Teacher charged with threatening to ‘shoot up’ her school in North Carolina

Epic Beard Man · May 22, 2019

Florida wants to arm teachers however I knew this would eventually occur didn't realize this would come from an elementary teacher. See the following article:

HILLSBOROUGH, N.C. — A North Carolina teacher has been charged with threatening to “shoot up” her school.

A news release from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office says Kristen Thompson was arrested Tuesday on a felony charge of communicating a threat of mass violence.

The sheriff’s office said Thompson abruptly resigned Friday from Pathways Elementary School in Hillsborough. It says other teachers reported that Thompson “made threats to shoot up the school.”

The incident was being addressed by law enforcement and school staff as both a safety and personnel issue, according to Sheriff Charles Blackwood, who said school officials were legally forbidden from commenting on the case.

"A threat of school violence is understandably unsettling for the community," Blackwood said in the statement. "Please know that the school and law enforcement are working together as a team to ensure the last few weeks of the school year are safe and productive for our students.”

A phone listing for Thompson rang unanswered Tuesday afternoon. A sheriff’s spokeswoman said investigators didn’t have information on whether Thompson has a lawyer who can speak on her behalf

Thompson’s name didn’t appear on the school’s website Tuesday, but an archived version indicated that she worked with children in the special education program.

Source:Teacher charged with threatening to ‘shoot up’ her school in North Carolina

Thoughts?

Enoch07 · May 22, 2019

Epic Beard Man said:
Thoughts

Luckily no violence actually occurred. Will have to follow the case to see how it pans out. Not much has been released other than heresay so we don't have any facts yet.

Stanyon · May 22, 2019

If true:
Another good reason to home school if you can. It is disturbing that any teacher would say something like that but especially so coming from a female, it is unusual.

Epic Beard Man · May 22, 2019

Enoch07 said:
Luckily no violence actually occurred. Will have to follow the case to see how it pans out. Not much has been released other than heresay so we don't have any facts yet.

she has a mugshot so she is suspected of something.....

Enoch07 · May 22, 2019

Epic Beard Man said:
she has a mugshot so she is suspected of something.....

The police are taking it serious, as they should. But considering she bonded out with a court date already set, and she was given the option to resign vs being fired. Something tells me the situation is not quite what it seems at face value. I could be wrong, just a hunch, based on what lil info is available.

Twilight Hue · May 22, 2019

Epic Beard Man said:
she has a mugshot so she is suspected of something.....

Like she had a past history or something?

Epic Beard Man · May 22, 2019

Nowhere Man said:
Like she had a past history or something?

When you are booked on a suspected crime they take a photo of you at the police station, you are formally charged and a bail is set.....Sounds like she is suspected of a crime is what I'm saying.

Edit:

@Nowhere Man I know this because I wasn't always in college or a professional. I had a past as well.

Epic Beard Man · May 22, 2019

Enoch07 said:
But considering she bonded out with a court date already set, and she was given the option to resign vs being fired.

Where in the article I posted explicitly said she had an option to resign or be terminated?

"Thompson is no longer allowed on any school property."

Source:NC teacher threatened to ‘shoot up’ her elementary school, officials say

BTW posting bail is usually given as an option to those that have no record or do not pose a risk.

Enoch07 said:
Something tells me the situation is not quite what it seems at face value.

Sure. A white woman who is suspected of threatening a mass shooting? must be a conspiracy!

Enoch07 · May 22, 2019

Epic Beard Man said:
BTW posting bail is usually given as an option to those that have no record or do not pose a risk.

Yeah and her bail was $10,000. Steep but understandable considering her alleged crimes.

Epic Beard Man said:
Sure. A white woman who is suspected of threatening a mass shooting? must be a conspiracy!

Nothing conspiratorial about it. People are so overly sensitive nowadays this could easily be a case of someone took a comment she said out of context and this is the result.

Like this: Man shocked by arrest after daughter draws picture of gun at school

Or

Fifth-grader reprimanded for bringing paper ‘gun’ to school

When you start arresting kids for guns that are drawn on paper, or paper that is cut out in the rough shape of a gun. It's a sign people are irrational about the subject.

