The six-year-old student who shot his teacher in the US earlier this year, boasted about the incident saying “I shot [her] dead”, unsealed court documents show.

While being restrained after the shooting at a Virginia school, the boy is said to have admitted “I did it”, adding “I got my mom’s gun last night”.

His teacher, Abigail “Abby” Zwerner - who survived - filed a $40m (£31.4m) lawsuit earlier this year.

The boy has not been charged.

The boy’s mother, however, Deja Taylor, has been charged with felony child neglect and misdemeanour recklessly leaving a loaded firearm as to endanger a child.

In Ms Zwerner’s lawsuit, filed in April, she accuses school officials of gross negligence for ignoring warning signs and argues the defendants knew the child "had a history of random violence

The documents also mention another incident with the same student while he was in kindergarten. A retired teacher told police he started “choking her to the point she could not breathe”.

  • @[email protected]
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    2 years ago

    It’s amazing to me how focused these comments are on the child being “evil” and not the environment that created this situation. A child isn’t born believing that shooting their teacher is a viable solution to their problems. At 6 years old you’re barely functional. For this to happen they had to exist in a profoundly fucked up environment with no moral compass and access to a lot of information, presented without good context, far above their age. Everyone responsible for raising this kid should be held responsible.

    This kid needs years of therapy and support and a loving caregiver. Before the age of 10 children are incredibly impressionable and still undergoing very basic core development, until the age of 25 people are still in development to some level. There are many years ahead where this child can be saved from themselves. There is no reason to call a 6 year old irredeemable.

      • @[email protected]
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        102 years ago

        Not sure I fully agree, humans are social animals and learn what behaviors are beneficial for both themselves and the group. You can point to specific things that run counter to this, but that doesn’t change what humans are. But it is a distinction without a difference. Either way it’s the environment the child is in that is eventuating a negative outcome.

    • @[email protected]
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      152 years ago

      I assure you, even though it is likely that the environment failed them, some kids are just plain evil and will require lifelong support. Parents arent always to blame.

      • @[email protected]
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        22 years ago

        Maybe not always, but nearly always. Which begs the question why people are so keen to blame a 6 year old kid here and not the parents? It feels to me like it’s just easier for people to simplify matters by blaming the person involved because the alternative is messy and complicated.

      • Flying Squid
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        202 years ago

        Yeah, but parents who leave loaded guns around where their six-year-olds can have access to them are probably to blame.

      • @[email protected]
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        52 years ago

        Why do you think that some kids are just plain evil? I’m reading several comments stating this thing and it just baffles me, to say the least.

        • @[email protected]
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          82 years ago

          Because people aren’t born as a blank slate, although people seem to like that idea. Genetics play a huge role in personality and character. Some people are born without remorse. They need help and therapy like every other type of disability. But people are just too hung up on the idea of free will and virtuous character values to accept that our brains are organs that can have broken parts.

          When you happen to cross paths with someone like that you will know. A kid I know is like this. He would hurt his younger brother to get attention and use other manipulation tactics (at 8 years old!). He will lie straight to your face and it’s just obvious he is very different from other children.

          His mother had to stop working and basically 24/7 supervise this kid and the overall situation is nightmarish.

        • @[email protected]
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          102 years ago

          Because my sibling was a psycho, and I doubt there is anything more my parents could have done. You have to get to know one (child or not) to understand that this exists not just in movies.

          • @[email protected]
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            42 years ago

            Sorry about your experience, I can imagine how terrifying this must be. I guess that there are many reasons why I (like others) am very skeptical about it being just nature, especially considering science doesn’t have a definitive answer to this (as far as I know). I know that genetics play a role in predicting future diagnoses. It’s just that having full blown personality disorders from childhood (especially when personality is something that you develop during childhood) sounds weird, and many people are labeled “bad” when it’s really a dark childhood that is running the scene.

            • @[email protected]
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              42 years ago

              Absolutely, I never met anyone else like that in my life. I assumed most people with bad behaviours had bad childhood, but I can’t deny knowing at least one person with a troubling disorder.

          • @[email protected]
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            22 years ago

            People say things like this, then years later find out their siblings/demon kids in their lives were abused (sexually or no) by parents friends/distant relatives etc.

