In the Minds of Nine Third-Graders

An apple might be the first thing you'd expect a student to give his or her teacher, but for nine third-graders this was for from the case. It's probably the last thing you expected to hear about this week, third-graders plotting to stab their teacher. Taking place at Center Elementary School, in Waycross, GA, nine third-graders plotted to stab their teacher who they were angry with after she disciplined one of the students for standing on a chair. The students brought a crystal paperweight, to knock the teacher out, steel handcuffs, and a steal knife with a broken handle. Though only three students are facing juvenile charges, the other six played had roles as look-out and clean-up.

Now I've read that psychiatry experts doubt that the students would've gone through with the plan or feel they wouldn't have been able to succeed. Ok...but when you're one person (adult) going up against nine third-graders between the ages of 8-10, there's still a good chance damage could've been done. The students have been suspended which could be prolonged, and some of the students may face expulsion.

So what now? Does this mean security is going to have to be beefed up at elementary schools? Will school faculty members have to look over their shoulders every time they have to discipline a child? Probably not, but I think some students need to be talked to about the reasons for discipline and how it isn't anything personal. Let us also be thankful this story didn't go a completely different way. But I'm afraid we're left with wondering just what on earth was going on in the minds of nine third-graders.