Virginia School Where 6-Year-Old Shot Teacher Reopens With New Administration, Security Upgrades

Newport News community not satisfied

Students return to Richneck Elementary in Newport News, Va., on Jan. 30, 2023. Billy Schuerman/The Virginian-Pilot via AP

After increased security and a change to school administration, children at the Virginia elementary school where a first grader shot his teacher earlier this month returned to school Monday.

Richneck Elementary School in Newport News was closed for more than three weeks after a 6-year-old brought a handgun to school and allegedly shot teacher Abby Zwerner during class on Jan. 6. The 25-year-old teacher suffered gunshot wounds to her hand and chest.

First-grade teacher Abigail Zwerner inside her classroom at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News, Va., in a file photo. Courtesy of the family of Abigail Zwerner via AP

Briana Foster Newton, who was principal at the time of the classroom shooting, has been removed from her position. Newport News Public Schools district spokesperson Michelle Price told NBC news Monday that Newton is still employed with the district, but in a different capacity.

Last week, Price confirmed that the school’s assistant principal, Ebony Parker, had resigned.

According to the school’s website, Karen Lynch has been named interim school administrator at Richneck Elementary.

Lynch communicated the security upgrades to the school community via a website notice prior to Monday’s start, saying that there would be police officers on campus and visitors to the school would be limited for the first week. Upon their return, the notice said, students would be given clear backpacks for their belongings, and parents were warned that students’ lunches would go through a metal detector.

Last Wednesday, the school board voted 5–1 to release school superintendent George Parker III from his duties following the events at Richneck.

“This decision is based on the future trajectory and needs of our school division,” school board chairwoman Lisa Surles-Law said in a press statement, calling Parker a “capable division leader.”

However, Zwerner’s lawyer, Diane Toscano said the shooting was preventable and happened because the school’s administration failed to act on information and complaints from staff.

According to Toscano, in the hours before the shooting, school staff warned the school administration at least three times that the child had a gun and was threatening students.

“Were they not so paralyzed by apathy, they could have prevented this tragedy this morning. I sent notice to the Newport News school board of the intent to file a lawsuit on Abby’s behalf,” said Toscano during a press conference last week, announcing Zwerner’s lawsuit against the school district.

Lawyer Diane Toscano reads a statement to media in Newport News, Va., on Jan. 25, 2023. Mike Caudill/The Virginian-Pilot via AP

Parents Call for Accountability, Discipline

During a Jan. 17 school board meeting, many in the community who spoke blamed the school district’s poor discipline and lack of consequences for increased classroom disruptions, school violence, and shootings.

Andrew Hlavacek, a Newport News resident and former school board candidate, said the Richneck shooting was the third school shooting in the district in the last 16 months.

Father of four Doug Marmon said, “we need to remove all members of Newport News public school executive leadership.” He blamed a lack of accountability for students as a major reason for increased violence toward teachers.

“Students need to be held accountable for their actions, regardless of age or circumstances—not transferred to another school or placed in a different classroom. Equality in our schools should not include the suffering of the majority for the lack of discipline for the few,” said Morman.

Kimberly Slaydon, a mother of three children in the district, said she quit her job because of the level of disrespect she experienced during her time as a school nurse. As a product of the Newport News public schools, Slaydon said today’s schools are much different than the schools she attended in the 1990s and 2000s.

“The buildings are the same; some of the teachers are the same; the students are not the same. We are not holding kids and parents accountable for their actions, because we need funding from the state and federal government to teach our kids,” said Slaydon.

The Epoch Times reached out to the Newport News Public Schools for comment. A district spokesperson said the district cannot comment on personnel changes. When asked whether school discipline policies will be evaluated, the spokesperson cited physical security upgrades such as police and metal detectors, saying, “The new security protocols are designed to enhance safety and security.”