            I don’t think people become psychopaths or develop extreme BPD out of nowhere. Like never.

            • @[email protected]
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              2 years ago

              You don’t believe in genetic mental illness? That one can be born with a sickness in the brain?

              You don’t have to believe everyone on the internet, I can only offer you my slice of experience. Nothing wrong happened to my sibling. It was a child who actively tried to hurt people and kill stuff barely after learning to walk. It scared everyone for a while but medication and therapy helped turn they into a stable and functional adult. My sibling is also pretty open about it, at least with me.

              • @[email protected]
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                22 years ago

                I do believe a lot of our issues are genetic. But we also know different people with identical genetical “problems” will and won’t develop mental illnesses based on their environments and traumatic events in their lives. Epigenetics and all. Like schizophrenia. It was first purely genetic, now we’re pretty sure it’s also environment and experience led.

        • Uranhjort
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          102 years ago

          Because the world is so much easier to comprehend when you convince yourself some people are just naturally bad and thus undeserving of compassion. To some this is preferable to thinking that an impressionable child may be pushed to violence by their environment.

          Never mind that the child was likely mimicking his father (who had attempted to murder his mother on several occasions) and was raised in the kind of environment where a loaded weapon was just left around for him to grab.

          • @[email protected]
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            102 years ago

            I mean, no offence, but you can use that line of reasoning to explain away literally anything.

            “Because the world is so much easier to comprehend when you convince yourself all people are just naturally good, and thus can always be saved.”

            I was born and raised with a psycho, I really wished for the longest time that my sibling was normal and just acting out. I guess having first-hand experience with a sick person will erase someone’s doubts real quick.

            • @[email protected]
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              12 years ago

              Nobody is trying to invalidate your experience, but we also can’t take your story and assume it applies to a random child in the news that has nothing to do with your story.

            • Uranhjort
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              42 years ago

              I’m not explaining away anything, nor denying that dangerously violent or even psychotic children exist. I was specifically railing against the idea of condemning a real, life human child because you have decided that they were “born bad”, in face of the plentiful evidence that they were raised in a violent environment.

              For what it’s worth I’m sorry you had to go through that, but you’re not the only one who grew up with someone unstable and violent. I would not presume to speak to your experience, but in my case I was all too privy to the neglect and abuse they were put through and it’s left me convinced that barring any actual inborn neurological damage the only way a child turns violent is if something is pushing them to act that way.

              • @[email protected]
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                2 years ago

                I was not making a statement on the specific child in the article, I also mentioned that the environment is often the most important factor. I am just raising the fact that in some cases it can be a mental disorder, and it is not about deciding who is born bad, but assessing correctly every situation so you can do the greatest good, and protect yourself. I think we agree mostly, maybe my original comment could sound reductionist to some ears, but I tried my best to convey that I was pointing out a rare scenario, specifically to counter the arguments that you can’t have this sort of mental disorder at the time of birth. It is important to point out, otherwise innocent parents will get harmed (not those in the article, obviously)

      • @[email protected]
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        142 years ago

        I’d like someone more knowledgeable to confirm this, but I remember that kids cannot be diagnosed certain PDs, so I’m not sure that this can really apply to a child. Also, PDs more often than not derive from childhood problems.

        • SwagaliciousSR
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          112 years ago

          This is somewhat true. I’m fairly knowledgeable about this topic (US) im pretty sure Children still cannot be officially diagnosed with a severe personality disorder until usually 14-18 depending on the state and the personality disorder. Usually it’s higher age brackets for more “severe” disorders like aspd. Yet weirdly low for add, adhd and odd. Depends mainly on state.

          Many problematic children will be diagnosed with both odd and adhd /add at a young age and the moment they “age out” of youth services they’ll be immediately diagnosed with aspd or a whole bouquet of other DSM’s. This is one of my bigger pet peeves as parents are often left out of the loop pourpousefully simply as there is no “solution” to a child with such issues other than buttloads of money and time.

