EXCLUSIVE: Virginia teacher shot by 6-year-old student tells her story to TODAY
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 20 มี.ค. 2023
- Abigail Zwerner, the Virginia teacher who was shot by a 6-year-old student in her classroom, recounts her haunting memories of that day and shares an update on her recovery in an exclusive interview with TODAY’s Savannah Guthrie.
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#virginia #shooting #teacher
Teachers shouldn’t have to deal with unruly, disruptive, disrespectful, and violent students. Teachers should be able to teach without being fearful.
I agree but who expects a 6 year old to show up to circle time and shoot his teacher??? You'd think fighting over who gets the swings first at recess or who gets to be line leader is the general conflict going on in 1st grade classroom.??
@@CrystalM1917 🎯🎯🎯 agreed. 💯
The child who reported it to school teachers/staff should be commended.
@@Lori-lp6ucIt’s too bad that the administration did nothing to prevent this tragedy from happening.
@@CrystalM1917 in the USA , you should expect it because lots of people are irresponsible gun owners
“We asked you about the wounds you can see but we haven’t asked you about the wounds we can’t see. How are you?”
That was incredibly respectful. I’m floored at how sensitively she addressed this. Wonderful job. Very empathetic.
It really made me smile. I know interviews are very intense since they ask hard hitting questions so it can seem raw, but this one was very respectful.
Savanna is always empathetic and classy
Almost reminds Barbra walters and how she would conduct her interviews.
@@keaujibaha2594 Barbra was a horrible person if you look at old interviews.
@@downtown82 I guess asking the tough questions that many wouldn’t? Yeah it could come off horrible if she was interviewing your favorite celeb
Her first initial thought was to help the kids to safety. Thats heroic beyond explanation.
The fact that the warning was rejected three times is absolutely disgusting I wish this woman and her family all the support in the world
Need to sue the school administrators.. Unbelievable so sad and scary. Smh
She sued for 40 mil. Justice should prevail
That's about the worst part to me. The idea the teachers knew he had a gun, there's even a cop at the school, and nobody did anything about this? It just galls me. Nobody cared until someone got shot. He could've killed someone and he's only six.
@@LarisseMontrose the mother could be jailed for more than 20 years for child neglect, justice will be served. The kid should be locked up with her, what a little rotter he is.
The fact that the school administrators received 3 warnings about the child having a gun prior to the shooting and did not act on that knowledge to protect Abigail, the students or the other staff is beyond my understanding. I normally hate it when people sue other people, but in this case I hope she sues their arses off, and gets a hefty settlement.
I agree. Like we’ve already had multiple school shootings caused by their own students. What else needs to happen before they realize it needs to be taken seriously?
She can't sue the parents unless she can prove negligence supervision but she can sue the child and the judgment would go into effect the day that he turns 18. The Homer's insurance may cover it because it's not an intentional tort shooting someone by a 6-year-old
Yeah they completely failed her and the students.
@@amylee8969 But he needs to happen is people need to realize get rid of the guns. Children will always be around and they have poor impulse control and poor planning skills. Boys brains don't mature until age 25 and girls brains don't mature until age 18. Until then you just have to blame mother nature she always has the last laugh
Agree
The disrespect and danger teachers have to deal with is insane.
I come from Europe, from the country that didnt have even 1 school shooting....ever, buying guns is very difficult in here ....I have never in my life heard gunshots in my country , when I visisted Florida one time I heard them all the time...I also spoke to some of the americans about this and I was shocked how normally you guys take this, its not fair that children have to learn from a young age how to act if someone is shooting at them and even worse is the fact that many people are okay with this.... they are okay with US gun laws that are absolutely unacceptable in my opinion
@@HK-gm8pe trust me i am totally agreed with you it only all cause fault Government were one allow with US’s permission government only care about money than life humans a beings
When I was in school, this kind of thing just didn't happen. Yes, there WERE school shootings, but they were EXTREMELY rare. It blew my mind when I learned that they have active shooter drills these days. And the lack of respect... I've seen videos of students cussing at their teachers and things that never would've been tolerated 35 or 40 years ago. Society as a whole has gotten a lot more coarse, angry, and disrespectful.
Yes I quit
on top of being underpayed!... the real travesty
She deserves every single penny she gets after what was done to her! I hope that she can heal emotionally and physically and live a beautiful life going forward, never having to worry about money again.
I'll bet she's drawn the line on having her own kids.
Her and the kids who witnessed will never forget. It’s amazing she thought about the babies to get out before herself. I pray for her and her recovery. It was beautiful when her sister listed all the reasons she’s grateful to still have her sister around. My eyes welled up. I hope the child gets the help he needs.
Me too❤
This teacher is so selfless. She took care of the kids before attending to herself. Truly an amazing human
She caused a child to feel the need to go to an extreme, I don't see a amazing person I see someone who caused a child to resort to desperate measures. The burning question what did she do to that child!
@@missmorla1339 you got to be trolling. You have no idea what it is like to work in the school system. It is never okay to bring a gun to school and shoot someone.
@@missmorla1339 you need to see a psychologist, badly.
@Miss Morla I heard she made him put away his Pokémon cards and finish his writing lesson that evil bit3 how dare she. Also @Miss Morla something tells me you a very lonely person, that may experience some abuse by the hands of teacher I hope you get help.
@@missmorla1339 so you're saying she deserved to be shot?
When she called the students her ‘babies’ I knew she’s the real deal. My heart goes out to her and my prayer is that she heals physically and mentally and that she’ll continue her profession at some point in some capacity because she has a heart for the ‘babies’ and they need her.
