The Responsibility Project^®. Exploring what it means to do the right thing

When 8-year-olds Attack

299 Comments

April 4, 2008 by Kathy McManus

The shocking headlines out of Waycross, Georgia-- 3rd-graders plotted to attack teacher, brought knife, handcuffs --lowered the bar on school violence and raised the alarm among parents, teachers, psychologists and just about anyone with an opinion about the country’s future.

The third grade plotters—nine students between the ages of 8 and 10—were allegedly readying a revenge assault against a teacher who had given one of the children a time-out for standing on a chair.

Tipped off by a student, police seized the kids’ menacing arsenal at school, including a steak knife, duct tape, handcuffs, and a heavy paperweight. The teacher specialized in learning disabilities, including attention deficit disorder and hyperactivity, though it’s not known if any of the plotters had those diagnoses.

The sophistication of the plan—with kid-assigned jobs of covering classroom windows and cleaning up after the attack—stunned even the police.

“We did not hear anybody say they intended to kill her,” the police chief said, “but could they have accidentally killed her? Absolutely.”

The big question—who or what was responsible for the children’s shocking behavior?—was debated across the U.S. on message boards and Main Street.

The culprits ranged from peer pressure to parenting, with violent video games and television getting much of the blame. “Kids naturally think now that the solution to everything is to shoot someone like they see on TV,” one comment read. “I weep for the future of America.”

For the present, local authorities are uncertain exactly how to proceed. In Georgia, children under 13 can’t be charged with a crime. Being declared “delinquent” by a judge may be the only legal penalty, but the state doesn’t have detention facilities for third-graders.

Tell us what you think. Given the restrictions with the law, how do you make punishment for third graders fit the crime? How much responsibility do their parents bear? And what about the rest of us—should we also be accountable as members of society?

299 Comments

What do you think? Leave a comment

• April 7, 2008 by terrance tattrie

  I think the fault here lies mostly with the parents. We are programed by the environment that we are raised in. It's up to the parents what kids are exposed to at an early age: TV, video games, movies, music, the other kids they are allowed to play with, etc.The news media over reports on school violence. Parents are ultimately responsible.

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  • June 29, 2009 by none none

    I agree that it's the violence in the world that gets these kids to do these things. I was shocked to read this- I would expect that of maybe High schoolers, but not little kids!

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    • April 24, 2010 by brianna

      they should not do that did they go to u know what jail?

  • April 27, 2010 by max

    i know what u mean. that happened to me.

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    • April 27, 2010 by anthony

      why did they do that

  • May 19, 2010 by 6th grade girl

    No, I think this the faul of the kids! I Competly understood everything when I was in 1st grade even! This is so stupid that this is all they get! They should be banned from a lot of adualt things, they should have to be charged with plan of murder when they are older, and they should be in a lot more "Trouble" for what they pland and what they had. This is stupid because in there reach is the wepons later on and they will know how to keep quiet now. This is WRONG!!!

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  • January 10, 2011 by india

    why do you think that its the parents fault

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• April 7, 2008 by Dani O'Malley

  I don't think society and violence in tv and games can really play such a large part here. When you're that young, you experience intense emotions, and you're not always sure what to do with them. As a young child I was kept from TV and video games and movies of all kinds. Yet when adults in my life were "unfair" I often fantasized of hurting them back. I've grown and changed a lot since then, and learned that retribution is not the answer. I think these kids should definitely get some help -- someone to help them recognize and deal with emotions in a healthy way. I think the kids should be removed from that teacher's classroom, and split up if possible. They should have to do some sort of community service and some sort of therapy. Rather than detracting from society (plotting to kill a teacher) they need to learn to contribute. I actually feel more for the kids -- how angry and frustrated they must have felt, and that they felt they had noone to turn to. They had to feel so powerless, and this was one thing they COULD do. Parents and authority figures need to teach them alternatives and respect for authority (even if we don't agree). And noone said... KUDOS to the kid who reported the group. Did that kid get rewarded for doing the right thing despite the pressure the other kids would have put on him?

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  • April 8, 2008 by Joyce B.

    I think you're absolutely right about community service... Suspending the children doesn't teach them anything (except maybe teaching them that acting badly lets them off the hook from schoolwork); juvenile hall wouldn't teaching them anything (except how to be a better criminal by hanging out with other criminals). Community service for the teacher may teach them something. Maybe they should come to school early every morning to wash faculty cars or paint over some tagging or pick some weeds for a month would be good ideas. I also think the parents of the children should come with the child as he/she offers a long letter of apology and what they plan on doing to make up for their stupidity. Looking someone in the eye as you apologize really does something for our integrity, does it not?

