
  
  Victim blaming is a predominant tactic used by many people to rationalize events to fit their narrative. >
  
  It really is, and a huge problem with the US legal system. That's why a lot of victims of sexual abuse don't come forward. "What were you wearing? What did you say? Oh, you were wearing a mini skirt and a crop top? You flirted? Clearly, you were asking for it." >
  
  Not just the US. My student in Japan was groped and the guy's defense was she was dressed sexy. She was wearing her school uniform. She ended up dropping it because it becomes a he said/she said and the police like to remind victims they could get sued for slander. 
  In Japan even if proven true, if you say something that damages another person, you can be sued for slander. "yes, I touched that girl, but she made a fuss and I lost my job because of it. She ruined my livelihood. Only I have the right to disclose my criminal behavior." >
  
  Interesting! I don't know about the Japaneae legal system other than supposedly that you're guilty until proven innocent. (Not  that the US legal system doesn't do that as well.)
  That is so messed up, I feel so sad and angry for your student and the other victims who are subjected to that.
  You've prompted me to do a deep dive on Japan's criminal justice system >
  
  
  ...officials downplayed educators’ warnings about his behavior, including dismissing his threat to light a teacher on fire and watch her die...
  
  What the fuck did he have to do for them to take him seriously?  This is not normal 6-year-old behavior.  The administrators are assholes (along with his parents.) >
  
  My father works for a local school and Friday he told us about a really scary incident that has come up. The kid of one of his coworkers is a junior or senior and he threatened to shoot up the school, but it wasn’t just a threat, he had a list and told a girl he liked that she needs to learn where all the emergency exits were, basically saying “don’t come into school tomorrow.” The bad part is that it’s currently being swept under the rug, the dad took him out of school that day without having the nurse or anyone check on the kid, he’s downplaying the situation, and the kid has access to firearms, the guns are kept at the kids moms house while he has the ammo but it’s been like two years since he’s even seen the guns. For all the father knows the kid has already swiped a rifle, he may have the ammo but around here everyone has guns, he could’ve easily asked a friend “hey do you guys have any spare ammo for hunting?” Or simply swiped from his father and no one would know until it’s too late. From what I understand either the principal doesn’t know or isn’t acting or is downplaying it all. My dad works in the kindergarten and this is the high school but he goes over to the high school all the time to grab things, this was Friday he learned this and we don’t know what happens Monday, the kid could be in school for all we know, or he could be taken out by the dad for a few days but it wouldn’t matter because he works at the other school, so the kid could just leave when dads working and open fire. The kid isn’t getting any help, the dad is being complacent about the whole situation, he isn’t even checking if the guns are all accounted for, and school may not even be aware of the situation because his father pulled him out Friday without letting anyone know the situation.
  Honestly I’m scared for my father and Have no idea what might happen, but the fact that the family doesn’t even seem to care enough to even look for the weapons just shows how numb and complacent our nation has become with our weapons, I mean for fuck sake we have more guns than people and yet we barely do shit to combat the problem. >
  
  You should be talking to the police buddy. >
  
  “Hello? Police? I know of a potential school shooting you guys can stand outside of and block parents and loved ones from helping” >
  
  In Michigan anyone can text / call / email a potential School threat, suicide or other thing to OkayToSay program. >
  
  I can see the potential for abuse of that policy. In my early days on Reddit, people who didn’t like my comments/felt “triggered” or embarrassed that they couldn’t wage a cogent response flagged/“reported” me as someone who might be suicidal. It was fucking childish and irritating, but on balance (and to get back your comment about Michigan) I think it’s the right policy; err on the side of overreporting to potentially save lives. >
  
  It hasn't been too badly abused, a couple kids who did it twice "just playing " got into all KINDS of trouble because school for the entire district was canceled both times. Haven't heard much since covid19. >
  
  Sounds like it’s working—I hope so.  In so many contexts, it’s usually better to overcommunicate than it is to under. It’s not 100%—there are situations where saying less or even nothing is the way to prevent escalating tension. >
  
  In laid back situations yes, not in situations where someone could get hurt. >
  
  Hopefully, she successfully sues the district and wins a hefty payout. That poor woman, and people wonder why no one wants to go into education. >
  
  I also feel so bad for the kids in the class. Can you imagine witnessing your teacher being shot like that?
  The situation is so terrible. >
  