No, that's creepy. I don't want some teacher calling MY children HER babies.
@yeetnama9094
Thank you for saying it, I thought I was the only one.
Creepy and really overplaying the sympathy card.
Oh yes a parent being overprotective is such a bad and unheard of thing. They said what tf they said!
I teach high school and every one of my students become my children. And unfortunately for many of them our classrooms are the only safe space they have and we are the only form of parent they will ever know. Those little six year olds are still babies and they look for the love, guidance and stability many of them do not get from home.
@@kennakempton4029 thank you.. but I guess this is a hot topic, hence the parents acting negatively on teachers saying my babies cause of the violent times we're living in, especially the cowardly shootings at those angels. God bless.
Abby has such a great outlook, what a strong woman! The lasting effects of PTSD can be debilitating, I hope she gets all the help she needs.
I started grade school in 1969 at age 6 in a big city, and there was never any violence like this that took place. The same goes for junior high and high school. What has happened to so many kids today? May God bless this woman and watch over her.
Abby’s sister saying she is grateful to be helpful for her made me tear up. She’s grateful because she knows her sister could be gone, so every time she helps her is a reminder that she’s still here. Thank God she’s still here.
I didn't expect to drop a tear when her Mom was SO HAPPY to hear "Mommy." Then I was shocked, envious and also happy to hear the sister say that she *enjoys* doing everyday tasks for her sister. Thats not the answer you'd expect!
to be completely honest with you I don’t think she meant for that statement to be interpreted that deeply but go off
you said more than what she said. That is the same thing going on, people's sayings are vague ambiguous, no one is saying stop having these kids that are bizarre, society can not be the difficult person in the case of bizarre behavior. I want to know the White and non-White of all this, it's too White is alright for me.
@@tracyclark7560 did you just have a stroke?
Those irresponsible, hateful, discriminative, in denial, liar, hypocrite, narcissistic, sociopath, and mentally unstable parents should be criminally charged, jailed, and their children taken away because they are incapable of taking care of their own children or raising good and normal children‼️
HOW DID A 6-YEAR OLD GOT A HOLD OF A WEAPON LIKE THAT?! TERRIBLE PARENTING!!!
criminally guilty parents.
Read about it. The parents actually went with the kid to school because he was difficult. Some kids… idk 🤷🏻♂️
@@TheOmarsalas some kids, you don't have a gun in the house if you have those types of kids. Responsible parenting
Just like how all the School shooters with "mental illness" got a hold of a weapon, pulled the trigger and killed kids.
Terrible is an understatement.
My daughter is 27 and still calls me mommy. Its such a beautiful thing. Prayers for her healing. 🙏🏽
Blessed life! good.
The people in charge at the school when they were warned the CHILD had a gun at school should of instantly checked the kids bag. Like how does administration not take any complaint of a gun seriously with all the school shootings that happen. I feel absolutely horrified for this teacher. This NEVER should of ever happened!!!
This right here!! Thx you. Absolutely nailed it on the head. That part makes zero sense. What is happening? Complete adult/admin negligence. Zero tolerance for their negligence.
The school administration absolutely failed her!!! They didn’t even try to lockdown and truly check the student when they were notified multiple times. I’m so glad she made it out alive ❤😢
The administrators are afraid of the parents. The parents are running the schools. It is not addressed enough.
That's what happens when you live in a WOKE world. Protecting a race just because they are your same race especially when that race complains about other races protect their own is hypocritical and revengeful. Stop being woke people and start being Awake.
@@DestinyKish you are so right
Every STUDENTS parents at that school should file a suit against the school for not keeping their child safe, could also have been their child.
They get accused of racism if they search kids
What I can't comprehend, and I'm dying for someone to explain this to me. How is a six-year-old who has a gun in school and everyone casually discussed it three times during the day, but no one did anything about it? And then why are his parents not being charged? I just have a loss for words.
Ask your local NRA representative...they have all the answers.
@ricbiff3569 The NRA is in charge of this school's administration who ignored the heads up & is in charge of parenting this kid instead of the parents?
🤡
31 year teacher here. Administration does not want to deal with discipline, especially at the elementary level.
@@somebodysomething4242 if that were even remotely the reason, then what explains her, a white teacher, not stopping the child herself?
@@ricbiff3569 nobody wated to be called a racist for searching a black child.
74 percent of black children are born into unmarried homes. This was one of them.
The mother saw a picture of her son with the gun and did nothing.
I can't imagine waking up every day and looking down and seeing that reminder of the horror she faced that day. The PTSD and anxiety she now meets every day must be tremendous. I commend her for her bravery in the face of such scary circumstances and her ability to keep a level head through that ordeal. I can't say I would have been as brave. I hope that with time and therapy, she will heal physically and emotionally. Nothing will truly make things all better again but hopefully, she can find some peace.
Your Profile Photo made me laugh
As a journalist, I can’t tell you how incredible this interviewer was here, and how much that means to me. I too went through a traumatic experience involving a shooting and felt so comforted by the way the interviewer spoke and gently worded her questions.
When she asked “how are you,” referring to mental wounds, her voice was so soothing and sincere.
This has to be a wake up call for parents and educators who are failing their children and teachers. So much love to Abbie ❤️ No teacher should have to deal with this.
We ALL need to open our eyes wide, as to what is happening in this world 🌍.REPEAT: Satan is walking about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour- "Biblical"
This world is in Turmoil!