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    • April 9, 2008 by Dani O'Malley

      When I was in high school I behaved particularly abominably to one teacher -- not to the extent as these young children, but still... I'm not proud of my behavior. My parents made me write a letter of apology and read it to the teacher so I wouldn't forget what I wanted to say. And you're right. Looking that teacher in the eye and apologizing -- reading my wrongs out loud and asking to make amends -- it changed me. And I haven't treated anyone like that since. I think twice. :D

  • May 22, 2010 by kyandra

    thanks for being my thrdgrade teacher.

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  • July 6, 2010 by Andrea

    I agree with you fully. If we choose to believe and tell others to believe that our children are not responsible for their plans, actions, and the consequences that follow, even at a very young age, we allow our children to blame external sources for personal choices and thus never encourage or motivate them to develop healthier alternative emotional or behavioral responses or to take responsibility for their actions in the future. Children must be encouraged to "own" their behaviors and emotions. It's easy to want to keep children "innocent" - but it's harmful to deny ignorance to knowledge of consequences that parades as innocence. Holding parents and teachers responsible is illogical - how many of you, while growing up, did something your parents or teachers didn't know about or didn't approve of? The students should make amends to their teacher in some way and attend some form of counseling, and the reporting student should be protected and applauded.

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• April 8, 2008 by Janine

  Famiily therapy for all, especially the parents of these children and adults Dr.LAura would be my first stop.

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• April 8, 2008 by Rori Morrow

  As I see it, all of the adults, parents, school administrator(s) and the teacher should receive the biggest slices of this pie, as they all have failed to take responsibility to provide guidance to this classroom of students. Yes, the students do deserve a slice of the pie as well, as they are the ones who hatched the plot and then decided to act upon it. So, they must suffer some form of consequences for their choice of behavior so that they learn that just because you think of doing something does not mean you have to act upon it, AND, if you do choose to act upon the thought, you MUST suffer the consequences for the choice. Now, the parents dropped the ball in not making a point of zeroing in on their own child's feelings that I am certain they were telegraphing to them. The teacher, I am certain, knew or sensed that she had unhappy students, (I can say this with certainty as I am a retired classroom teacher), and once she sensed there was a problem brewing, she could have sat down with her students to investigate what they 'thought' the problem was. Nine year olds in general are not at a level of maturity to discuss things of a feeling nature, this is an abstract thinking ability that is beyond nine year olds. And finally the administration failed because they should have been observing the classroom on a regular basis so as to have the 'pulse' of the classroom. I do not agree that therapy for the children is necessary here, but rather the teacher as she obviously has some deep seated issues that a therapist could help her come to grips with. I do agree though with the responder who said the young boy who brought this to other adults attention deserves a round of applause and a pat on the back.

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  • April 11, 2008 by Kina Barnum

    I concur!

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  • May 1, 2010 by Mark

    What a bunch of bull hockey pucks this response is-to put the blame on the teacher is beyond belief. I'm also in the classroom and kids will look right at you and lie about doing something, even when you've watched them do it. The teacher is the victim here, not the perpetrator. Put the blame on the parents and the students where it belongs.

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    • May 11, 2010 by TheMadHacker

      Mark = Win

• April 10, 2008 by Tamara Arano

  I believe the world is just gonna get worse no matter what we try to do. I don't think we will ever be able to ban violence on t.v. or that parents will ever be responsible enough to set parental controls on t.v.s or even stop buying violent video games. My 3rd grade son got beat up by a classmate while a 5th grader my size(5ft5 120 lbs)held him down, afterward they threatened to kill him. It was all because my son was walking a popular girl home.I had them both arrested at the school and the judge ordered a letter of apology to be written. I believe it helped a lot because my son and the other 3rd grader are now friends. The 5th grader hates my son even more now for us calling the cops but we do feel alot safer knowing that everyones aware of the situation. I believe that making them face the consequences publicly helps them to see others reactions to what they have done and in turn helps them to realize what they did is wrong. Also apology letters and counseling would work wonders for everyone.