          To add, as someone who has worked with children and children with behavioral issues. In multiple countries and cultures:

          We usually know with like 80% certainty by the time the child is I’d say six or seven, roughly what is wrong with any given child, and can give pretty spot on diagnosis between ourselves. We are ofc not allowed to speak with parents regarding most of these issues, that’s a 5 minute talk between a child’s psychologist and its parents every six months. And Timmy just can’t sitt still for more than 20 minutes! It’s a disaster! But other than thst he’s a little angel!

          Also, imagine telling a Karen her precious angel tried stabbed another kid with scissors?

          Yeah I fucking stabbed her, I fucking stabbed the lil bitch in the face cause I fucking hate her fucking bitch"

          And then two weeks later you almost loose your job, cause surprise. Timmy just stabbed the lil bitch in the FACE with Scissors. I know from the grapevine Timmy is now in a locked mental health juvie. Like. How do I explain. We all knew? All of us who ever worked with him told each other he was going to spend the rest of his life getting bailed out of jail by mommy and daddy, or dead, or 15-life. We knew he was dangerous. Deranged even. Why dosent anyone listen? Parents didn’t care, administration didn’t care. Hell the only people who seemed to actually care were us and the girls parents. (big and biggest Bitch)

          It’s this shit + the metal detectors (+admin) that makes people like me charge 100$/h tutoring autistic kids now instead of working 50% and volunteering 50% at local school districts.

          I am not a teacher. Just a giant guy who has always been good with kids. (I never stopped being one)

          I dont think im intelligent enough to get into the nature vs nurture argument. It’s a doozy. My opinion is “why not both” I’ve seen both sides proven imo, a good nurture just gives you alot more tools to use.

          • @[email protected]
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            42 years ago

            Also, imagine telling a Karen her precious angel tried stabbed another kid with scissors?

            Yeah I fucking stabbed her, I fucking stabbed the lil bitch in the face cause I fucking hate her fucking bitch"

            Holy shit, that’s actually disastrous and not something that I could think of, so thank you so much for your insider input. Mustn’t be very nice knowing that something terrible has a good chance of happening and not being able to do anything about it.

            I dont think im intelligent enough to get into the nature vs nurture argument. It’s a doozy. My opinion is “why not both” I’ve seen both sides proven imo, a good nurture just gives you alot more tools to use.

            and I agree with that, dismissing genetics completely also doesn’t feel convincing to me. The biggest takeaway that I wanted my comments to have is to keep an eye on the parents, as very often bad parenting bakes tragedies.

        • @[email protected]
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          52 years ago

          Correct. ASPD isn’t diagnosed until the child is 18. They usually will diagnose them with “conduct disorder” as a minor instead.

    • @[email protected]
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      462 years ago

      It can be both sadly. Some kids are born not right. But will usually be ok with good and professional follow up and loving parents. But there are some kids born without the ability to emphasize with others and that never will get the help they need. And they become terrifying in their teens.

      • @[email protected]
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        162 years ago

        Empathy is something that is taught. If some kid does not have the ability to have empathy for others, it’s likely because they were neglected/abused during childhood, and were not taught such a thing as empathy.

        • @[email protected]
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          2 years ago

          No, there really are people who are born without the capacity of compassion and empathy. They can learn to mimic it and live by the laws but it needs therapy and people who catch that there is a problem early enough.

          It’s actually problematic that people immediately jump to the conclusion that the parents did a poor job, because it leads to people not getting adequate help. It also leads to parents not seeking help because they think they just need to be better at parenting when that’s often not going to change all that much.

          • @[email protected]
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            2 years ago

            Having actually worked around troubled youth and seen literally 100’s of children move through the system, I don’t think you could be more wrong than you are. Prior to working with troubled youth I assumed it was more like 50/50 environment/genetics. I’m completely convinced it’s almost entirely environmental. In nearly 100% of the cases I’ve seen troubled children, they had parents that were doing something profoundly wrong. Whether it be neglect, violence, sexual abuse, etc, there was always something extremely concerning. I think it is actually incredibly rare for a child to end up severely messed up without extreme “help” from the parents getting there.

            • @[email protected]
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              72 years ago

              The problem with your anecdotal evidence is that what you experience can simply be the consequence of children only ending up in the system when they have a troublesome environment.