We need to Stand Still, and
hear a WORD from Our Creator, and 🙏 Pray!
WE ARE LIVING IN THE LAST DAYS!!
You will not know the time nor hour when the ALMIGHTY is coming for YOU!!
Agreed
The child's parents must have left a gun lying around? Are they going to be held accountable?
@Dial M Style
Please tell the student got expelled from school and didn’t get away scotch free. 🙏🏽
I didn't realize this was in new port news.... I'm from that area and no one wants to go through new port news it's called bad news😭😭😭😬😬😬
i work with 4 to 5 year olds and am the exact same age as her. this story is 10000% believable. when it came out, not a single word from my school at all. all the while we have meetings about how we as teachers are "not doing enough to support the students". it really makes you as an educator think about how much teachers are valued, even our lives. part of the reason im quitting.
Good decision. Find a place where you are valued and safe from violence.
No such thing as 1000% the maximum of anything is and has to be 100%.
@@philipslighting8240 ah yes, mansplaining a well-known and often used, even if not correct, phrase. Thank you for educating us, we would be left in the dark without you. Splendid work, sir
@@philipslighting8240🙄
@@philipslighting8240 There is absolutely such thing as 1000% percent. It means 10X.
Dang! I am shocked! When I was six years old, I didn’t even know what a gun was. I didn’t even know what murder was. I was just starting to figure out what death was when my grandfather passed away when I was six. Those poor kids wouldn’t have even known what was going on. I’m also glad that this teacher survived because I’ve read lots of shootings online, and the people usually die.
Makes you wonder what she did to make a six year old so mad that he went home to get a gun and shoot her.
@@davidryke113eriously? Even this is her fault ? Teachers are blamed for everything. Some kids are just bad
Parents are teaching their kids how to shoot at a very young age. SMH.
My daughter is 6 and it's so hard to imagine someone her age doing something like this! This poor woman!
When the 6 year old is black it kinda makes sense
around blacks don't relax
This girl is so strong. I’m so glad she’s here to tell her story.
She's a woman. Not a girl.
@@robincrowflies go outside, get some sun.
@Coco calling a grown woman a girl is condescending. Get over yourself, coco
I wouldn't be surprised if the kid did whatever he wanted to..no discipline or teaching from the parents.. then parents wonder why their brats are out of control... though not all parents are like that.. there are still some good ones out there raising respectful kids..
If I were that teacher..I would sue the kid's parents...
@@jaynewallace8592literally stfu the commentary wasn't meant to be disrespectful at all, if you're trully offended by that get help
I am amazed by the interviewers sensitivity and sincerity. There's not many like her anymore. God bless these women. Praying for Abigail's healing 🤍
Useless prayers, how about some laws for a change instead of a magic man in the clouds.
@@mithrasrevisited4873 what are you talking about lmao....
@ladyj7085 ok but it was irrelevant for them to say that like don't knock someone's beliefs just because you don't believe in the same thing they seem like they are very bitter and disgusting and very small minded and i thought they were on something the way they typed it out it makes zero sense when you read it.
Sorry “and things started to happen*”
@LadyJ still respect people beliefs, alot of us need prayers. the more I see the world stray from God, the world get worse.
She looks like such an angel. It’s devastating that she and those student went through that trauma 😢 may they find healing ..
the fact that she told the admin over and over that she heard the student had a gun & none of them took her seriously…horrific
"You've seen a very dark side, of humanity," she is so spot on in validating this teachers experience.
The dark side of your country is its obsession with GUNS.
I love "I just wanted to get my babies out of there." She sees them not only as kids to be taught, but she loves her students ❤
That's the point in the interview when I couldn't hold my tears anymore 😢
A teacher must love their students, feel deeply before teaching, it is part of the picture. So sorry this happened but yes she has a big support system and this will take awhile maybe years.
Sadly, that poor baby who shot her was lost and neglected. When your focus goes to competition in schools; like in the home with siblings-this thing is inevitable. It is REALLY sad. It's almost like the movie "The Faculty." Only we end up being the evil aliens trying to take over everything.
thats how all teachers are. we call them our kids
As a teacher, that's how you see your students. When they walk through my door, they become mine, I'm responsible for my kids. You love each one and become very protective of them.
This woman is so amazing and strong. We need more teachers like her.
The boys parents have to be held responsible too!! Praying for this worlds safety and peace 🙏🏽
She’s absolutely beautiful. As a former teacher for two decades, I can’t imagine the horror. So happy she’s recovering.❤
She is beautiful ❤ my heart aches for her. Anybody feeling sorry for that monster. Is Crazy. I can’t believe anybody blaming anybody but the brat. All staff that knew? Definitely should be prosecuted as well
She's very beautiful, imagine her being ugly🤔
@@sandra177 going to any doctor is a waste of time is a far radical right wing conservative I have no faith in any doctors Jim Jordan is right there all like dr faulci just about the money
Seriously?? She will NEVER Fully "Recover".....PTSD is going to be with her for DECADES
@@peterpierce9233 But as she goes through physical healing there will always be a way to heal both mentally and emotionally, even though it will take time, and maybe even a lifetime. I understand where you are coming from. I understand that it will not all go away completely, but things will improve for her. She's absolutely gorgeous, and has a very big heart. I think that she is very strong and very very amazing. So, please don't get mad at this person. They are a former teacher, every teacher goes to school to teach leasons and hopes and prays that things like this don't ever happen to them or their students. Being a teacher is hard. It really is. At least show some support because you never know what these teachers have seen while teaching.