  Normal kids constantly suffer educationally and psychologically when forced to be in classrooms with severely screwed up kids like that. It's criminal. >
  
  From the little we know, it sounds like the teacher really cared about her students. We know she made sure to get them to safety while she was bleeding from being fucking shot!
  My kids just loved their first grade teachers. Like super loved them. My daughter especially had one of those grandmotherly teachers who you would swear smelled of fresh baked cookies. It was great because my daughter was fine academically but was an anxious kid and really needed someone who just made her feel safe.  If she had seen her teacher shot it would have traumatized her. 
  Of course I'm most worried for the teacher. Just wanted to state that there were even more victims. >
  
  That teacher should’ve shot the kid back. /s? >
  
  I know he is 6, but when your kid is that fucked, fuck your kid. They don't belong in a traditional classroom. Your child's social acceptance doesn't supercede every else's learning experience >
  
  I've had similar thoughts when it came to a kid in my daughter's classes last year. I'm incredibly understanding for the most part, and try to help my daughter understand/put distance between them/etc., but when the kid could throw things at her and pin her against a wall without anyone intervening, we had to step up. I never understood why this boy was somehow so precious that, once he moved into my daughter's class, he couldn't be moved again, but she was supposed to disrupt her life and be moved to another class. We ended up switching schools (we were going to at the end of last year anyway, but we let her decide to finish out there or move, and she chose move). >
  
  Bullshit that you had to move. I may sound callous, but a teacher's time is limited to begin with. How can a school expect one person to teach an overcrowded classroom, discipline kids, and deal with parents that don't care, along with teaching effectively?
  Did i mention they need to grade papers, school assemblies and meet the teacher, conferences, makeup work? Their workload is full. Keeping kids like that in a classroom hampers everyone involved. >
  
  Totally. The higher ups just either were slowed by red tape or considered things handled, I’m not certain, but I was sick of my kid having panic attacks and truancy issues because of this kid. >
  
  Man, literally everyone failed this teacher. I wouldn't be surprised if she never returned to education after this. >
  
  I hope she gets enough money to have a happy life doing whatever she pleases after this. 
  Every new bit of info they find makes it worse. >
  
  I hope I'm wrong, but it seems unlikely that she will be happy for quite a while, if ever. Trauma like this stays with a person for life. I do hope she has a financially stress-free life going forward, and gets the support she needs to heal physically AND emotionally. >
  
  It will always be there. She will never be the same. That’s why I’d hope that she gets enough money to not have to worry about working and bills and such. Just do whatever she wants to do. >
  
  Oh man, the civil suits are going to ruin that whole district. >
  
  Sounds like it was already ruined >
  
  It’s hard to argue with that, given the emerging tale of incompetence and negligence. >
  
  Unfortunately a lot of school administrators either don't give a shit or actively push for things that hurt teachers. I don't know why. But all the teachers I've known have had some terrible problems throughout their careers thanks to school administrators. >
  
  One of my in-laws who used to teach said that school administration just doesn’t want to deal with parents who will put tons of energy into making life hell for the teachers and school but zero energy into actually addressing their kids’ behavioral issues. >
  
  It's simple: principals can boss teachers around, but they can't do the same to parents, so they take the easy route. Most administrators are failed teachers, so they have no qualms about throwing staff under the bus to make their day easier. >
  
  I don’t think most school administrators are failed teachers; I suspect they 1) don’t have the necessary patience to teach, and 2) want more money.  My parents were both teachers who became principals. My Dad went back to teaching because he fundamentally just didn’t like dealing with adult workplace politics.
  Edit: grammar >
  
  Your personal experience notwithstanding, I'm going to double down on my claim. In my line of work, I'm in and out of a variety of schools, and talk candidly with many teachers. With few exceptions, the staff who knew the administrators before they jumped to administration generally remember them as mediocre at best, and the common trope is jumping off a burning ship to the safety of an office. >
  
  Hmmm. My folks talked shop nonstop every night of the week. My mother missed teaching but liked the money and status that came with being a principal. My dad complained about all the admistrators/board members etc., and like I said, returned to teach 2nd grade with his PhD. >
  
  Idk what to tell you. I've worked with principals who left teaching because they couldn't manage classrooms, because they disliked children and were bitter all the time, because they had stress-related breakdowns, because they had affairs with other staff members and left in disgrace, because they got laid off and weren't good enough to beat out other teachers in the interview process, or because they realized part way through teacher's college that they hated teaching and jumped ship asap. I have rarely heard of talented teachers leaving classrooms. >
  