          • @[email protected]
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            62 years ago

            Everything said above can be true in parts or at the same time. Obviously, this kid had access to a gun and shouldn’t have. Likely, the kid has other problems at home. Possibly, the kid has a neurological divergence that hadn’t been fully investigated.

            Fuck the parent for not securing the gun. Fuck the school for not showing more caution. Fuck the teacher for getting shot… wait… (/s on the last one, of course)

            But also, how can a kindergartener choke an adult to the point they can’t breathe? I’d think anyone who isn’t elderly could throw a child that age. I probably don’t have all the facts about that.

            • @[email protected]
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              62 years ago

              But also, how can a kindergartener choke an adult to the point they can’t breathe?

              Because when you do not feel for other people you can go all in. Most people are not brutal and even unintentionally hold back against others. It is also really hard to defend against a child if you don’t want to hurt the child.

              My neighbours kid broke one of his mother’s fingers at an age before he went to school (so he must have been 7 years old max). If you do not want to seriously hurt a child, how do you defend yourself when they won’t let go?

            • @[email protected]
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              2 years ago

              But also, how can a kindergartener choke an adult to the point they can’t breathe? I’d think anyone who isn’t elderly could throw a child that age.

              I wondered this too, and my only (weak) hypothesis is the teacher was too afraid to hurt the child in return before they realized how serious it was going to get. But I’m also not sure how little 5 year old hands would have the strength, unless they used a rope or other tool.

              Edit: the article does say the choked teacher is now retired, so they also could have been fairly old.

        • Pyr
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          132 years ago

          I wouldn’t rule out lack of empathy also being potentially biological / genetic. Empathy is based on feeling which is based on chemicals and hormones in your body. It wouldn’t be impossible to be born with the inability to produce/recognize those chemicals/hormones.

    • @[email protected]
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      162 years ago

      After the kindergarten incident the child should’ve been given a psychiatric evaluation. It is possible he’s got a “screw loose” but in the vast majority of cases like this you’ll find there’s violence in the home. The foster system sucks ass, but in this case rolling the dice probably would’ve led to a better outcome than leaving him in that home.

    • @[email protected]
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      52 years ago

      There are exceptions to every rule. Some kids are born evil, although you’re probably right that the parents suck too

      • @[email protected]
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        42 years ago

        True, but we have no idea if this child is a born psychopath or not. We do know they did something extremely depraved and were raised very poorly.

    • @[email protected]
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      92 years ago

      The earliest years are where the individual gains their fundamental personality. This kid is toast, no matter what kind of treatment or assistance they receive. They weren’t born this way, but they’re now done for.

  • prole
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    492 years ago

    Yo, how strong does a kindergartner need to be to be able to choke out a fully grown adult? Wild.

    • @[email protected]
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      22 years ago

      My 5 year old is very big compared to my 5’1" 105 lbs. Honestly I could totally see a kid his size if they were deranged being able to do some serious damage to someone my size.

    • @[email protected]
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      52 years ago

      Bigger boy (for his age) and a smaller woman, especially a kid using all his strength, it can definitely happen.

    • @[email protected]
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      32 years ago

      It’s probably more about the person being strangled not wanting to exert too much force on a child.

    • @[email protected]
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      62 years ago

      It says she’s retired so she’s probably up there in age. That and probably trying not to hurt him

    • @[email protected]
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      262 years ago

      How deranged does a kid need to be for the system to keep a very close eye on them? Seriously that kid is probably a psychopath who’s gonna kill more people if nobody prevents him from doing so

      • @[email protected]
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        2 years ago

        That or he’s badly abused/neglected, and is in need of very serious therapy.

        My wife’s hometown of like 300 people had a school shooter, and the kid was one of the worst abuse cases I’d ever heard. Tortured, made to live in a closet and eat dog food, shit like that. Ended up shooting the principal while wrestling for the gun (his only victim) and the principal was like the only guy in town who brought the kid food and clothes and stuff (which his parents then “punished” him for receiving). Just an awful situation.

        In some ways, this kid acting out so early may save his and others lives, fucked up as it is.

    • @[email protected]
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      172 years ago

      You’re suggesting the six year old child is going to lawfully defend himself against 3 adult males, including a pedophile? I’m not understanding your comparison.