And please don't take this in a rude way. I mean no harm or anger. I just want you to know that it's okay for people say that they're happy to see recovery. And this person is not wrong about the fact that this woman is absolutely gorgeous both inside and out. But I do understand your opinion on this. And again, I mean all of this with love and an open-mind.
So many lives were profoundly affected that day, not just this teacher’s life and her family, but every single kid inside that classroom, in that school. Their families, everyone. Imagine the fear, the nightmares.
Nope. My cousin just thought "meh".
Yes, those little students are traumatized
& she harassed that lil boy to the breaking point. So...
Now She is loving all the attention she getting now. Sick
@@watchinvidzwatchinvidz7691 please share your info,,,This is the 1st I have heard this.....
@@spiderlegs50 don’t feed the trolls!
This is the type of ludicrous story that is _only_ possible in this country. I'm glad she's sharing her story with us now.
Your a hero. You saved your babies. I'm so proud of you.
arrest the parents !!!! someone needs to be held responsible !!
Sounds like another soft DA.
Gun ownership bears the responsibility.
This kid needs to be held accountable too. Life in prison ought to do it
I wish the parent could be arrested. In Virginia guns are acceptable here.
@@spaceballs44 People are arming themselves for when the gov declares marshall law. I got mine locked and loaded.
She's a beautiful soul. Hugs to her. She's a HERO. She saved all of those little kids. You just never know. This could have been prevented
I'm still curious why the teacher didn't check the child herself -- she said she had been hearing things throughout the day. But, she's also very young and may have thought the staff cared about her safety as well as the safety of the other little children. Apparently not! This is disturbing on so many levels.
@@cactusflower7820 Really maybe cuz her life was at stake....I am disturbed by your comment on so many levels...
Yes, it could have and whatever they SHOULD have done better be done the next time, b/c I've got a horrible feeling it may happen again
He didn't want to hurt his peers. He wanted the teacher. Thats apparent.
@@cactusflower7820 Would you?? What was she supposed to do, frisk the kid?
Who was in disbelief? This is America. Yes, shooter was a little kid, but this is not the first time a very little kid was a shooter.
i’m in school at a Virginia school. one of the teachers at my school was friends with her and we had a fundraiser for Abby. i’m so glad she is ok and it’s so unfortunate that this happened.
This is hands down one of my favourite reporters ever. Her empathy is sincere and shines through every single interview she does.
Her voice sounded fake to me… She used a very low raspy tone to sound empathetic…
@@Sunny-bw1mo She is fake 😅
Fake empathy
@@emilymarie291 Your picture looks more fake, and full of Fillers and Botox. Do you know her personally?....
@@Brenda-qm4sy Do you know her personally, If not, don’t Judge. As the saying goes.... If you cannot say anything nice don’t say anything at all.🙏 Be an empath, and feel for that poor teacher and everyone affected by the whole incident.🙏 ☮
i’m a prek teacher and it’s insane how little help teachers get for unruly children. it’s even worse for the very young ones. there are barely if any boundaries for young children when they behave bad. it’s very bad. stay safe fellow teachers
It's not just unruly. He is mentally ill!!!
Do you think schools could start hiring special teacher aide type people who can move bad behavior students away from the main class and put them in theirs? Like maybe one on one or something. I just don't know what they could do. But maybe someone with a certain training could be watching over the troubled ones. Idk.
Or how about you help them. I'm so sad this generation of teachers.
@@Elegant_Sausage No one wants to get kicked, hit, bit, and spit on work and definitely not for $45K or less a year! It's one thing to work with disturbed adults in an institution because they'll drug them into zombies but reasonably, people feel conflicted about doing that with kids. Honestly, we just need to bring back 'deliverance ministry' (exorcism). We can't just wait for kids like this to be out murdering people in the streets!
You’re so right
I remember being a camp counselor my first job in my teens and this 7 or 8year old girl was very malicious saying things like i will tell everyone you hit me so you'll lose your job, i was shocked and went to see the woman who hired me and told her, she laughed and said oh dont worry its just a kid and we will switch you to another group. Kids can be vicious, depending on their mental state, we just rarely believe it.
6 yrs old. This was done by a 6 yr old child. I can’t wrap my head around that part. America’s become a really scary place to live with all the shootings going on every day 😢
CHARGE THE PARENTS!!! A kid should never have access to a firearm, much less a 6 yo.
Also, Abby and her sister are such beautiful people, that mom should be proud of how kind and caring they turned out.
No, don't blame them
@@JW...1 they should be arrested ! How did nje get access to a gun ? HORRIBLE PARENTS.
@@JW...1 Why tf not? Who is at fault here if not the ones that gave a 6 yo access to a gun??
@@JW...1 Why should the parents not be held accountable? As gun owners it is on them to secure the weapon. Especially as they had a minor child in the house, not only a child but a very troubled child. As a gun owner who doesn't have a child in the house my weapon is constantly secured or on person. That's my responsibility.
@@JW...1 he was six and he was able to get his hands on a gun six year old aren’t tall they can’t open safes the gun was not securely stored
When asked “How do you feel about this student?”
She said “I’ll never forget the look on his face before he shot me.”
Her response was so real. I never understand the pageant queen answers when someone had something horrific happen to them and they’re like “I forgive the person and pray for them.” I mean, good for them if they have that mentality…but I can’t imagine ever forgiving someone who almost killed me, even if it was a 6 year old. I’m so glad she’s healing. This woman is amazing.
