The weapons nine 3rd graders gathered to attack their teacher (AP Photo)

In Waycross, Georgia, as many as nine boys and girls in 3rd grade at Center Elementary School plotted an attack against their teacher. They were foiled with a steak knife, handcuffs, duct tape, ribbons, and other items in their possession. The troupe was so well preprepared that they had assigned tasks including “watchman” and “cleanup”. What is this world coming to?

The plan was this: some students would knock the teacher unconscious with a large crystal paperweight, then bind her with the handcuffs, tape, and stab her with the knife. Apparently the kids didn’t intend to kill her, but as third-graders wielding a knife they probably would have, if “accidentally”.

One of the children was scolded a few days prior for standing on a chair, launching the beginnings of the plan. The children, 8 through 10, brought every item they could find that they thought could be used in the scheme. The kids who weren’t involved in the plan “thought the [others] were just kidding,” according to District Attorney Rick Currie.

The children are too young to be treated as adults, and too young for youth detention centers. Crimes like this simply are not supposed to be committed or even thought of by third graders. Juvenile charges will be brought against the girls who brought the knife and paperweight, and one 8-year-old boy who brought tape. They are being charged with conspiracy to commit aggravated assault, and the girls are charged with bringing weapons to school.

According to the teacher, a veteran who specializes in teaching students with learning disabilities, the instigators of the plan were not known as troublemakers. What drove them to even consider such a vile act is unknown, but hopefully this doesn’t become a trend. 3rd grade is a little young to be thinking about things like this, they should still enjoy randomly running and finger-painting!

Coverage:

[CNN]
[Yahoo!]

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