  That makes sense. I mentored in East Palo Alto before it became gentrified (happening now) and it was unpleasant because the kids didn’t want, or to be grateful for, the help.  I did it for two years.  I could never teach kids. >
  
  What kind of person hears a child say they want to set someone on fire and watch them die, and goes, meh nbd.... >
  
  Honestly, some kids say shit like that. Like mine do and I scold them because jeez Louise, but sometimes they don’t mean or understand what is being said. Just parroting things they heard somewhere else. I employee you to not let your kids watch YouTube or play online unsupervised. >
  
  My kids are grown, but I agree. >
  
  Like YouTube is so useful but they want to watch videos of sudden outbursts, vocalizing violence, and screeching. I wish they didnt >
  
  Yeah, I'm glad we missed out. My niece has restricted access for that reason >
  
  We’ve made a lot of progress in education over the years for kids with special needs and that is wonderful. That said, not every kid should be integrated. In addition to his out of control behavior, this very same article says that the educational plan included one of his parents attending everyday with him. It sounds his fellow students and their parents went through hell for his accommodations. >
  
  Same old story we see every time. Violent asshole kids are tolerated for years and then everyone acts shocked when they do something violent with a gun…. 
  Children should be protected in school. No child should be forced to sit next to a violent kid. >
  
  I’m reminded of a particularly vicious bully in my high school who had it in for me for no reason. He made my life miserable and the school never took him seriously. If they had AR-15s and today’s gun laws, I would not be around today. >
  
  Unless you’re like 70 they have had ARs and more lax gun laws, unless the 90s, but they still had ARs. >
  
  ARs were not in the hands of civilians in the 1980s, when I was in high school. >
  
  I'm sorry man but you are completely wrong, assuming you live in the US. The first AR-15 to be sold to the civilian market was the Colt SP1, which entered production in 1964, and ended around 1982. Colt's exclusive right to the AR-15 design expired in 1980, which allowed other companies to begin producing them as well. Between 1980-1989 you could absolutely walk into a gun shop and buy an AR-15, although you might have had to special order it since they weren't as popular as they are today. This didn't change until the Assault Weapons Ban of 1994, which sunset in 2004. >
  
  Oh wow, so there were millions in circulation from the first day of 1964, and the total number was just a flat, simple plateau from there?
  It's amazing how simply technically being able to buy one is the only possible variable in determining ease of access, huh? >
  
  Oh wow, it's incredibly easy to be a passive-aggressive asshole isn't it?
  
  If they had AR-15s and today’s gun laws, I would not be around today.
  ARs were not in the hands of civilians in the 1980s, when I was in high school.
  
  These are the two statements OP made. They are factually incorrect. Guns laws were less strict in the 80s then they are today, and AR-15s were available to civilians. No where did I make a statement trying to convince anyone of anything else. >
  
  “Several teachers said they received no support when they faced violence in the classroom or attacks from students. Some speakers claimed the district is more interested in keeping discipline statistics low than in taking meaningful action to address students’ problems.”- this is rampant in many schools across the USA >
  
  "On one occasion, the boy wrote a note telling a teacher he hated her and wanted to light her on fire and watch her die, according to the teacher’s account. Alarmed, the teacher brought the note to the attention of Richneck administrators and was told to drop the matter, according to the account."
  A 6-year-old wrote this note. I don't think I could have written that when I was 6. That doesn't sound like a "disability " to me, it sounds scary smart, like psychopath evil genius smart. Able to conceal a gun when searched smart. 
  A quick look through r/teachers will bring up lots of stories of kids being violent and nothing happening to them. I hate to say it but maybe some kids should be left behind. Trying to integrate every student no matter what is just doing a disservice to the other kids who are trying to learn >
  
  The kid had a parent in the classroom with them full time until the week he shot someone.
  Kid is severely ill.
  Parents obviously negligent with it getting into his hands. >
  
  I wonder why the parent(s) weren't there that week, like who made the decision? >
  
  You would have thought that if having a parent present was part of the care plan, then he should have been sent home if they weren't there. 
  It also begs the question; was he regularly bringing the gun to school and waiting for a chance to use it? Did he purposefully bring it that day bc he had less supervision? >
  