People forgive so they can move on with their life and not dwell on it. This is coming from someone who forgave someone for what most would consider unforgivable. The hate was tearing me apart, the forgiveness let me push forward. It's not for everyone, but for me it was necessary.
That’s a personal problem to you and I’d give it to Jesus. Praying for you!
@@JupeGiggles and that’s why people don’t like Christians
@@Elegant_Sausage idk why forgiveness is seen as this bad thing. It's not for them, it's for you. Forgiveness is such a healthy thing to do. If you don't do it, alright cool, but don't make forgiveness this bad thing. Keep that mentality to yourself.
I think it would be much much easier to forgive a 6 year old because they truly don’t understand… I would be more concerned with the parenting & what’s going on at home with that poor kid …
Prayers continue to go to this woman. She's a hero to the rest of her class and may she be able to continue to grow strength each day
This teacher has a heart of gold.
This is one of the many reason teachers are leaving. The straw that broke my back was when a student hit me with a chair and they asked what did I do? I don't think anyone deserves being hit in the back with a chair or bitten just for standing there. They literally thought I was the problem until the teacher placed in my class to observe for a week said no she was standing there and he walked up and bit her leg. He finally got suspended but it literally took showing all my bruises and a teacher witnessing the behavior to finally be listened to.
I'm pretty sure they believed you, but were just gaslighting you. They were hoping the kid would not act out when someone else was there. Since he did, they're now forced to do something about it.
Administration does not want to ever deal with problematic students. They'll avoid it for as long as they can do it.
I work in elementary school and I see this every week. The bad behaved kids are always coddled and protected while the teachers have to endure the abuse. It’s all about appeasing the kids nowadays. There’s no more real discipline in schools. Now they are just rewarding the bad behaviors. Teachers are leaving in droves and we wonder why.
Why are these children not put in special institutions. They are harming teachers and other children.
So sorry that happened to you.That is awful 😢
I am so sorry this happened to you.
As a teacher this is heartbreaking to see. It’s terrifying times we’re living through.
Yes, districts no longer support teachers or hold students /families accountable.
@@cabayern9416 It seems that way!
Yes it is. My school recently had a lock down (didn’t announce it as a drill) so we all thought it was real. I had several kids praying and one full on crying. I teach 7th grade. This should not be a reality. 😢I couldn’t comfort them because 3:36 I didn’t know if things would be ok.
@@jacquelinekenknight9280 Yes I was in a similar situation and I teach 6th.
As a teacher/educator this truly IS heartbreaking!!!!! I can’t find another word for it. What else will teachers be asked to do? This is bananas. I can’t imagine this baby will ever be able to go back into the classroom!
She seems like such a sweet angelic soul. Sorry she went through this harrowing event to say the least. Glad some angels surrounded her & protected her. 💓
Wishing Abby a Full Recovery in Every Way! She obviously Loves Children and Hope that Love can give her what she needs to Heal along with the Love from her Family and Friends❤
Administrators need to be held accountable. She told them many times and they did nothing
Administration and the Unions need to be held accountable!
I am a teacher who has taught grades 2nd-6th for the past 10 years. The disability category is Emotional Disturbance (ED) and/or Oppositional Defiance Disorder (ODD). These poor children, for whatever reason, are impulsive, violent, aggressive, and extremely explosive. Nevertheless, these children are legally required to be included in regular classrooms with students without disabilities. From experience, I can tell you, that having one of these students in your room disturbs the entire classroom environment. Almost no learning can be done with such a student in the room and the teacher & students are anxious and on edge all day. I'm talking about destroying the entire classroom for hours because quiet time is over. Cursing out teachers and students to the extreme for literally no reason. We had to barricade the doors frequently when one student would go off and my students would constantly tell me, "I'm scared". Students with ED or ODD should not be in traditional schools!
Exactly! I work in elementary school and this is a spot on analysis of what goes on in our schools. They have cut funding for these special schools and now all these mentally disturbed kids are mainstreamed into regular classrooms, oftentimes endangering the other students and teachers. It’s a huge problem that needs immediate attention.
YES there are many special needs kids who should be locked in a padded room!!! I have worked with kids whose parents said they were autism spectrum but it was clear it was way worse than that… attacking other kids is NOT normal for a 6 or 7 year old. The good kids deserve a safe learning environment
My son had ODD but no problem at school! So uhm. Not all kids with ODD are that disruptive in class as you describe or violent just defiant at times with parents at home. Thank you
I agree. That is one of the dangers of LRE. The rights of the other students are ignored. Last week, an 8 year old choked his parapro where I teach. He was suspended for three days but should be expelled and sent to self- contained EBD.
As a School Counselor, I have witnessed firsthand the damaging effects that these emotionally disturbed children in regular education classes has on teachers and students. Those children are extremely unhinged and disruptive and the teachers and students are being traumatized on a daily basis! Administration and district leaders do nothing about these problems. The classmates and the teachers are the ones who suffer the most. It’s horrible!!
Thank you for taking care of those children, your babies. I appreciate your heart & concern for them. I’ll be praying for your healing both physically & emotionally. You are a hero. I’m sorry the school didn’t take seriously the 3 previous warnings. I truly hope other school districts learn.
This poor woman. She’s my age. How horrible to have this experience. How chilling to see your student look at you that way. May she heal from this trauma. She has a lot of triggers now that she didn’t have before. And I’m sure doing every day tasks can be fear freezing inducing.
A mom was charged in January for a 6 year old who brought a gun to school in Philadelphia, PA. Certainly with an actual shooting having occurred the mother needs to be charged. If not , why ? Where is justice?
