Virginia school board cuts ties with superintendent weeks after 6-year-old shot teacher
Misty Severi
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A Virginia school board voted to fire its superintendent Wednesday, weeks after a 6-year-old male student allegedly shot a teacher in the district after multiple warnings that the child had a gun.
The school board voted 5-1 in favor of firing Newport News Superintendent George Parker and providing him with a severance package. The vote came after it was announced that officials had been warned three separate times that the unnamed child had brought his mother’s legally purchased gun to school.
VIRGINIA TEACHER SHOT BY 6-YEAR-OLD TO SUE SCHOOL DISTRICT
“Over the course of a few hours, three different times — three times — school administration was warned by concerned teachers and employees that the boy had a gun on him at the school and was threatening people,” Diane Toscano, an attorney for the teacher, Abby Zwerner, said in a news conference.
“But the administration could not be bothered,” she said.
The child, who has an acute disability, according to his parents, allegedly threatened other children with the gun and threatened to beat one student up on the day of the attack. He ended up firing the gun once. He reportedly shot Zwerner, his first grade teacher.
Police said the shooting was intentional and that it happened after a heated discussion between the two, but no physical altercation had occurred. Zwerner was in critical condition after the bullet went through her hand and into her chest, but she has since been released from the hospital.
The child is currently in the hospital under a temporary detention order and is going through evaluation and treatment. His family said his disability usually requires one of his parents to attend classes with him. Jan. 6, the day of the shooting, was the first day a parent did not go with him to school.
“We will regret our absence on this day for the rest of our lives,” the family said.
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Parker’s last day as superintendent will be Feb. 1, and an interim superintendent will take his place, according to CNN. However, the school will reopen on Jan. 30, nearly one month after the incident.
Zwerner’s lawyer announced Wednesday that she planned to file a lawsuit against the school. The school’s vice principal has since resigned.