6 year old shoots his teacher

This story has given me pause. There has to be so much that was going on in the background that is being overlooked or ignored. I do not change my initial belief that poor parenting is the primary cause for this occurrence, but this child did not live in isolation.

I am semi retired. That just means that I get paid for one of the community services I provide. I work, and I provide community service, to give my life purpose, and to give me an excuse to get out of bed in the mornings.

I used to volunteer with the United Way, assisting with some of the events they put on in the community. I was recruited by the State a few years later to assist with the development of a specialized program that would provide services for assault victims. At this exact same time I was escorting my Mother to her community and church volunteer venues, and not being one to sit and watch other people work, they ended up getting a "twofer". Two for the price of one.

Now all of this is the back story for what I think may help our troubled children,

While doing community service, I come in contact with a lot of children. Little ones that can't even walk yet, to young adults. I have been doing this so long now that the little ones in strollers are now entering High School. I have watched some of them go from children to adults, marry, and have children of their own. One of them recently named their daughter after my mother.

This summer and this holiday season, I had several of those children come to me, to tell me how much of a difference I made in their lives. What did I do? I gave them attention. I made them smile. I teased them. I lifted their spirits. I made them feel good about themselves. I would sneak snacks into their pockets. I scolded them. I recognized them. I listened to them.

You can look in the face of a child and know that they are troubled. They are very hard to ignore, if you see them. I had a child that used to sit at the bus stop next to where I set up for serving the snack. He was waiting for his mother to pick him up. They chose that place because there were people around and it was safe. He did not belong to the church where I was setting up. But I always walked all the way over to the bus stop and offered him a snack and something to drink. At first he always refused. He was very quiet and withdrawn.

One day, months later, he accepted. I told him that he did not have to wait at the bus stop that he could wait at the pavilion and he could choose his snack and drink. It took him a while, but he now waits at the pavilion. He is talkative, socializes, and looks happy.

I don't know the back story or what was going on with this six year old that shot his teacher, but I am willing to bet that someone had to know that this child was troubled or had the potential for trouble in his life. Maybe if someone had just taken a few seconds to laugh and joke with the child. To talk to him. To listen to him. Maybe it would not have made a difference at all. But what if it did?

Maybe we should be better neighbors, family, friends. Maybe it does take a village.

originally posted by: JinMI
a reply to: chr0naut

Clearly there are some firearms types that should be restricted (high capacity automatic and semi-automatic weapons).

First, explain to me what high capacity magazines are.

The US Federal Assault Weapons ban of 1994 (now lapsed) defined magazines that hold more than 10 cartridges as "large capacity".

Then give me your best effort as to why we the people shouldnt have the same arms as law enforcement and military. Based on the constitution.

Ill read it, promise.

Law enforcement have tanks. The military have weapons of all types up to nuclear weapons and can target people invisibly from the air. To think that the public could win in an arms race with them, or could actively win against them in battle, is massively delusional.

a reply to: NightSkyeB4Dawn

This summer and this holiday season, I had several of those children come to me, to tell me how much of a difference I made in their lives. What did I do? I gave them attention. I made them smile. I teased them. I lifted their spirits. I made them feel good about themselves. I would sneak snacks into their pockets. I scolded them. I recognized them. I listened to them

Amen amen amen

Maybe if someone had just taken a few seconds to laugh and joke with the child. To talk to him. To listen to him. Maybe it would not have made a difference at all. But what if it did?

Bam. Nightskye just schooled us. Much much respect. And much appreciated. A great answer all around.

Maybe we should be better neighbors, family, friends. Maybe it does take a village.

There's the answer. It's up to all of us. It does take a village.

a reply to: chr0naut

The US Federal Assault Weapons ban of 1994 (now lapsed) defined magazines that hold more than 10 cartridges as "large capacity".

All AR15 magazines are 30 rounds. Standard.

Most modern handguns hold anywhere from 8-17...standard.

Good luck.

Law enforcement have tanks. The military have weapons of all types up to nuclear weapons and can target people invisibly from the air. To think that the public could win in an arms race with them, or could actively win against them in battle, is massively delusional.

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

Where exactly is the distinction between public and private arms? Where is the categorization of arms?

Do you think that when the 2nd amendment was written it was intended for the state to overpower the people with a better force of arms?

originally posted by: nolabel
a reply to: JinMI
Yes. Life is cheap in America.
It is a problem of your own making.
When the founding fathers wrote the constitution they could never have foreseen what a beast they were unleashing on the country.

The beast that enabled the greatest and most free country in the world to thrive to this day? (yea, when I say thrive I did cringe a bit)

Again, guns aren't the problem. Here in Canada we have almost as many guns per capita, but barely a fraction of the gun violence.

That's a cultural difference, not a gun problem.

Educate yourself.

I think that ALL parents whose children are under the age of 21, who allow their child to gain access to a firearm, who then allow their child to engage in criminal activities, should be held every bit as responsible for their child’s actions.

If people were truly serious about solving the cultural issues plaguing this country, it would start with making parents be present in their child’s life. If we as a society started to create rap music that turned kids into mathematicians and scientists instead of a bunch of brainwashed thug lifers, that too would help.

Every bit of the violence in this country comes from a lack of people being able to manage their emotions, and their inability to grasp the consequences of their actions. I live in a part of town where I see it every day, and in nearly every instance it’s a kid with no father, a mother who is either too busy working, or too busy Twerking to be a positive guide to her child.