      • Flying Squid
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        372 years ago

        Do explain how Rittenhouse knew he was shooting a pedophile. Did he see the man’s criminal record before opening fire?

      • be_excellent_to_each_other
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        782 years ago

        Let’s not pretend that the technical legality of Rittenhouse’s actions make him any less a piece of shit. And he certainly wasn’t trying to rid the world of a pedo, as he had no way of knowing that. So acting like it somehow makes things better is quite disingenuous.

        He went looking to use his rifle, and got himself in deep enough to create a scenario where he could get away with doing so. Nothing more admirable than that.

        • @[email protected]
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          42 years ago

          He ran away from the assailants each time and didn’t shoot the one guy until he pointed the pistol at him again. His actions show you’re completely full of shit. Those guys would be fine if they didn’t choose to attack an armed kid.

        • @[email protected]
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          12 years ago

          It boggles my mind how you can get away with a self-defense defense even when you entirely created the situation

          Zimmerman is a great example to me… He brought the gun, he stalked an unarmed kid minding his own business, and he confronted him up close and personal. If Treyvon Martin had gotten the gun and shot Zimmerman instead, he’d have a way stronger self-defense case (in principle at least)

          Like I could understand avoiding a murder charge, but shouldn’t it be manslaughter at least? At best according to the one side of the story we have, Zimmerman was negligent to the point someone died. If he didn’t bring the gun, it’s doubtful anyone would have died. If he left it to the police, no one would have died. If he kept his distance or tailed him in a car, no one would even have been at risk.

          Our laws are seriously wonky in this country…

        • @[email protected]
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          2 years ago

          You forgot to mention the part where he obtained the rifle through an admitted straw purchase and still shouldn’t have been in possession of it or out past curfew.

          He was breaking multiple laws before anyone tried to disarm him.

      • @[email protected]
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        52 years ago

        I think he is trying to conflate the 6 year old bragging about shooting people with Kyle Rittenhouse “bragging” about overcoming an attempted character assassination, criminal charges, and successfully defending himself from those who intended to cause death or great bodily harm.

        I belive he thinks Kyle Rittenhouse “bragging” about shooting (lawful self-defense) people is the same as the 6 year old bragging about shooting (attempted murder) his teacher.

        • dtc
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          202 years ago

          I saw Rittenhouse crying when he was in court like a little bitch.

          Then 3 weeks later saw him in an advertisement for some shitty video game where he cracked tongue in cheek jokes about the whole shooting thing.

          He lacks what most Republicans lack; a backbone, empathy,moral righteousness, AND the self awareness about any of those shortcomings.

          • @[email protected]
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            Unfortunately the courts wouldn’t let them show jurors the video like a week or two before the shooting where he physically attacked a preteen girl, and when a couple Black teens yelled at him to stop he curled I to the fetal position and bawled his eyes out that he was being attacked…

            They didn’t even touch him. Just psychopath crocodile tears.

            Or the video he filmed between that and the shooting where he sat outside a CVS and fantasized about if paying customers were looting so he could kill them.

            He went out there with a gun so he could feel like a big strong man and kill someone.

            Those videos would have helped establish his frame of mind when the shootings took place.

      • blazera
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        152 years ago

        Dont worry there will be plenty of school shooting stories in the future for you to come in and praise guns.

      • @[email protected]
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        72 years ago

        but Kyle Rittenhouse was in the right

        He wasn’t legally allowed to be in possession of the gun…

        Let alone running around a riot with it after curfew

    • @[email protected]
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      292 years ago

      It’s probably a case of her thinking she can not defend herself out of fear of backlash. Teachers have been charged with assault when defending themselves from students.

      • sadreality
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        62 years ago

        I don’t promote violence but someone is attacking you, you have defend yourself. If that leads to charges so be it.

        • Turkey_Titty_city
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          92 years ago

          losing your career and being sued into oblivion by the kids parents sounds like a real good choice!