Epic Beard Man · May 22, 2019

Enoch07 said:
Yeah and her bail was $10,000. Steep but understandable considering her alleged crimes.

"She received a $1,000 secured bond."

Source:Orange County elementary school teacher resigned after threatening to shoot up school, sheriff says

Enoch07 said:
People are so overly sensitive nowadays this could easily be a case of someone took a comment she said out of context and this is the result.

Nothing conspiratorial or overtly sensitive about someone potentially making the threat of shooting up a school considering recent events.

Enoch07 · May 22, 2019

Epic Beard Man said:
Nothing overtly sensitive about someone potentially making the threat of shooting up a school considering recent events.

That remains to seen. Like I said not much info yet to determine exactly what happened. The police and school have handled it properly so far though.

Enoch07 · May 22, 2019

Epic Beard Man said:
"She received a $1,000 secured bond."

Ah well that bodes even better for her. $1,000 means they are not too concerned that she is violent. Just confirms this is a misunderstanding or such that was taken out of context and blown out of proportion.

Epic Beard Man said:
Sure. A white woman who is suspected of threatening a mass shooting? must be a conspiracy!

Why you got to drag race into it? You think she wouldn't get the same benefit of doubt if she was non-white?

Revoltingest · May 22, 2019

Stanyon said:
If true:
Another good reason to home school if you can. It is disturbing that any teacher would say something like that but especially so coming from a female, it is unusual.

Home schooling...me a teacher?
Nah, I took my chances with public schools.
Both kids survived.
(The odds of being killed in school are vanishingly small.)

Stevicus · May 22, 2019

Epic Beard Man said:
Florida wants to arm teachers however I knew this would eventually occur didn't realize this would come from an elementary teacher. See the following article:

HILLSBOROUGH, N.C. — A North Carolina teacher has been charged with threatening to “shoot up” her school.

A news release from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office says Kristen Thompson was arrested Tuesday on a felony charge of communicating a threat of mass violence.

The sheriff’s office said Thompson abruptly resigned Friday from Pathways Elementary School in Hillsborough. It says other teachers reported that Thompson “made threats to shoot up the school.”

The incident was being addressed by law enforcement and school staff as both a safety and personnel issue, according to Sheriff Charles Blackwood, who said school officials were legally forbidden from commenting on the case.

"A threat of school violence is understandably unsettling for the community," Blackwood said in the statement. "Please know that the school and law enforcement are working together as a team to ensure the last few weeks of the school year are safe and productive for our students.”

A phone listing for Thompson rang unanswered Tuesday afternoon. A sheriff’s spokeswoman said investigators didn’t have information on whether Thompson has a lawyer who can speak on her behalf

Thompson’s name didn’t appear on the school’s website Tuesday, but an archived version indicated that she worked with children in the special education program.

Source:Teacher charged with threatening to ‘shoot up’ her school in North Carolina

Thoughts?

Well, my first thought was that teaching can be a stressful job. She wouldn't be the first teacher to crack under the pressure. The article didn't say whether she actually had plans to carry out the threat or even whether she owned any firearms.

If it's just something she said and didn't really mean to say it, that may be a different case. A lot of people say stupid things, especially if they're stressed out. It doesn't automatically mean that they're dangerous.

I'll admit that I've said some rather stupid things at places I've worked in the past - things that people laughed at 30 years ago. But now, idle chatter rooted in a macabre sense of humor isn't really appreciated as it once was.

On the other hand, I would agree that people should be more mindful of what they say, especially now that people seem more on guard against threats of violence. And it's entirely possible that she could be dangerous; I imagine they'll have her evaluated by a psychiatrist.

Epic Beard Man · May 23, 2019

Enoch07 said:
Ah well that bodes even better for her. $1,000 means they are not too concerned that she is violent.

Not necessarily. It could mean she doesn't have a record.

Enoch07 said:
Just confirms this is a misunderstanding or such that was taken out of context and blown out of proportion.

Now, you're making an assumption even though you said you wanted to wait for all the facts. Goes to show you don't read the source.

Enoch07 said:
Why you got to drag race into it?

