AndersonIN
Master
Quoted From The Anderson Herald Bulletin"
ANDERSON — Four Anderson Elementary School students were shot with a BB gun Monday that was brought to school by a fifth-grader, school officials said.
The four students suffered superficial wounds in the back and buttocks. A school nurse determined there was no penetration or skin damage and the students returned to classes after the incident, said Principal Matt Goen.
School officials detained the boy, confiscated the weapon and called his mother, who expressed shock and remorse about what had happened, Goen said. The boy apparently brought the Air Soft pistol to school concealed in the waistband of his pants.
"No parent ever expects or wants their child to bring a weapon to school," he added.
School officials didn't become aware of the gun until the fifth-grade class was at recess about 1:30 p.m. That's when the student allegedly used the weapon on his classmates, Goen said.
At least one student complained to teachers who moved to disarm and detain the boy.
"In this day and time, the security and safety of our students and staff is the No. 1 priority," Goen said. "I'm thankful we handled this as quickly as we did. ... Our staff was calm and did a good job of handling the situation."
The student will be suspended from school until an investigation is completed. In particular, Goen said school officials want to know if any other students were aware of the weapon earlier in the day prior to the shooting, Goen said.
Under Anderson Community Schools rules, bringing a weapon such as a BB gun to school is strictly prohibited and is grounds for expulsion, but officials have some leeway in determining if expulsion lasts a semester, or a full school year, Goen said.
Other disciplinary options could include an alternative school placement, or special behavioral contract between the school, and the parent and child. Those measures won't be considered until school officials have completed their investigation, according to Goen.
Following the incident, Goen sent an alert to the parents of Anderson Elementary School's approximately 600 students. And he personally called the parents of the four injured students.
School officials said they wanted to reinforce the importance of guardians and parents communicating to their students the inappropriateness of bringing look-alike weapons to school.
"It is a weapon," ACS Superintendent Terry Thompson said of BB guns. "I look at a weapon as anything that can cause bodily harm in any way."
He praised Goen and school staff for getting the situation under control quickly.
"As a school district, we are not going to tolerate anyone bringing a weapon to school or on our buses."
Reporter Rebecca Bibbs contributed to this story.
ANDERSON — Four Anderson Elementary School students were shot with a BB gun Monday that was brought to school by a fifth-grader, school officials said.
The four students suffered superficial wounds in the back and buttocks. A school nurse determined there was no penetration or skin damage and the students returned to classes after the incident, said Principal Matt Goen.
School officials detained the boy, confiscated the weapon and called his mother, who expressed shock and remorse about what had happened, Goen said. The boy apparently brought the Air Soft pistol to school concealed in the waistband of his pants.
"No parent ever expects or wants their child to bring a weapon to school," he added.
School officials didn't become aware of the gun until the fifth-grade class was at recess about 1:30 p.m. That's when the student allegedly used the weapon on his classmates, Goen said.
At least one student complained to teachers who moved to disarm and detain the boy.
"In this day and time, the security and safety of our students and staff is the No. 1 priority," Goen said. "I'm thankful we handled this as quickly as we did. ... Our staff was calm and did a good job of handling the situation."
The student will be suspended from school until an investigation is completed. In particular, Goen said school officials want to know if any other students were aware of the weapon earlier in the day prior to the shooting, Goen said.
Under Anderson Community Schools rules, bringing a weapon such as a BB gun to school is strictly prohibited and is grounds for expulsion, but officials have some leeway in determining if expulsion lasts a semester, or a full school year, Goen said.
Other disciplinary options could include an alternative school placement, or special behavioral contract between the school, and the parent and child. Those measures won't be considered until school officials have completed their investigation, according to Goen.
Following the incident, Goen sent an alert to the parents of Anderson Elementary School's approximately 600 students. And he personally called the parents of the four injured students.
School officials said they wanted to reinforce the importance of guardians and parents communicating to their students the inappropriateness of bringing look-alike weapons to school.
"It is a weapon," ACS Superintendent Terry Thompson said of BB guns. "I look at a weapon as anything that can cause bodily harm in any way."
He praised Goen and school staff for getting the situation under control quickly.
"As a school district, we are not going to tolerate anyone bringing a weapon to school or on our buses."
Reporter Rebecca Bibbs contributed to this story.