            • The dogspaw
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              22 years ago

              Yeah I don’t get this she couldn’t do anything because she would get sued is such a reddit argument its a small child you don’t have to punch the kid just push them away and hold your arms out don’t sit there like a dumb ass and let a 4 year old strangle you to death

              • @[email protected]
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                She’s alive, so she didn’t let him strangle her to death. But you bet your ass, any teachers who want to stay in the profession are waiting until there’s no other choice before putting their hands on a kid, even if it’s just to push them away. And she was like a year away from retirement? Definitely not doing anything to mess that up; many teachers still get pensions if they retire.

                • The dogspaw
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                  12 years ago

                  Kids still get spankings in a lot of the country no teacher would get in trouble for putting there hands on a kid choking them

  • @[email protected]
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    102 years ago

    ‘In kindergarten choking her till she could not breath’ BITCH that’s a 5 year old fuck him up.

    • Alto
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      I think you woefully underestimate how much it’s drilled into teachers’ heads not to use any sort of physical force at all

      Very, very high chance she loses her job and is potentially charged with assault of she had

      • @[email protected]
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        132 years ago

        Loses her job and also can’t get a job anywhere else. It’d essentially be the end of her career

      • @[email protected]
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        62 years ago

        Idgaf. If a five year old is choking me till the point I can’t breath there will be (appropriate) consequences. He spends 8 hours a day at that school you bet your ass he will behave in my class.

        • Alto
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          332 years ago

          You can just say you have absolutely zero experience in the classroom, it’s OK.

          • sadreality
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            62 years ago

            When I was in classroom nobody was ever choking the teacher and if they tried, they would get dropped kicked like a soccer ball.

            • Alto
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              132 years ago

              Tell that to the teacher from the middle school I went to that got fired for pushing a kid that tried to stab him with a pencil

              • sadreality
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                62 years ago

                Sounds like a shiti employer, really. Either get a new one or switch career. At this point I don’t get why one would want to be a teacher in the US. Bad pay, zero respect from parents or admins, plus homework as an adult

                Jfc, these people need to be on anti work and work reform to start regaining dignity.

                If society cannot respect the teacher, fuck such shiti society IMHO.

                • @[email protected]
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                  42 years ago

                  Why the downvotes? He’s right. Some brainwashed dumbfucks in this thread. Teach your kids manners otherwise other people are very fast fed up with the behavior of your kid.

            • @[email protected]
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              22 years ago

              Dropkick that little motherfucker. Ciaooo see you again with your parents after school and if your kid doesn’t behave next time he needs to find another school.

        • dtc
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          132 years ago

          We know ydgaf, that’s why you keep leaving these braindead comments. The world in your head has little correlation with the one we find ourselves living in.

  • @[email protected]
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    32 years ago

    My best friend is a teacher and I’m genuinely worry that something like this will happen to her. I feel like more and more parents are failing their kids, only because the system is failing, lets go ahead and not commit the fundamental attribution error.

  • @[email protected]
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    72 years ago

    Jeez. When I was a 6yo we used rubber bands for that, and sang songs about it. The next generation was not supposed to take it literally. :(((

  • @[email protected]
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    232 years ago

    We need to arm all the teachers. And all the students. And all the guns. And all the bullets: they can carry little baby guns with more guns in them.

    Only after every atom in the universe is a gun will we ever be safe from guns.

  • @[email protected]
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    82 years ago

    I scrolled past this but saw the headline and then BBC and it caught my attention. I scrolled back because this is some strange shit for the UK. I then started reading and saw it say the US and stopped reading. Nothing more to read here.

  • be_excellent_to_each_other
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    72 years ago

    Great “article” BBC. Let’s vilify the 6 year old who is too young to be any more fucked up than his home environment has directly caused him to be or to otherwise grasp the finality of these actions, with only a brief mention of the mother, and no discussion at all about the easy access to guns which lies at the root of every such story.

    • StrikerOP
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      362 years ago

      This article clearly paints a picture of how the adults in this child’s life clearly ignored their obvious violent tendencies.

      • be_excellent_to_each_other
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        52 years ago

        5/6 year olds don’t behave like that unless their parents have created that behavior through neglect or abuse. Given the other things we know about the mother from quality reporting, that tracks.

  • ssillyssadass
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    52 years ago

    Kids psychologically profile the same as a psychopath. This is because kids usually haven’t developed their sense of empathy yet.