I find it odd that a teacher can make a threat at an elementary school considering recent events. Get arrested and post bond. Besides this is North Carolina, and I firmly believe white privilege is at play here.

Enoch07 said:
You think she wouldn't get the same benefit of doubt if she was non-white?

No.

Shiranui117 · May 23, 2019

Epic Beard Man said:
Florida wants to arm teachers however I knew this would eventually occur didn't realize this would come from an elementary teacher. See the following article:

HILLSBOROUGH, N.C. — A North Carolina teacher has been charged with threatening to “shoot up” her school.

A news release from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office says Kristen Thompson was arrested Tuesday on a felony charge of communicating a threat of mass violence.

The sheriff’s office said Thompson abruptly resigned Friday from Pathways Elementary School in Hillsborough. It says other teachers reported that Thompson “made threats to shoot up the school.”

The incident was being addressed by law enforcement and school staff as both a safety and personnel issue, according to Sheriff Charles Blackwood, who said school officials were legally forbidden from commenting on the case.

"A threat of school violence is understandably unsettling for the community," Blackwood said in the statement. "Please know that the school and law enforcement are working together as a team to ensure the last few weeks of the school year are safe and productive for our students.”

A phone listing for Thompson rang unanswered Tuesday afternoon. A sheriff’s spokeswoman said investigators didn’t have information on whether Thompson has a lawyer who can speak on her behalf

Thompson’s name didn’t appear on the school’s website Tuesday, but an archived version indicated that she worked with children in the special education program.

Source:Teacher charged with threatening to ‘shoot up’ her school in North Carolina

Thoughts?

I'll be shocked if she isn't fired and stripped of her license for this. I know elementary schools are stressful (I once taught in one for one day a week for a few weeks, and kindergarten teachers are all omniscient, omnipresent Saints), and special education is more than its own kettle of fish on top of that, but still, a teacher has no business saying that stuff, even as a joke.

Shiranui117 · May 23, 2019

Stevicus said:
Well, my first thought was that teaching can be a stressful job. She wouldn't be the first teacher to crack under the pressure. The article didn't say whether she actually had plans to carry out the threat or even whether she owned any firearms.

If it's just something she said and didn't really mean to say it, that may be a different case. A lot of people say stupid things, especially if they're stressed out. It doesn't automatically mean that they're dangerous.

I'll admit that I've said some rather stupid things at places I've worked in the past - things that people laughed at 30 years ago. But now, idle chatter rooted in a macabre sense of humor isn't really appreciated as it once was.

On the other hand, I would agree that people should be more mindful of what they say, especially now that people seem more on guard against threats of violence. And it's entirely possible that she could be dangerous; I imagine they'll have her evaluated by a psychiatrist.

Yeah, a teacher making even a joke about shooting up their school after we've had more than 20 years' worth of school shootings is gonna go over like a lead balloon to the crotch from 45 meters in the air.

Enoch07 · May 23, 2019

Epic Beard Man said:
Now, you're making an assumption even though you said you wanted to wait for all the facts. Goes to show you don't read the source.

Not making an assumption. I'm deducing based on facts. With her bond so low it means the judge didn't view her as a credible threat. Even if this was her first offense, if she was unstable, aggressive, or showed any other signs she was a danger. Bail would have been set much higher or no bail at all.

Teacher charged with threatening to ‘shoot up’ her school in North Carolina

Epic Beard Man

Bearded Philosopher

Enoch07

It's all a sick freaking joke.

Stanyon

WWMRD?

Epic Beard Man

Bearded Philosopher

Enoch07

It's all a sick freaking joke.

Twilight Hue

Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.

Epic Beard Man

Bearded Philosopher

Epic Beard Man

Bearded Philosopher

Enoch07

It's all a sick freaking joke.

Epic Beard Man

Bearded Philosopher

Enoch07

It's all a sick freaking joke.

Enoch07

It's all a sick freaking joke.

Revoltingest

Pragmatic Libertarian

Stevicus

Veteran Member

Epic Beard Man

Bearded Philosopher

Shiranui117

Pronounced Shee-ra-noo-ee

Shiranui117

Pronounced Shee-ra-noo-ee

Enoch07

It's all a sick freaking joke.