Third-graders plotted attack on teacher, police say

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Third-graders plotted attack on teacher, police say

The Associated Press
Published on: 04/01/08

Waycross, Ga. -- 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 by as many as nine boys and girls at Center Elementary School in south Georgia was a serious threat, Waycross Police Chief Tony Tanner said Tuesday.

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"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 and 9, were apparently mad at the teacher because she had scolded one of them for standing on a chair, Tanner said.

They could be expelled, but a prosecutor said they are too young to be charged with a crime under Georgia law.

Tanner said school officials alerted police Friday after a pupil tipped off a teacher that a girl had brought a weapon to school.

Police seized a broken steak knife, handcuffs, duct tape, electrical and transparent tape, ribbons and a crystal paperweight from the students, who apparently intended to use them against the teacher, Tanner said.

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

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

Tanner said the scheme involved a division of roles. 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 estimate between six to nine students were involved. ... 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.

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.

Police expected to forward the results of their investigation to prosecutors, Tanner said.

Children in Georgia can't be charged with a crime unless they are at least 13, District Attorney Rick Currie said.

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.

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Comments

By Pariss

May 2, 2008 11:33 PM | Link to this

Every time somebody do something the first thing people do is blame the media. They don't ever just say "Oh. This kid is responsible for his/her own actions." It's got to be TV and video games' faults. I've watched violent TV shows and played violent video games all my life and I have never even considered plotting to kill someone. The problem with people today is that they don't ever want to take full responsibility for their own actions. And Shell kids were saying they didn't want to go to school long before the Naked Brothers' Band came out. That's what's wrong with you people today. You want to blame everything on someone else besides the person who is actually to blame.

By christine

May 1, 2008 10:14 AM | Link to this

first of all i do blaim t.v shows and video games for the kids actions. and sometimes i blame the parents. some parents dont care about what their kids watch or play. if these kids see the things on tv and video games, then they are going to think that thats ok to do because they see other people doing it, and thats not right. Tvs and videos games are getting so out of control i have to watch and play the games before i give it to my kids, because it gets so out of control. And some parents do their best to try to teach their kids right from wrong but kids are so hard headed these days cause they do not listen. but it is about what they put on tv and video games that makes these kids act the way they act. and i blame them and parents who dont tell or show their kids right from wrong.

By christine

May 1, 2008 10:13 AM | Link to this

By Jimmy

Apr 29, 2008 9:45 AM | Link to this

Don't blaim T.V and video games on their actions. They were just some stupid kids that apparently didn't have parents that disciplined them correctly!

By JesusFreak

Apr 20, 2008 2:53 PM | Link to this

This is what happens when parents don't have God in their life. The parents bad actions turn on their children and cause them to do unthinkable things.

By simo

Apr 18, 2008 6:17 PM | Link to this

that mom who thought the kids would have stabbed her kid was stupid. if it was that well thought-out, they wouldn't have blown the whole thing over just to stab another kid

By houty

Apr 17, 2008 7:14 PM | Link to this

omg come on kids why didnt you just stick the knife in!!!!

By houty

Apr 17, 2008 7:14 PM | Link to this

omg come on kids why didnt you just stick the knife in!!!!

By Akuma

Apr 16, 2008 11:45 PM | Link to this

Tch! These kids are going to be dictators some day or at least on america's most wanted... my question is where are the parents?

By Shell

Apr 16, 2008 3:23 PM | Link to this

This is what happens when we don't give our children the most basic life skills...problem-solving, trouble-shooting, conflict resolution, and compassion. All of these skills are taught at my kid's preschool, so age is not the issue. And TV...I agree. First, parents need to be smart about what they let their kids watch. There were two naughty twins in my son's preschool. They actually beat up my son...who was their friend...once. Then I hear them talking about seeing Spiderman 3...they're 5, it's rated PG13...what the hell is their dad thinking??? And, Our broadcasting system and Hollywood need to start taking some responsibility for the messages they put out there. Even kids sations like Nickelodeon are pumping out bad messages...like the Naked Brothers Bad...their new song, "I don't want to go to school." Again, what are they thinking???

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