Not Just Students

The final week before Christmas break can be very enjoyable and very stressful for both teachers and students.  We often hear of an increase in students fighting during these weeks as several months worth of stressors reach a boiling point.  The pressure of semester exams mixed with the social ills facing many of these kids can, for some, be too much to handle.  What about the teachers?  As school districts across the nation are facing budget and staffing issues, state testing woes, and lack of morale, how are the teachers responding?  Teachers are usually looked upon to be the mediators of most of these problems.  No one expects the teachers to snap.

This past week in Poughkeepsie, New York, one of those teachers snapped.  While students filled the halls between periods, a 40 year old English teacher, who heard rumors of her upcoming firing attacked a fellow English teacher, a 54 year old female, with an 8 inch screwdriver.  Here's a quote from this story;

“And then time seemed to stand still. Dozens of teens and teachers froze as they say 40-year-old Ronette Ricketts began viciously stabbing fellow English teacher Cynthia Glozier. 3 wounds to the head, 2 puncture wounds to the neck, a dozen more to her back and body.”

As details unfold, one thing has been confirmed.  The rumors of the attacking teacher’s firing were untruthful.  Her job was safe. 

A senior football player witnessed the attack and decided to step in.  He rushed the attacking teacher and jammed the screwdriver out of her hand.  Many have since hailed Justin Richardson as a hero.  He credits his coach’s training as kicking in at the right time. 

Virgina Tech Redux

On Wednesday, December 7, 2011, 22 year old Ross Truett Ashley walked into his landlord’s office, pulled out a handgun, and demanded the keys to a Mercedes Benz.

On Thursday, December 8, 2011, Ross Ashley walked up to the unmarked patrol car of Virginia Tech Police Officer Deriek Crouse, who was on a traffic stop, and shot him to death. 

Mr. Ashley then ran through the Virginia Tech University campus before ultimately turning his gun on himself and ending his life. 

The campus was placed on lockdown as news quickly spread of a gunman on the loose.  While this would stir a panic at any school or university, the fact that it happened at Virginia Tech further alarmed many people.  On April 16, 2007, Virginia Tech was the scene of the worst school shooting, and the deadliest shooting incident by a lone gunman, in U.S. history.  On that fateful day, 33 people, including the shooter, were killed and 25 others wounded.  Many fault the responding officers’ reaction to the 2007 massacre.  Since then many policies throughout the country have been changed and several books have been written about the events.  Much has been learned about the shooter, Seung-Hui Cho, who was 23 years old when this incident took place. 

Ross Ashley is not as well known.  Although who knows what will be revealed about his character and any potential demons he was battling with, most reports simply say he was a quiet business student at a nearby college.  Other than recently shaving his head and running through his apartment hallways, he was hardly noticed.  It will be interesting (to some) to see what is revealed about this otherwise “normal” appearing young man. 

And while incidents like this happen far too often, the amount of attention being given to this shooting is its location.  As Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell said, “It's just unfortunate and almost inexplicable that you could have a series of these events happen in a short four-year period.”

Officer Crouse was married and had 5 children.