3rd-Graders' Plot To Attack Teacher Foiled

Ga. Cops Say Kids Planned To Bind Teacher With Handcuffs And Stab Her With Steak Knife

(AP)  A group of third-graders plotted to attack their teacher, bringing a broken steak knife, handcuffs, duct tape and other items for the job and assigning children tasks including covering the windows and cleaning up afterward, police said Tuesday.

The plot involving as many as nine boys and girls at Center Elementary School in south Georgia was a serious threat, Waycross Police Chief Tony Tanner said.

School officials alerted police Friday after a pupil tipped off a teacher that a girl had brought a weapon to school. Tanner said the students apparently planned to knock the teacher unconscious with a crystal paperweight, bind her with the handcuffs and tape and then stab her with the knife.

"We did not hear anybody say they intended to kill her, but could they have accidentally killed her? Absolutely," Tanner said. "We feel like if they weren't interrupted, there would have been an attempt. Would they have been successful? We don't know."

The children, ages 8 to 10, were apparently mad at the teacher because she had scolded one of them for standing on a chair, Tanner said.

Two of the students were arrested on juvenile charges Tuesday and a third arrest was expected. District Attorney Rick Currie said other students told investigators they didn't take the plot seriously or insisted they had decided not to participate.

"Some of the kids said, `We thought they were just kidding,"' Currie said. "Another child was supposed to bring a toy pistol, and he told a detective he didn't bring it because he thought he would get in trouble."

Currie said the children are too young to be charged as adults, and probably too young to be sentenced to a youth detention center.

Police seized a steak knife with a broken handle, steel handcuffs, duct tape, electrical and transparent tape, ribbons and the paperweight from the students, Tanner said.

Currie said he decided to seek juvenile charges against two girls, ages 9 and 10, who brought the knife and paperweight and an 8-year-old boy who brought tape. He said all three students faced charges of conspiracy to commit aggravated assault, and both girls were being charged with bringing weapons to school.

Nine children have been given discipline up to and including long-term suspension, said Theresa Martin, spokeswoman for the Ware County school system. She would not be more specific but said none of the children had been back to school since the case came to light.

The purported target is a veteran educator who teaches third-grade students with learning disabilities, including attention deficit disorder, delayed development and hyperactivity, friends and parents said.

The scheme involved a division of roles, Tanner said. One child's job was to cover windows so no one could see outside, he said. Another was supposed to clean up after the attack.

"We're not sure at this point in the investigation how many of the students actually knew the intent was to hurt the teacher," Tanner said.

He said the teacher told detectives the children involved weren't known as troublemakers.

"You can't dismiss it," Tanner said. "But because they are kids, they may have thought this was like a cartoon - we do whatever and then she stands up and she's OK. That's a hard call."

The parents of the students have cooperated with investigators, who aren't allowed to question the children without their parents' or guardians' consent, he said. Authorities have withheld the children's names.

Martin told The Florida Times-Union of Jacksonville, Fla., that administrators would follow school system policy and state law in disciplining the students.

"From what I understand, they were considered pretty good kids," Martin said. "But we have to take this seriously, whether they were serious or not about carrying this through, and that's what we did."

Four mothers of other third-grade students at Center Elementary called for the immediate expulsion of the suspected plotters.

Stacy Carter and Deana Hiott both cited school system policy stating that any student who brings "anything reasonably considered to be a weapon" is to be expelled for at least the remainder of the school year.

"We don't want our children around them," Carter told the Times-Union. "The one with the knife could have stabbed my child or someone else's child at lunch or out on the playground."

"This is an isolated incident, an aberration. ... We have good kids," Center Principal Angie Coleman told the newspaper.

[tbweb]

Where was this school located, inside a Prison?

[sis003]

...and you think disrespectful and violent video games, movies, cartoons and books about revenge from children to adults, or children to children, or adults to adults, or adults to children, have no effect on our minds? Especially the minds of the young? Research has PROVEN several times over that what we practice (yes, playing and playing games is practice) does affect how we handle real-life situations. Just because an activity is called a game or cartoon does not make it appropriate for a child. Sadly, these children have learned what they live...whether their parents understand that or not. Hopefully, the teacher is also respectful of her students while guiding them with the best possible means of doing so. If she is the type to belittle the attempts of her students, then a strong reaction is to be expected. If she is that type, then this may awaken her to her own responsibility in how her students act.

[providence_-2009]

Thou shalt not kill. With all the crime and all the shootings and all the drop outs there will be no one left to go to school. Maybe then they will allow the Ten Commandments back in schools. Maybe if they thought they were going against God maybe in all these cases they might of stop. No No now lets not have the Ten Commandments in schools we want the shootings murders etc?

[providence_-2009]

Stop there is God! No more of this in America!