Both parents should be charged.
Maybe Americans should quit the gun culture. It is very uncivilised and downright weird.
If anything, she failed herself knowing that kid had a gun and only called other staff members instead of involving the police as a grown adult, she should know better to right When is she held accountable?
@@vetinaalvarez4004 WTF is wrong with you? Seek help
Chris, you might have seen more on this story than i have, but i don't know anything about the boy's home life. i have my guesses, but that's about it. Is there a mom in his life? What about his dad? It's possible his adults didn't know he had a gun in his backpack when he went to school that morning, but he managed to get it somehow, so there's negligence there, at the very least. i would think that there's more than just one person who needs to be charged here, and for other things in addition to the shooting.
School should be charged too and absolutely sued
I personally think both the school and the child's parent need to be held accountable.
Your country is to blame for allowing gun ownership. time for the ammendment to be ammended for good.
@Coco They take the guns away. Thats what haapened here in the UK and Austrailia.
Mike Pentax, America should of done that a long time ago like what Australia and in Canada is making Handguns and other guns illegal too, good luck even getting a BB gun in Japan.
@Coco funny how gun laws happen to work very well in the rest of the world but the US apparently…
His parents need to go to prison. Somebody needs to be held accountable.
Been waiting to hear her side....truly heartbreaking. I am so happy she is alive and is recovering. What a courageous woman! I wish her everything good in life 😁 from here on out.
When she called her students "my babies" ❤. This is how I hope all teachers feel. She's a beautiful soul. Brave too. It takes a resilient person to go through something like that and not let in jade you and change you into a bitter, hateful person. She's an inspiration.
🤮 Reminds me of the one teacher who knew very well about the antagonistic relationship I have with my entire year group (yes, there was a culture of targeting me for abuse) and she thought "sit closer to me WE'RE ALL LIKE A FAMILY". Lady, I can hear you at your normal volume, let me protect myself from my abusers ok?
@@qwmxit's hard to understand what you're talking about. Who was targeting you, your class? You were a student? Did someone yell at you?
@@qwmx okay, I hope you don’t project those feelings on this teacher that has nothing to do with your former teacher.
That's a nice sentiment but I think too many people expect this out of teachers and it's outta control. The teacher is there to teach your kids not be their parent. Talking about arming teachers if a school shooting happens like teachers are going to take a bullet for your kid, most of them won't and you shouldn't expect them to.
@@nicole4508 arming a teacher isn't about them "taking a bullet" for anybody. Its empowering them to be able to defend themselves. Every human being should have this right. When I carry my gun, which I have for over 10 years and never once had to unholster it, I make sure I know who is around me because when I carry that protection with me, I do feel responsible for helping those who don't have anything to protect themselves. Man, woman or child. I think any law abiding citizen who carries a gun feels the same...and I would die so somebody else could live, because that's what Jesus Christ did for me.
I teach first grade. I’ve experienced a violent 7 year old. All the rights belong to the child. My school psychologist made ridiculous behavior plans then smiled and walked away. The district behaviorist was equally dismissive. Teachers and students are in daily danger from violent students. Parents don’t even know. And we can’t tell them.
I'm so sorry Linda. I appreciate all you do as a teacher. ❤
I definitely know this too.
Things really started to change in the 90s. And not for the better...for students or teachers.
Students have ALL the rights. Teachers have NONE! Smh 😠
Ms. Linda do you agree that spanking should be allowed in schools? Cuz I sure got my share and deserved every swat I got!
No teacher would ever think a 6 year old would do something like that. I pray for her as she recovers from this and that justice will be served
I’m glad you asked her about herself first 😢praying for her❤
What an amazing lady, this is the kind of teacher I would want my kids to learn from. For her to put those kids before her own life is remarkable. My heart goes out to her.
We still haven't heard why was she arguing with the child. I need to hear the child's side first.
Huh?@@laughalotitsgoodforyourbod7627
@@freewholeEtoes typos I didn't reread that before I replied. I was saying she never spoke of why she was arguing with the child. When this first story first came out it was stated that they argued before the shooting. I want to know what the argument was about.
Why, because if you heard the kid’s side this would somehow change everything? He shot his teacher. It’s wrong no matter what the reason, and his age makes it all the more disturbing.@@laughalotitsgoodforyourbod7627
@@kuliimjulischreiben no teacher should ever have an argument with a 6-year-old. Deal with the parents. So yes it would make a huge difference. SOME of these teachers are bullying kids as well. No one should ever shoot anyone that's isn't harming them. That's just common sense something that isn't so common in today's kids and adults.
I'm glad she made it through. And she's able to tell her own story.
I’m so grateful she is okay and I pray that she can forgive the 6 yr old and remember more than how he looked at her. He needs help and she has a big heart. ❤️
@Kyra My guess is that he may be suffering from abuse back home. It's actually common for aggressive, violent children to be victims of abuse.
The 6-year-old boy may also have been exposed to violence in movies and TV shows, a victim of bullying, exposed to violence at home or neighbor, or have had to deal with many stressful events in his lifetime. There are many possibilities for what causes the boy to act like this.
I hope we get another interview 🥺 I would really love to hear the full story when she’s less shaken up. 🙏 Praying for peace of mind.
I really liked this interviewer. She didn't push for answers that Abbey wasn't prepared to give. She showed basic human respect and empathy.
Abbey is obviously an incredible person to go through what she went through and still seem so positive.