  Kind of reminds me how Walmart employees reported disturbing behavior and comments about a fellow employee who later shot and killed 6 people.
  I guess we should just -- keep brushing off troubling reports about mental health? /s >
  
  After reading the article, it’s clear that child should not have been at the school. His “care plan” required either his mom or dad to be present with him at school every day.
  At that point, the parents should have home schooled. >
  
  I’ve never heard of a care plan that requires a parent to go to school with the kid and am betting that it’s some BS that the parents are making up. “If only the school required us to be there that day…” >
  
  Retired teacher here. Schools keep students who should be in educational facilities for socially and emotionally maladjusted children in regular classrooms because they don’t want to pay for their schooling, as they must, if they send them out of district. When schools were more realistically funded, the mentally ill, dangerous and extremely disruptive students were sent to schools meant to deal with their issues. It worked out a great deal better, but America does not support educational institutions the way they should,  and incidents such as this are the result. >
  
  Also a teacher, and this comment is everything. Thank you for wording it so nicely. >
  
  I’ve honestly lost count at how many times I have been threatened and/or assaulted throughout my teaching career. As the years go by, the consequences seem to dwindle more and more. >
  
  This happens all the time. A coworker reported a student threatening to kill her and nothing happened. >
  
  School districts don’t care when teachers are bitten, pinched, spit on, hit, kicked, have their hair pulled etc.  I bet this teacher did everything in her power but the wheels move very slow for help even when it’s given. And parents have to sign off on almost everything- it can take half a year before kids start getting what they need. >
  
  the part where it was required that one parent needed to chaperone this kid in class the whole time the kid was there, makes this whole thing crazy. >
  
  I can't even wrap my head around a 6 year old this fucked up. How does this even happen? >
  
  Bad parents, school bullying, online bullying, failing mental healthcare. >
  
  I'm sorry bro, but how in the ever loving fuck does a 6 year old experience online bullying? They shouldn't be anywhere near the Internet at this age. >
  
  Some parents these days allow smart devices to raise their children for them. >
  
  Child psychopathic was a thing before the internet.  That pediatric mental wards are a thing is something that just doesn't get talked about.  But they've been around for  over a century at least. >
  
  And you can't actually get into a mental ward without actually paying for it. So good luck trying to find a pediatric mental ward that you can pay for lol. The only people who can afford mental wards are people who have money or those who abandon their kid to state care because they can't take care of their needs. >
  
  An oversight and failure from a school administration you say? I am utterly shocked >
  
  You don’t say!
  I’m a teacher in Canada and like I can’t with them coddling and hand holding and refusal to suspend or expel. Admin care more about parents than they do teachers and it shows every time our needs and safety is ignored and dismissed and gaslit. >
  
  This is absolutely horrific.
  I am confused though, thought I read in another Reddit post, that the parents accompanied the child in the classroom each day. >
  
  That was supposed to be a requirement.  Apparently it was not being enforced that day. >
  
  I find this so very bizarre (and tragic). Did the child not have a 1:1 aide? Were the parents the “aide”? 
  I have subbed in many classrooms and have worked as a 1:1 aide. Never, ever have parents been allowed to not only be in the classroom (except on special occasions), but to actually accompany their student in the classroom. FERPA rights for the other students?
  It’s all so strange and incomprehensible to me. >
  
  Dang, reminds me of when my mom tried becoming a teacher. First year, they put her in charge of a special needs class in a middle school.  Nothing against special needs kids, I was one myself and so was another one of my siblings, and most of my mom's students were fine, but she had a few that were awful constantly physically disrupting the class, constantly threatened physical violence against my mom and the other students, and she couldn't even punish them! She got in trouble for "handing out too much detention"
  What do you do when you're supposed to be in charge of someone, but they tell you "fuck you, bitch, or I'll cut you!" Everytime you try to get them to do things like sit down at their seats, and not run around the classroom roughhousing. >
  
  I hate to hear this.  My wife was once had a student who threatened to shoot and kill her and the school swept it under the rug.  Kid was let back into the school.  Thankfully he didn’t follow through.  
  And the threat was a text to his friends literally saying “I want to fucking shoot and kill Mrs. …”
  Fucking dumbass principal. >
  
  When do we find out more about the parents? >
  
  It's problematic. 
  I do think the child should remain anonymous. I get that what he did was terrible, but he is incredibly young. And we can't discuss the mom without outing her son. >
  