[mollydtt]

If I had a child in that school, I would get them out of there as quickly as possible. If the "good kids" are willing to work together to stab and assault a teacher with a paperweight, they are just a daydream away from doing it to a fellow student.

[libsrweak]

and they said those violent tv.cable.videogames were harmless..

[sweetreeeed]

'' .. don''t dance get well feed world get sick tax world hike naked dance dressed porn songs rallyed round sick beds that swim and drift spore bloom weed dragon trail fickle first aid lunch farm cottage studio trail crossing yseedsberry trail group subsistence farm trails .. ''

[dmhphils]

This is education in America......first teach them that God doesn''t exist, and even if he did, He wouldn''t care what you did or about anybody anyway. Then teach them that there is no supreme authority in the world, so everyone is an authority unto themselves......however they see fit is good enough. Then teach them there is no "right" or "wrong"......it is entirely up to the individual.

This is why we are producing such "strange children" these days.

[dmhphils]

sweettreeed.......why don''t you magically erupt all over yourself instead of here. Take your gibberish somewhere else.....they have doctors for this kind of thing you know.

[andrew_693]

Thank god that God Squad (the republicons) is never taken seriously, imagine if they these kids would have been attending class with an ak 47 and hand grenades in their backpacks like they want them to. That school would have been the ok corral.

[blackyowe]

Man, are we living in the new dark ages or what? I am sooooooo glad I did not stay in teaching! This is the creepiest story yet.

[scofnj]

Now the school will want to put the kids on antipsychotic medication to drug them into oblivion.

[grammawhamma]

"You can''t dismiss it," Tanner said. "But because they are kids, they may have thought this was like a cartoon - we do whatever and then she stands up and she''s OK. That''s a hard call."

Oh Bull...these little heathens weren''t that naive...sounds to me like they had it thought out and planned fairly well. Horrid.

[whatinthewld]

andrew_693
What on earth are you talking about? This has nothing to do with Dem''s vs Rep''s! This has all to do with what we let our kids watch, cartoons, movies and, yes, the news. They are just immitating. Besides, having a sin nature......so any of us are capable of doing such horrible acts. Cain killed Abel and he didn''t have TV influence, he didn''t have Rep''s or Dem''s around. Back to our sin nature......

[whatinthewld]

Moms and Dads too busy to spend time with their kids, and set them in front of TV and in many cases the children are home alone for hours.

[samrensho]

Get these little creeps out of school and into psychiatric care immediately. Their so called parents too.

[ranger1948]

And the principle said these were all good kids. I think him and sweetreed are on the same psychodelic mushrooms.

[babycakes333]

Apparently these gifted children have seen too many movies involving like minded plots. Perhaps their parents should not take their gifted abilities too lightly.

They are evidently intelligent enough to watch movies that explain the ramifications of such plots and need more guidance than they have been getting.

Hopefully our next President will call for more educational x box and video games to deflect the violence such small children experience on a daily basis.

Then last but not least, perhaps their parents need to review what morals they are instilling in their childre and if not enough.....make some guidelines now because they are beginning their lives of crime awful early.

At that age, the parents should actually be held responsible for the crimes of their children. Mind you, they are not at the age of accountability... yet.

[dixxson-2009]

The way the news is announced is the most perverted thing to me.
As if they''ve simply uncovered, discovered resolved, solved America''s evil!
And as if They, WE, Us, Ronnie Reagan, The Bushes, Charleston Heston the Media,
and America didn''t have a *** thing to do with it!

[stupidrules3]

Bring back the board of education. A little corporal punishment is a good thing. It teaches that there are immediate negative consequences for bad behavior. Too many parents refuse to discipline their kids and this is the source of this kind of incident. There was no fear here of the consequences of their actions. I''m not advocating beatings, but a good spanking will make them realize that there is a price to pay for misbehavior. These kids should all be expelled for the rest of the year at least. Also, if their parents were held accountable for their behavior, there would be a lot more attention paid to the actions of the brats.

[bobnjersey]

they probably thought this was just another way to ''vote the teacher off of the island'' ... since she didn''t agree w/ their behaviour.

[pfd572]

And people say kids aren''t influenced by tv or movies. How else do you think these kids got the idea? I don''t think they could have come up with it on their own. And what happened to parents developing a child''s sense of wrong and right, consequences and empathy? I might not have understood what I was doing at that age, but I certainly had been taught and shown how you should live with others, what is acceptable behavior and that there are consequences to my actions. And what it means to hurt and that I sure wouldn''t like it. To many parents wanting to be best friends, letting tv and movies ''teach'' their children and families too busy to spend time together when these issues can be taught or addressed.