    • @[email protected]
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      332 years ago

      Not just teachers: this obviously wouldn’t have happened, if all the other students had been armed, too.

      The only thing that can stop a bad 6-year-old with a gun is a good 6-year-old with a gun.

    • @[email protected]
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      672 years ago

      They say it’s so teachers can protect themselves and their students (from the consequences of failed gun laws) but really, it’s just because they have to say something – and it can’t be the truth.

      At a civilian level, most of them simply don’t care. They’re confident it will never be their kids and they consider a stranger’s children less important than their own easy access to firearms.

      But they can’t say that, so they make flowery comments about freedom, defending their family and how they’re the ones keeping America out of the hands of tyrants, even though they staunchly support tyrants and wouldn’t even wear a mask to protect other people, let alone fight and die for them.

      On the corporate and political level, there’s good money and easy votes in guns. It’s no different to tobacco, asbestos and everything else they fought to profit from even as it killed people.

      But they can’t say that either. So instead, they coordinate what today’s scapegoat is going to be. Computer games? Too many doors? Timid police? Whatever keeps the money flowing.

      The important part for all of them is demanding other solutions are tried before gun control. They know they won’t work, but it will buy them more time and the more time they waste, the better.

      That’s why their current solution is “free, universal healthcare for everybody in America, including 5 year olds and people who don’t want treatment, done to a standard far beyond even the most cutting edge of medicine, completely and permanently curing people in less time than it takes to buy a gun”.

      Which they then block anyway, because it’s important their conditions for supporting gun control are never met.

    • HonkyTonkWoman
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      82 years ago

      No, no, no, you’ve gotten it all wrong. We need armed teachers to shoot dangerous books.

      There’s no way we can ban all of the dangerous books, so we need teachers to shoot them out of the hands of our precious youth.

    • be_excellent_to_each_other
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      2 years ago

      Yes but they seem to be forgetting the very obvious thing that will happen (and has already happened) when you have more guns being brought into schools, even by those you (misguidedly) trust.

      For some reason they don’t seem to be able to get that not having guns in or anywhere near a school is the best way not to have shootings at schools.

      That article highlights just one obvious problem. Here are others:

      • We can’t even rely on our cops to shoot only the people who need to be shot. Now we’re going to trust that teachers will be able to perform better under those stresses - which may include the need to shoot one of their own students - than cops do? How on earth does that track?

      • Legal gun owners go on shooting sprees too. Really easy for you when you are already whitelisted to be showing up to school armed.

      • A variation on the article I linked: Careless teacher with a gun leaves it in the bathroom and kid finds it and shoots themselves and/or others with it instead of turning it in.

      • Flying Squid
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        22 years ago

        Legal gun owners go on shooting sprees too.

        And teachers have to deal with an incredibly stressful situation all day which ever-restrictive Republican education laws in many states make even more stressful. Put guns in the mix and one of them will go postal one day.

      • @[email protected]
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        22 years ago

        But the solution could be as simple as the gun is locked and retrievable by the teacher either by biometrics or code. It could also trigger a school wide alarm if the firearm is released so it would give other classes a chance to lock down. The option is there if the teacher needs it they don’t need to be having the gun on themselves.

        • be_excellent_to_each_other
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          2 years ago

          Sure, if none of the teachers ever break the rules or are careless with that system in any way, it will prevent everything except the part where we expect teachers to be better than cops at target identification and using a firearm under stress, and also expect them to be willing to shoot a student they know personally.

          We’re also expecting them to accept all the trauma that comes with that, while getting paid shit, and having chosen a career in education.

          • @[email protected]
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            22 years ago

            That’s why I said the option would be there if they chose it. They wouldn’t be required to but it would be nice that they had the option to fight for their life.

            • @[email protected]
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              42 years ago

              Better gun control would mean there would be a much lower chance they would ever be in a situation where they need to fight for their life.

    • @[email protected]
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      202 years ago

      Bringing whole new level to “Kindergarten Cop” I don’t think Arny could have predicted this

    • @[email protected]
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      182 years ago

      They want armed teachers because the alternative is gun control. They don’t want gun control, so apparently throwing fire on a burning house is now the way to put out fires.