Attack of the 3rd-Graders?
The shocking headlines out of Waycross, Georgia— 3rd-graders plotted to attack teacher, brought knife, handcuffs —lowered the bar on school violence and raised the alarm among parents, teachers, psychologists and just about anyone with an opinion about the country’s future.
The third grade plotters—nine students between the ages of 8 and 10—were allegedly readying a revenge assault against a teacher who had given one of the children a time-out for standing on a chair.
Tipped off by a student, police seized the kids’ menacing arsenal at school, including a steak knife, duct tape, handcuffs, and a heavy paperweight. The teacher specialized in learning disabilities, including attention deficit disorder and hyperactivity, though it’s not known if any of the plotters had those diagnoses.
The sophistication of the plan—with kid-assigned jobs of covering classroom windows and cleaning up after the attack—stunned even the police.
“We did not hear anybody say they intended to kill her,” the police chief said, “but could they have accidentally killed her? Absolutely.”
The big question—who or what was responsible for the children’s shocking behavior?—was debated across the U.S. on message boards and Main Street.
The culprits ranged from peer pressure to parenting, with violent video games and television getting much of the blame. “Kids naturally think now that the solution to everything is to shoot someone like they see on TV,” one comment read. “I weep for the future of America.”
For the present, local authorities are uncertain exactly how to proceed. In Georgia, children under 13 can’t be charged with a crime. Being declared “delinquent” by a judge may be the only legal penalty, but the state doesn’t have detention facilities for third-graders.
Tell us what you think. Given the restrictions with the law, how do you make punishment for third graders fit the crime? How much responsibility do their parents bear? And what about the rest of us—should we also be accountable as members of society?
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Substance Abuse Counselor
I think everything around our kids has a positive or negative consequence. Parents, teachers, administrative system,…Currently I am dealing with my 9 year old son who LOVES to play video games and this is also an issue to look at…violence, prophanity, agression, fiction, in these games bring a respond to our kid’s behavior which most of the time is negative…what happened with those kids in Georgia might be influenced by video games as well even though it is just part of the whole situation…Counseling NEVER hurts …apology letters, and community service is great….it is just a red flag to get closer to our children…
Lucy Lopez | 2 months ago
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Student probably very smart and manipulative
The student that they were dealing with is obviously very smart and probably very manipulative. Is it the parents fault? Possibly. Is the child abused at home? It is also very possible that the student is psychologically damaged. The student needs more than jail time. The student needs psychological help. I think that a good question to ask would be: why did these other children follow the first? Were they afraid of the student themselves? There must have been signs that this student was emotionally disturbed before this incident occurred. It is very sad that it had to come to such extremes before anything was done.
Children are all too often not held accountable for their actions. Their parents cover for them or in this case, the state. Some children use CPS to manipulate their parents. More parents should be knowledgeable of their actual parenting rights. Thus, parents let their children do what ever they want without penalty.
_ Police have rights that allow police officers from being battered and abused. They are servicing the public.
_Public school teachers are servicing the public as well, so shouldn’t they also be protected against such cruelties?
Anoynomous | 1 month, 3 weeks ago
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jczKdck
kivjkjkgke
baylie nicole pearson | 1 month, 1 week ago
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oh,my god!
omg,seriosly this should be tooken care of properly!
loretta lynn casto | 1 month, 1 week ago
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This Is The Worst Thing That Could Happen
well i think that the children are responsible i hate that i have to say send them to JJ!!!!!!!!!!1
destiney hope | 1 month, 1 week ago
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we love you
I love you so much and I love teacher so much and me
mrs.buger | 6 days, 11 hours ago
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The Best Day Ever
so cute
makayla lanae watkins | 5 days, 11 hours ago
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Texas Gowgirl
I am a teacher also, I have worked in elementary, middle, and high school and I just have a hard time putting blame on the teacher…. If I adressed each group of disgruntled students daily, I would have little time for teaching the curriculum. Those issues which plague students are to be adressed by counselors and campus coordinators outside of the daily class activities…
( Back when I was a kid, we’d have said these kids “Need to be taken out behind the shed for a few good licks!” ) However, that kind of discipline—although effective—- is no longer “appropriate” . So in reference to what should be done with the kids to ensure they understand the MAGNITUDE of their actions:
FIRST: I believe that individual and family counseling should be court ordered.
SECOND: Have each child ride in the back of a police car in hand-cuffs
THIRD: Give the children (with their parents) a complete tour of a local jail or juvenile correctional facility to help deter future behavioral problems…..
I other words, give them a taste of what would have happened had they been a little older……… and put the FEAR OF GOD in them….. for their own benefit as well as society’s benefit.
Shelley Jones | 4 days, 10 hours ago
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