[pfd572]

Heck no, you better not bring back corporal punishment in schools. You think teachers are more controlled then other people? I had a classmate get his arm broken by a teacher ''disciplining'' him for getting out of chair to retrieve a pencil, another classmate (dif. teacher) cause severe injuries requiring stitches after using a paddle. Punishment too often turns into abuse and permanent damage. Do you not read the paper or watch the news? Or do you just want to catch the offenders AFTER they have harmed a child? Fight you to the end on this.

[pfd572]

babykiller: you ''name'' confuses me, but I like what you said. A little tired of unimaginative and overly aggressive right-wing automatons blaming liberals for any change they disagree with, BUT sometimes they are right (not this time) and I am happy to take credit for those changes.

[bobnjersey]

[WRONG ! ! ! !!! Look ***, it''''s because we can''''t whoop our kids ***-es anymore (that is unless your a minotiry) and not be turned into child services. Old Bugs Bunny and Tom and Jerry cartoons were just as violent back in the day, ]
[Posted by DSR57 at 06:23 AM : Apr 02, 2008]

there will be those that respond to the carrot ... and then there are those that will likely need the stick.

the carrot is not likely to be much use for the one who seems to need the stick ... and the stick isn''t going to motivate the one who''s more likely to respond to the carrot.

this ends the story of ''the carrot and the stick''.

[bjrober]

IT IS HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THIS IS THE GREAT USA THAT I GREW UP IN MORE THAN 68 YEARS AGO. OUR TEACHERS WERE THE BEST AND WE LOVED SCHOOL......I HAD ONE TEACHER WHO WOULD TAKE ME HOME OCCASIONALLY BECAUSE I WAS POOR AND SHE WOULD FEED ME AND GIVE ME BIRTHDAY PRESENTS, WHAT A SHAME THAT OUR CHILDREN HAVE COME TO THIS WANTING TO KILL A TEACHER OVER HER DISCIPLING THEM.........WAKE UP AMERICA, THE VIOLENCE ON TV AND THESE VIDEO GAMES HAVE A LOT TO DO WITH IT,,,,THE GAMES I HAVE SEEN ARE SO VIOLENT, CHILDREN NOR ADULTS SHOULD BE WATCHING THEM...

[oleander8]

If Americans could still survive on one income and not have to farm kids out to ever-changing ''care-givers'' who don''t really ''care'' - we wouldn''t be seeing these kinds of stories.

[truth832-2009]

That this story made the news headlines is absurd. These third grade children must have a monster for a teacher or perhaps monster is the principal. So...now what??? The sensationalism in a story like this might lead us to believe the children will one day be suicide bombers!
I suppose the cops feel that they have accomplished a great deal in their "investigation." Where is the family of these children? Does the government (through the school''s administration) have to report such childish pranks to the police???

[piano_man2]

"Currie said the children are too young to be charged as adults, and probably too young to be sentenced to a youth detention center."

Were they to young to perpetrate the crime???

[harp1963]

Gimme a break. Only in America would a bunch of 8 year old third graders would be a threat.

[dinkydog1]

I think this is the AlQueda sleeper cell Busk has been warning us about.

[panhandlpete]

The purported target is a veteran educator who teaches third-grade students with learning disabilities, including attention deficit disorder, delayed development and hyperactivity, friends and parents said.
......

This story leaves a lot of information to the reader to fill in the blanks. For instance, just how well do these children comprehend their actions given their shortcomings? A veteran educator cannot be without some of the blame for this occurance.

Suspension is never a good idea to benefit those involved. They should be removed from the class but sent to supervised study area so that they will not fall behind. After all, isn''t education the reason for being sent to school in the first place?

Just where did they come up with the idea to do such a thing? If they planned this plot with such completeness as described, then maybe someone is being placed in this group just so the school can get funds.
A closer look needs to be taken at those in charge....including school administrators and the parents.

So charging three, and dismissing the others, says a lot for fairness. Whatever happened to ''guilt by association''? They all need extended guidance and counseling.....maybe they could learn the lesson of today......that the thought police are gonna get you.

[swwils]

Kids like that have a mental disorder and need incarcerated now before they actually pull off something horrific because they are spoiled brats.I say go old school and get the belt out on these punks today before it is to late.If Government won''t allow us to discipline them ,then lock them up for about 10yrs they will either learn or become worse.But what choices do we have any

[swwils]

I know my Dad would have lit me up with his belt ,if I even talked some *** like these punks were going to do .I can''t believe this system anymore I got the living daylights whipped out of me(i needed it)I survived and ended up 12 yrs and a Staff Sgt in the Army,decorated for Bravery and Valor and today these kids just sit around playing video games getting fat and thinking about hurting people.

[katia327]

I suppose the cops feel that they have accomplished a great deal in their "investigation." Where is the family of these children? Does the government (through the school''''s administration) have to report such childish pranks to the police???