Like someone else said. If it were truly a gun problem, the crime would be stopped from the top to the bottom. Because we would not have a government that more or less is the macro version of the micro in our society. a reply to: nugget1

a reply to: Fairtrade141



If somebody's six-year-old gets hold of a gun and takes it to school to off a teacher.

They should probably remove the guns and the child from the parent's custody.

Because they are obviously not responsible enough to be in possession of firearms nor able to raise their child in an appropriate manner.

a reply to: Fairtrade141

Again I say it is not the guns. It is the parents and the society/system.

I grew up in a small poor backwoods country town.

I am the oldest of ten. My Dad taught me to shoot, and the importance of proper care and respect of the gun, at the age of eight years old. We had a gun closet and we had access. My parents were not home often and they wanted us to be able to protect ourselves, the livestock and the chickens.

I know. It was a completely different time, a different world. You knew your neighbors, doors were never locked, and folk respected each other.

We have come a long way. Too bad we got lost.

originally posted by: nolabel
a reply to: AOx6179
I've spent the last 15 minutes trying to post this.

The BIG question is "How the hell did a six year old kid get hold of a gun and then walk into school with it?"

The next question is "How f**king negligent are the kids parents to allow a loaded gun to be within easy reach of a child and not notice he went to school with it?"

Expect all the pro-gun lobby along very soon to say how responsible they are.
Can't wait to see their excuses for this. All the same crap they spout out after any shooting that attracts the general publics attention.

I expect to either get shot down in flames or just get shot by the pro-gun lobby.

Please be respectful with your replies.

No, you're right. The idea that everyone has a right to guns came from an era where zero protections existed for idiots. This kids parents would likely have achieved the Darwin award years ago except our society goes to absurd lengths out of principle when nature eats their kind every day. Eventually nature has to take it's course.

Personally I say eye for an eye, that kid will never touch a weapon again. And that's ALL I'm saying.

originally posted by: JinMI
a reply to: TDDAgain

Its quite literally is an all or nothing proposal here in the states.

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

Keep in mind your Constitution only records our God given rights. (I'm dual-citizen but don't reside in the States, never have)

I consider myself to have the same rights, so does your Constitution, that's why I admire it so.

In spite of what MY country's Constitution doesn't acknowledge.

God given, IMO.

I may have an extreme view of that, not sure, lol.

Blame the gun, blame the parents, blame the kid even... just don't ask why a 6 year old would want to shoot you.

a reply to: iamthevirus

So it's the teacher's fault?

I'm sure the little fellow was asked why he tried to kill his teacher with a gun.

What kind of altercation do you imagine warrants 6-year-olds shooting at 30-year-old female teachers in anger?

originally posted by: andy06shake
a reply to: iamthevirus

So it's the teacher's fault?

I'm sure the little fellow was asked why he tried to kill his teacher with a gun.

In this day and age?

Yes, that's a highly likely possibility.

Maybe the little patriot was defending himself?

a reply to: MykeNukem

In this day and age?

Well, it did not happen in the past or days gone by, but indeed in this day of age.

Yes, that's a highly likely possibility.

Maybe the little patriot was defending himself?

Against what?

As to calling the kid a patriot, can't see how shooting teachers constitutes patriotism.

If anything that's attempted murder.

originally posted by: theatreboy
I agree there is something wrong.

How we have gotten to the point of people solving there problems by killing others, I don't know.

It would be interesting to see the kid's home life.

Kids have always wanted to do things like this. It's hardly new that a kid day dreams about bumping off a teacher.

What's changed is that unsecured guns have become more accessible. You've got way more people simply stashing guns in draws or glove compartments where kids can get to them.

originally posted by: MykeNukem

originally posted by: andy06shake
a reply to: iamthevirus

So it's the teacher's fault?

I'm sure the little fellow was asked why he tried to kill his teacher with a gun.

In this day and age?

Yes, that's a highly likely possibility.

Maybe the little patriot was defending himself?

Sarcasm?

Women need to get married and stay married and fathers need to be fathers. No more daycare. One person works. But hey that ship sailed. Everyone board the titanic.

a reply to: JinMI

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

I'm not a constitutional scholar by any stretch of the imagination, but almost every historian that I've heard speaking on this subject has said that the language used was very clear for the time that it was written.

IE, that the "original" intent was that the US would use militias raised from the civilian population in place of a standing national army because A) the country couldn't afford a standing national army and B) because there was the possibility that a standing national arm could take sides in a leadership debate and swing the balance of power towards their favored group.

Whether you think that this should be the current interpretation is up to you, but you're going to have to pry my gun out of my ... well, you know the rest.

originally posted by: andy06shake
a reply to: MykeNukem

In this day and age?

Well, it did not happen in the past or days gone by, but indeed in this day of age.

Yes, that's a highly likely possibility.

Maybe the little patriot was defending himself?

Against what?

As to calling the kid a patriot, can't see how shooting teachers constitutes patriotism.

If anything that's attempted murder.

Are you saying that shooting a teacher that is causing you harm isn't justified?

I'm not saying this is the case, but what if the teacher was a pedo?

I'd support my kid "ventilating" a POS pedo teacher.

Law be damned.

Again, not saying that's what happened, but hypothetically.

originally posted by: iwanttobelieve70
Women need to get married and stay married and fathers need to be fathers. No more daycare. One person works. But hey that ship sailed. Everyone board the titanic.

Wage depreciation and the systematic destruction of skilled blue collar America means that you need really need two incomes in order to escape the breadline.