“Abby and these other teachers tried to do the right thing,” Toscano said. “On that day, over the course of a few hours, three different times — three times — school administration was warned by concerned teachers and employees that the boy had a gun on him at the school and was threatening people. But the administration could not be bothered.”
Toscano said the school district’s response will be closely watched by both her client and the broader community. She suggested that fighting the lawsuit would indicate teachers are considered disposable.
“How could anyone find the courage to confidently face a class of students again?” Toscano said. “Since they can’t roll back time and undo the callousness of the bureaucracy, they can do the right thing and admit what went wrong and fix it and take care of Abby now.”
The boy’s mother legally purchased the gun used in the shooting, police have said. The boy’s family said in a statement last week that the gun was “secured.” The family’s attorney, James Ellenson, told The Associated Press that his understanding was that the gun was in the woman’s closet on a shelf well over 6 feet high and had a trigger lock that required a key.
Superintendent George Parker III has said that at least one administrator was told on the day of the shooting that the boy might have had a weapon, but no weapon was found when his backpack was searched.
The Newport News School Board will hold a special meeting Wednesday evening to vote on a separation agreement and severance package for Parker, according to a posted agenda. The board is also scheduled to vote on a new interim superintendent.
Contributing: The Associated Press
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