Posted by truth832
------------------
You call this a ''childish prank''? And what if the teacher had DIED at the hands of these kids? What would you call it then?

Our society has changed so much, that ''some'' parents are not teaching kids as they should. Not teaching them right from wrong, not teaching respect, or giving kids the example/instruction of simply CARING for and loving other people. And yes, violent tv and games that give them ideas, are not helping.

When kids come to school with guns, and shoot other kids/teachers, when kids plan attacks on teachers OR other kids, it is VERY serious.

And might I add, newsworthy. Covering stories like this can help parents/teachers/administrators change or improve things, and possibly prevent something like this from happening again.

[Keypinitreel1]

Bring Back Spankings....

All kids cant be raised the same.

The Hippie Generation (a bunch of spoiled kids)and their overzealous child non-disciplining laws...have kids so disrespectful of adults and life in general nowadays that they are growing up to be teenagers that shoot up crowds in schools because they are unhappy.

Try to have a military with No UCMJ or a court system with no jails. Bring Back Spankings.

[deth2rap]

Posted by dragonwagon5

LOL

[eaglemom22]

I can''t believe this. I remember in 5th grade we had a mean sub, n some had read this book 13 ways to sink a sub. We all decided to be mean back. We were in a portible room so we locked her out, n we told her lots of lies and did mean things, but we didn''t do anything violent. We ended up having to write a 3 page report on 13 ways to help a sub. I was mad at her for giving us lots of extra work but not mad enough to harm her. I don''t understand the violence today.

[Keypinitreel1]

Again... This is a direct result of the hippie generation who didnt want to be disciplined trying to create a world where kids would not be punished for their actions. Look at what we got now.


These kids dont need to be handcuffed... they dont need to be in Juvenile detention... they need their butts whipped and to be separated from each other...and put in a childs place.

Thats all it is. Bad kids have existed since time began when Cain Slew Abel...all of a sudden we cant control it.

[tomanyt]

keypinitreel...How did you determine this is the fault of the "Hippy Generation"?

[tomanyt]

This story would be funny if it were not so serious.

[rational_1]

Police seized a steak knife with a broken handle, steel handcuffs, duct tape, electrical and transparent tape, ribbons and the paperweight from the students.
FRY THEIR LITTLE MOTHERFU(KING A$$ES
Posted by deth2rap at 08:48 AM : Apr 02, 2008

These are ADD and disabled learning kids so I''m inclined to judge them a little less harshly. Plus, remember we''re talking about 8-10 year-olds not 15-18 year-olds. I''m not saying they don''t need to be punished (perhaps severely in the cases of the leaders), but let''s put this into perspective.

[timaran]

How the hell did third graders obtain handcuffs?

[truth832-2009]

Katia327,
Get over your paranoia and perhaps you will see that these kids didn''t kill anyone; didn''t have guns; etc.
That they brought tape, handcuffs, etc. is indicative of their resistance to their inability to communicate effectively with those in charge: Like You!
Wake up and recognize that an evolution in consciousness is happening in the world and you are being left behind and trying to leave those you fear behind; those being anyone that doesn''t agree with you. Indeed this was a childish prank and perhaps opening your eyes and mind to hearing other than your fear would help these children and perhaps others that are calling and looking to you for help!
Sorry!

[tomanyt]

Timaran...Probably mommy and daddy''s night stand. It was probably laying next to a whip and the Joy Jelly.

[gronamox-2009]

I would take the kids to the Principals office and kick the *** out of them. I would then call the parents, and kick the *** out of them. I would then hold a school assembly and announce if anyone attempts violence or makes a plan to hurt anyone else, they will have the *** kicked out of them.

[harp1963]

What''s next...."Infants in diapers take over the White House?" No, that''s already happened.

[truth832-2009]

Hey gronamox,

Perhaps you would followup after kicking everyone''s *** with invading Iran!

[gronamox-2009]

No more cries for help. Cries for help should sound like this: Help me please. If anybody hurts or makes a plan to hurt anyone in the school they need to be scared witless. It is not a prank. It is not a psychological metaphor. It is a violent act. A ten year old can kill an adult instantly. It is done in Africa all the time. A ten year old is capable of violent crime. These kids should be taken from their families and locked up. The parents should also be locked up. Get a lawyer, spend a lot of money, and fight to get yourself and kids free. Maybe everybody will learn how to behave in school and in the community. You want to be free, act like a nice person. You want to rot in jail? Make a plan to attack a kid or teacher.

[gronamox-2009]

There is no need to invade Iran. There is nothing in Iran that anyone would want, unless you are into sand. If they should threaten to attack Israel, I will watch as Iran is turned into thermal-nuclear ash. Perhaps the bomb they are attempting to make will be ready for UPS delivery soon. That''s the only way it will get out of the country.