Waycross, Ga. (The Weekly Vice) -- A group of third graders at Center Elementary School in Waycross, Georgia organized and plotted to kill their teacher.
As many as eleven students, consisting of 8 and 9 year old third grade boys and girls collaborated together in what police consider a serious threat to murder their class teacher.
According to Waycross Police Chief Tony Tanner, the students apparently planned to knock the teacher unconscious with a crystal paperweight, bind her with handcuffs and duct tape, then stab her.
"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.
According to police, each student was assigned a role in the plot. The students brought a steak knife, handcuffs, duct tape and other items for the job; assigning one another tasks that included covering the windows and cleaning up afterward.
"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.
According to prosecutors, children under the age of 13 usually are not able to be charged with a crime. Authorities had decided to seek juvenile charges against two girls who brought the knife and paperweight and an 8-year-old boy who brought tape.
The three students faced charges of conspiracy to commit aggravated assault, and both girls were being charged with bringing weapons to school.
While police may not have much latitude in the law for criminal prosecution, punishment from the school is another story. Nine children have been given discipline up to and including long-term suspension, said Theresa Martin, spokeswoman for the Ware County school system.
Items recovered from the plot include a steak knife, handcuffs, duct tape, electrical tape, a paperweight and ribbons, said Tanner.
Police were alerted to the plot when a student informed school officials that another student had brought a weapon to school.
Danny Vice
The Weekly Vice
http://weeklyvice.blogspot.com
Posts