The administrators rarely do anything about bad behaviors. They don't like the bad press. Look what happens, when you ignore it!.... I pray for her healing. I pray for the students who also went through this. I pray that those parents are charged with neglect. I pray that the school administrators are held accountable too! I also pray for all of the teachers, like myself, who are still entering classrooms knowing that this could happen at their school. You are brave. You shouldn't have to be afraid to go to a classroom. And you strive to do your best every day, even though you feel unsupported by everyone around you! God supports you! Amen!
Unfortunately you are right. If an administrator discipline a kid in school, their parents sue the school because they believe the school ruined a genius talent and and their kid is not going to be doctor anymore.
It’s the parents fault that the admin can’t do anything it’s the parents fault that complain or threaten to sue because their child is horrible and they can’t parent
Amen!
My Mom was a teacher....God Bless Our Teachers!! A Boy put bruises on my daughter in second grade...he threw things ...he slapped the teacher.. when I saw the bruises I went to the school & put the fear of God in the Boy...took my Daughter out of that school & moved to a better Neighborhood
Wasted prayers...no thx..just pray 4 their judgement
Poor woman so glad she survived and hope she can continue to grow and heal 🙏🏼❤️
She is a really strong woman. May God grant her peace and strength. 🙏🏼♥️
An adult child who calls their Mother, Mommy ....means she really needs her Mommy💕 in that moment. God bless her and all she did to protect her students 💗💗💗💗
I cannot imagine going back into a classroom again after being shot by a child..There is no way anyone could ever feel safe again
What a beautiful person, Abigail Zwerner is that despite being crushed physically and spiritually by one of his students, She still has the compassion for her Children! What an angel, She is! Bless You Maam!
" Abigail Zwerner...despite being crushed physically and spiritually by one of [her] students, She still has the compassion for her Children! "
1 Abigail never says what she thinks of the six year old shooter. We don't know if she has "compassion" for him.
2 Having compassion for the other children is just natural human empathy. It does not imply any special "angel" qualities.
Thank God she survived. When she said that her hand deflected the bullet and probably saved her life I had goosebumps.
She had better huge a HUGE settlement from the school district for their utter failure to protect her.
This poor woman, I can hear the pain in her voice, it comes with a real sadness. I thank God she’s here with us to share her testimony, this needs to be heard. No teacher should have to go through this ever. How beautiful is it the very first thing she thought of were the kids, THANK GOD FOR HER ❤ I pray she heals, physically and mentally 🙏🏽
If this happened, God has abandoned us
@@Manticorn Not the least bit. He kept her so she can share her testimony. The devil has sadly gotten a grip on our youth because of weak parenting or none at all. These parents are making their children accessible to the devil from the lifestyles they live and the things these children end up manifesting. Please remember all things good come from God, when you are tempted to do evil do not blame this on God. God does not tempt anyone and God cannot be tempted by evil. We have a sinful nature in which evil can dwell in each of us if we do not accept Jesus as our Savior and allow him to work in us.
James 1:13-17 reads as follows;
Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.
Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
@@Manticorn NO, HE HAS BEEN ABANDONED BY SOME OF US!!!!HE IS AVAILABLE TO US ANYTIME, ANYTIME,TO US-- HE WILL NEVER SHUT US OUT!!!MAY GOD BLESS ALL, MAY WE ALL STAND STRONG TOGETHER IN FAITH MANY PRAYERSNLUV WWG1WGA 👼👼✝️✝️❤️🔥❤️🔥🙏🙏🕊️🕊️🌹🌹🥰🥰👑👑
🙏🏻❤
I didn't realize this was in new port news.... I'm from that area and no one wants to go through new port news it's called bad news😭😭😭😬😬😬
This child’s parents need accountability.
even though she was injured, her first thought was her students and getting them to safety. what a selfless woman who shouldn’t have had to experience this trauma. what world are we living in today?
I hope the school is held accountable, along with the parents. Blessed to be alive and hope she’ll continue her passion as a teacher
so many well said comments she may decide to never ever teach again
Not just the school but parents.
Mom was arrested and she needed to be
She just received the fruit of her passion.
She should be offered a job teaching at the best virtual school that she is qualified to teach at and a gratis terminal degree if she doesn't already have one.
I have been an educator for close to twenty years and I can say that the community would be shocked with what we deal with on a daily basis. Violent student behavior, student disrespect, and lack of administrative support are more and more common place.
I was a professor for 30 years; it's even becoming a problem at Universities. I have been threatened by students...
@@barneyronnie that is terrible!!!!
Year one and I’ve seen some awful things. Two second graders halfway into the year admitted they wanted to bring a gun to school and administrators let them come to school after that.
Yep. Dealing with that now and I work with kindergartners. It’s very very sad on so many levels.
Im willing to bet this is a hate crime that the mother taught her son
Wonderful interview.
God Bless this dear teacher!! Praying for Abby. ❤
And her students
And the young 6 yr old shooter. Yikes
I’m so glad she’s a twin and that they live together. The bond between twins is only something twins will know.
I hope she will be able to recover. I know she won’t ever be fully ok, but I hope she will be able to move forward and that these intrusive memories will fade in frequency with time.
But seriously, kids and teachers shouldn’t have to worry about this. It’s so out of hand.