  The parents are key here. I don't think I have ready anyone blaming the kid. >
  
  Yes, but we can't name the parents without identifying the minor. It's a problem. 
  The parents suck though. I want them to go to jail. >
  
  People are named for crimes all the time without their children being shown. >
  
  I’ve realized long ago that it isn’t mere downplay, people just don’t care. >
  
  As a special education teacher, I can’t even begin to imagine the shit that this student did for the school to agree to a plan involving his parents attending class with him every day. >
  
  So once again the kid was showing clear signs he was going to do something and yet again it was ignored until he actually did it. >
  
  This is taking focus off the parents who are responsible for raising the child and not keeping a gun around for it to use. >
  
  It’s really both issues. Students with severe behavioral problems are being ignored and it is a widespread problem that needs to be acknowledged. >
  
  /u/Famous_Coach242 Don't use paywall articles. >
  
  Welcome to the consequences of Bush's No Child Left Behind, which pushed mainstreaming kids who shouldn't be in regular classrooms to the detriment of normal students. Want to see the effects? Head over to r/teachers. >
  
  Actually this is part of the disabled people's act and the majority of disabled students do not do these things. So there's absolutely no reason for why this should be brought up except for trying to scapegoat disabled people. >
  
  It is just so unnatural for a 6-year-old to do any of these things. I cannot imagine what kind of horrific abuse and terrible parenting created this poor child. I hate to say it, but unless this kid gets intensive intervention he's not going to have a very good life. Unfortunately for him, our criminal justice system is only good at making criminals, not fixing broken children. >
  
  What kind of IEP says your parent needs to be in class with you so you don’t attackanyone but not every day? >
  
  I am getting my foot in education (just finished student teaching, applying for credential, trying to get a subbing job for more experience) and my mom is also in education working with students that have special needs. Both of us have NEVER heard of something like that in an IEP. It doesn't make sense to either of us. >
  
  On a high shelf is not secured. >
  
  Same story every time. Tons of warning signs yet people brushed them off...and then of course the gun is 100% to blame 🤷‍♂️ >
  
  school shooter had a history of school shootings >
  
  "...adding of the shooting, “this was, I believe, God’s way of saying somebody needs to listen to them.”
  Man, that's some fucked up shit to say. Oh yeah, my god  just kinda has kids shoot teachers because administration isn't listening to them. you'd think an all powerful being would be more capable of effectively communicating, but lul, guess people will attribute anything to their god now. >
  
  Reminds me of an incident when I was volunteering to an elementary school for summer courses. One kid stole another kid’s epicene and tried to stab others with it. I grabbed it out of his hands and told him that he can’t steal or stab people. The rest of the day he kept pinching himself until he turned part of his wrist bright red and told his dad that I did it. I wanted to talk to the parent about this incident, but the school just kicked me out instead of seeing accountability >
  
  Gun reform won’t help, the six year olds will just use illegal guns. Why punish the good six year olds that are responsible gun owners. >
  
  Something tells me this kid lives in an abusive home. Threatening to light someone on fire and watch them die is not the normal way a 6 year old mind works. Most kids that age have a very abstract idea of death. He picked that up somewhere. >
  
  Man, even if the kid has serious problems and is difficult to control how the fuck does he get a gun. They need to throw the book at the guardians that allowed access to firearms AND the school administration for being complicit.
  This is nuts on so many levels. >
  
  A society that cannot handle the issue of cars killing people on the road cannot handle the issue of guns killing people in schools and then people act surprised that it cannot handle something as complicated as providing proper mental health for children.
  We don't value life in our country.  We should not be surprised that our children don't either.  Because they learn that shit from us. >
  
  The only way to stop a bad six year old with a gun is a good six year old with a gun. /s >
  
  Don’t worry guns don’t kill people anyway. /s >
  
  Wonder what effect taking away guns from children would do? >
  
  Suggesting that may get the 2nd Amendment posse after you. >
  
  richneck = white-collar redneck? >
  
  I don’t know why, but elementary schools seem to not want to do anything to punish bad kids. 
  This kid was bullying my 9 year old and they still haven’t suspended him. >
  
  It's a 6 year old. Who wouldn't downplay any threat by essentially a baby? >
  
  This "baby" brought bullets to school a few days prior, made threats, and demonstrated such severe behavioral issues that he was supposed to have a parent with him at all times at school.