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• April 10, 2008 by Natalie

  I have a 3rd grader and he and his friends are SO impressionable. I am sure the main planning in this incident was the doing of one or two crafty students and the others were simply followers. I think the letters of apology and community service are good ideas, but because of how impressionable these kids are, a scared straight approach might be the way to go too. Have the children "arrested" and talked to by the police. Take them to a facility where kids are detained and let them see how they live. It might put enough fear in them to keep them from future troubles.

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• April 11, 2008 by Valleester

  First of all, I'd ask him/her what the teacher had done that was so upsetting to him/her. Next, I would acknowledge his/her feelings. Then, I would try to explain how the teacher was feeling during the situation. After that, I would ask my child to write an essay detailing every reason that his/her behavior was unacceptable. More over, I would strip my child's room down to nothing but a bed without sheets and a pillow without a pillowcase and I would ground him/her to her room for three days, only allowing him/her out to bathe, get ready for school, to eat meals with the family and a one hour sanity break to do whatever. No tv, no telephone and no friends until further notice.

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• April 13, 2008 by Serafina

  I am a substitute teacher. At times it is necessary to discipline the students. The prescribed punishment is usually time out of recess or occasionally a visit to the office for a firm talking to. A teacher should not be in fear of violent retaliation because of a stern tone and a time out. I do believe that it is the parents' failure that we are talking about. Children learn behaviors from parents (T.V., games and movies do not raise children). It is like osmosis. A child will likely take on the parents behaviors and attitudes toward life and situations. It is of the utmost importance that we teach our children to be responsible for their actions, that is why disciplinary measures are needed (when deserved). I suggest long-term counseling and observation for the children. And I would also suggest that these parents pay more attention to the attitudes and actions of their child. If they are contemplating violent hostage situations at 8 years old, what happens when they are 18? Murder? Parents Teach your children!

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• April 13, 2008 by Jen Yarrin gton

  These kids are 8 and 9 years old, with developmental delays and behavioral problems. I really believe that MOST of them really had real understanding of what they had signed up for. That being said, some sort of consequence is totally appropriate. Community service is a great start, and and a formal apology to the teacher and school is a no-brainer. And of course THE PARENTS need to be involved. Seems like they all need counseling and this is a huge wake up call that the child(ren) who came with this idea need some hard core interventions before they grow up to be the next kid that shoots up their high school, college, or even middle school!

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• April 15, 2008 by Salima H

  For those of you that have seen the film "Jesus Was a Terrorist" - this type of thing happening in real life is EMBARRASSING. I initially wrote an angry letter to the producers of that movie, and now I feel like I have my tail between my legs. How can you discipline these kids? In IL you're not even allowed to pat kids on the back or buckle their seatbelts on the bus because of new overprotective sexual abuse rules (I think we let the kids watch too much MSNBC, and now they cry abuse whenever they don't get their way) - how can you discipline them when we've given them all the power!?

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• April 15, 2008 by John P. Weiss

  This sad little news account reflects the on-going diminution of real parenting in this country. I agree with Mr. Tattrie's response, that ultimately the parents are responsible. The choice to bring a child into the world comes with vast consequences and responsibilities. One should weigh them carefully. Manners must be taught. The television should be banished in favor of books, art and outdoor experiences. We are shaping little souls, setting the groundwork for a lifetime. So many parents fund those college accounts but fail to realize the most important years are the early ones. There will always be contributing factors, but they should not cloud us from our ultimate responsibility..the hard work of shaping these little souls.

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• April 15, 2008 by Justine Theer

  I am currently in college to become an elementary school teacher. My main goal is to teach third graders. This story shocked me. I believe many are correct in the forms of discipline that should be used. Community service and a letter of apology are really excellent ideals. Therapy is an excellent ideal for all the parties involved. Many go into the field of teaching to help children. The teacher must have been in shock, to find out the young minds she had hoped to mold wanted her dead. From what I gather this incident was because of a child being disciplined. Something has to be done about the growing epidemic amongst our schools but what.

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  • April 15, 2008 by Rori Morrow

    We need to dump the U.S. Dept of Education once and for all, admitting that government indoctrination centers are a failure, in the context of a constitutional republic. Americans need to take back responsibility for their education and that of their children by removing that responsibility from government bureaucrats who have an agenda of their own. ALL children have an innate Love of Learning that too often in today societal makeup we destroy with the concept of 'one size fits all' and the nonsensical 'self esteem/every child is equal' educational concept. Wake up America and and take back a responsibility that is YOURS, that of educating YOUR child(ren). Then and only then will we cease to see violence of this nature within young children who now have instilled within them a Hate of Learning attitude.

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