You’re so right, I’m a twin and the bond is something that is truly UNBREAKABLE ❤ I’m positive that her twin is definitely lifting her spirits in a way that only she can!😢
@@Sinfulscents yall trippin, not all twins are close, unfortunately with a toxic parents that twin bond can be broken as the twins are pitted against each other
@@Abril-1234 we aren’t tripping I don’t see anything I fell over and we are talking about our own experiences. Sorry yours wasn’t pleasant
Teachers often get accused of having poor classroom management when kids misbehave. Administrators don't want to be looked at as a school who has a lot of discipline referrals. Teachers get the short end of the stick. The administrators at this school did not do right by this teacher. Thank God she is still alive. All schools need to install metal detectors and students should be carrying clear, see-through backpacks. As a teacher myself, I know I would feel a lot better.
She is a hero she put the saftey of her students over her own needs ❤
I can’t believe a kid would do this to his teacher Abby is such a great person and she doesn’t deserve this
Her mom made me cry!! You will always be her mommy!!
There's so much more to this story. I want to know the environment the kid was raised in and what his Kindergarten teacher has to say about his behavior
He was displaying these behavior in K also. My source... It was posted online in our local news thread .
The same little boy choked his Kindergarten teacher.
Simple: behavior disorder probably conduct disorder. I have met extremely violent children and they’ve all been diagnosed with conduct disorder. Not always instigated by trauma- that’s the most interesting thing about it to me.
The child obviously was allowed to display cruel behavior without consequences from home for some time. There have been reports that he was well known for violence and the parent (s) had to accompany him to school. I've had personal experience with this type of child in the school setting. The administration expects teachers to handle this alone. "contact the parent" is the refrain. IF you can find the parent (cell # rarely work as they don't give the correct number) the parents turn it back on the school. Their child NEVER acts that way, you hear. You get blamed for the behavior or you hear the kid isn't getting work to do that is challenging their ability and they're bored.... Meanwhile said kid is terrorizing the class, the other kids on the playground, etc.
@@catworld8119 exactly, they will blame it on the teacher and not hold the child or parents accountable. It happens all the time at the school I work at
I thank God that you are still in this world, Abby. 💓&☮️
This interviewer is so kind❤ sorry idk ur name off the bat but every time I see you, it's so kind
Teachers in this country are SO underrated........
And horribly underpaid!
Eventually I can see parents having to pay to send their kids to school and getting help with vouchers and the poorest of the poor those kids won’t go to school will end up committing crimes and filling up the prisons were there’s no more room to put them.
Almost everywhere... and the kids and parents are getting more disrespectful towards them. I am not a teacher myself, but I owe everything to the good ones I had in my life and have huge respect for them. They raise our kids, spend more time with them then the parents - they should be payed so much more!
... and they should by no means be shot at!!!!
Teachers everywhere are underrated.
I have been teaching since 1997. It has gotten harder through the years. Some parents have no control over their children. Respect and support for teachers has dwindled through the years. We were put up on pedestals during the pandemic only to be knocked down in the last year. I am not sure what can be done to help in situations like these.
Sadly, school shootings that sadly been occurring since that time period too. The 1999 columbine high school shooting was done by 2 armed teenage students who murdered like 9 kids and 1 teacher aside from several other being seriously injured.
As a nurse, I can somewhat understand the effects of COVID on your profession. Treating COVID patients during the height of the pandemic was hard. Nursing in the “aftermath” has been much harder. Sometimes it feels like many things fell apart after 2020. There’s a new level of disrespect and lack of consideration that I never saw before the pandemic. In addition to little positive support.
@@aliciacarr yup definitely has gotten worst. And it will continue to get worst, until the government tackles the real issue.
Teachers are also not as respectable as they once were. Teachers sleeping with their students, etc. It is a demoralizing of our entire society. Taking prayer and the ten commandments out of schools.
Anyone can now choose to send children to private prayer schools and even receive public money called a voucher to pay for the tuition. Prayer schools are available for those that want that exposure.
She smiles and acts calm.
Unbelievable strength! Taking care of your “babies” before getting care for yourself, unbelievably strong! I wish the best at healing mentally and physically, love you❤😢
You're right and where are you from if you don't mind me asking ?
@@JerryMalcom Colorado
@@shellichristensenhugentobl5485 are you originally from Colorado
I hope she writes a book, this story is gut wrenching. Hoping for the best recovery.
Knowing this country, it’ll probably get banned
I really like this reporter. Thoughtful questions asked in a respectful way.
Teachers.....one of America’s bravest. 🏆
She seemed so happy and kindhearted it's upsetting she had to go through such trauma
Ikr ❤️
Makes me annoyed and angry that the 6-year-old didn’t get charged. First grader or not! That was a serious crime that could have killed her along with like 25 other little ones in that room. Kids who commit crimes like this deserve to be tried as adults.
@@amylee8969 yeah but I definitely have mixed feeling about it tho who knows the child's parents could have been a bad influence but at the same time your right
Why are the parents' identity being kept a secret? Why haven't they been charged? I agree the school should be sued, but the parents were criminal in this!
It was mentioned in this forum that the mother was a cop but I haven’t been able to confirm that with any news source. You would think that if she was a cop, the news media would be all over that.
@@patl.4170 Yeah. The media isn't really known for protecting cops. I've seen them protect POC, though.
That’s not how it works.
@@icedwidow It's exactly how it works. The gun was obviously left where the kid could get it. That's literally a 3rd degree felony. Forget the fact that the kid actually used it on someone. I don't know what that charge is, but I'd bet it worse than just leaving the gun laying around. Mom said they're responsible gun owners and keep it out of reach, so either she's lying or she handed it to him. One of the two. The parents should actually, by law, be charged.
You wanna explain to me how it works?
Who paid surgeries?? Why silence in the medical insurance status? What are the benefits for teachers?? Smells fishy!!