Michigan High School Shooting

Theresamonet

Well-Known Member
FWIW I asked my mom what she thought about how the school administration handled this. She’s a retired middle school principal in Michigan. She said the school couldn’t suspend him because he hadn’t done anything. She said you have to threaten someone or get into a fight before suspension is an option. I’m sure looking at ammunition on your cell phone and having violent drawings could be considered a threat to some but because he didn’t put hands on anyone or threaten anyone directly, there was only so much they could do.

If you Google ‘kid suspended drawing’ there are several stories on the first page of kids who were suspended just for drawing offensive images. All less graphic than what this killer was described to have drawn.

Even if it were not considered a threat, kids get suspended for far less than threats or fights all the time. I’m sure there was some lesser offense they could have sent him home for. How about a fews days suspension for using his cellphone during class? And you’d think that, in today’s climate, a kid either looking up guns or drawing guns would be automatic grounds for a backpack and locker search. I don’t think the administrators hands were tied at all, they just didn’t take it as seriously as they should have.
 

Black Ambrosia

Well-Known Member
Obviously I can’t speak on what other kids are suspended for. I’m just passing along what I heard from someone with expertise on the topic. Without seeing the drawing none of us can say how bad it is or how it compares to what other kids in other areas are suspended for. I’m not suggesting it wasn’t that bad. I’m saying there’s probably no precedent for suspension unless it calls out a teacher or students by name.

I think the administration definitely could’ve done more. If they checked his locker or book bag the shooting might’ve never happened. Instead they relied on his parents to do something and they were uninterested.
 

LivingInPeace

Well-Known Member
If you Google ‘kid suspended drawing’ there are several stories on the first page of kids who were suspended just for drawing offensive images. All less graphic than what this killer was described to have drawn.

Even if it were not considered a threat, kids get suspended for far less than threats or fights all the time. I’m sure there was some lesser offense they could have sent him home for. How about a fews days suspension for using his cellphone during class? And you’d think that, in today’s climate, a kid either looking up guns or drawing guns would be automatic grounds for a backpack and locker search. I don’t think the administrators hands were tied at all, they just didn’t take it as seriously as they should have.
Wasn't an elementary school child suspended somewhere because they made a "finger gun" and pointed it at another child? If so, then yes, this demon seed should have been sent home immediately with his raggedy non-parents.
 

Reinventing21

Spreading my wings
From what I read the administration ordered the parents to get him into psychological treatment within 48 hours. The parents also resisted and refused to take their son with them. The parents then left the school. This is the point that I hope gets them JAILED FOR LIFE:

They KNEW they'd bought him a gun. They saw the disturbing images and DID NOT CHECK their son's bookbag or tell the school administrators. They acted like it was perfectly acceptable for their son to have access to a deadly weapon, look for ammunition on his phone during school hours (THE DAY BEFORE), draw violent pictures, write " Blood everywhere. I can't stop thinking about it. Help me." all while KNOWING he had access to an assault weapon.

NOT ONLY THAT, after leaving the school they did NOT go check to see if the gun was where they claim to have left it. NOPE. TWO WHOE HOURS PASSED and ONLY THEN, when they heard their had been a shooting at the school, does the maternal DNA send some LAME &^%% TEXT message talking about, "Don't do it" and the paternal DNA calls police to say that the gun is missing and his son MIGHT be the shooter. WHAT IN THE HE---???!!!!

This killer did not just wake up one day like this. I think they are crazy, evil and I wouldn't be surprised one bit if they subjected their son to major abuse.


FOUR beautiful young lives taken (one Asian---not that it matters) and too many more severely injured for something that DID NOT have to happen.


I hate stuff like this, and there were other similar shootings after as in possible copycats. It's like the world lost its collective mind during the pandemic.
 

Seattle Slew

WinterinAtl
FWIW I asked my mom what she thought about how the school administration handled this. She’s a retired middle school principal in Michigan. She said the school couldn’t suspend him because he hadn’t done anything. She said you have to threaten someone or get into a fight before suspension is an option. I’m sure looking at ammunition on your cell phone and having violent drawings could be considered a threat to some but because he didn’t put hands on anyone or threaten anyone directly, there was only so much they could do.
Unfortunately there are many incidents of kids drawing and saying disturbing things. When there is a direct stated threat school and district admin here investigate tirelessly. After this shooting there have been copycat threats (for lack of a better term) posted online. All were followed up on but caused multiple lockdowns and students being “harshly disciplined” (superintendent’s words in a family letter home). None were found credible.

When we do threat assessments we include the family to determine if the student has access to weapons. If the family thinks this mess is cute and fun, and is not truthful, then we are sunk and vulnerable to an attack like this. I haven’t read all the details of this case- was an assessment done? Did they cooperate?

edit: no, it seems they didn’t.

Who knows - with remote learning now an option bc of COVID, it may be that threatening talk/drawings and postings may carry a higher zero tolerance consequence in the future. You want to talk like that go sit at home. Off campus. Then we are not denying FAPE but being overly cautious at the same time. But even that will not stop someone who is determined to harm others. There was one shooting where the shooters pulled the fire alarms to get the kids out in the halls where they could easily shoot them. Sick.

I’m sure after this searching a locker/bag of a kid who makes threats will become a required step in a threat assessment if it is not already of a schools process (it was at the last HS I was at). I know it seems simple - like duhhh- but you just don’t think the kid who is making cries for help literally has a GUN on campus already. It’s not that admin didn’t take it seriously. It’s just no one had any idea how immediate the threat was at the time deadly mistake that any of us could have made. And it sounds like the family led admin to believe there was no access to weapons - they had no reason to think he could have had a gun.
 
Last edited:

Kanky

Well-Known Member
The demon-child had the gun in his backpack when he was taken to counseling for the drawing and he lied well enough to convince them to send him back to class.
 

Reinventing21

Spreading my wings
I read that the school did have legal grounds to remove the student. HOWEVER, like others said, while the teachers, counselors, admin were sufficiently freaked out to want him out, they had no way of realizing how immediate the threat was.

They relied on the fact that the student had no history and the parents did not share that they had JUST bought him a gun. I hope schools will all take notes and make sure to do immediate searches and removal from the school.

The parents didn't tell. The parents refused to take their son. The parents ran. As far as I'm concerned, the parents helped plan it. The parents are guilty and should never get out of jail. Ever.
 
Last edited:

Black Ambrosia

Well-Known Member
For clarity, the law isn't involved in student discipline so legality wasn't a factor. The administration's actions were dictated by the school system's code of conduct. It spells out what's considered a threat and what kind of actions warrant discipline. Sadly his actions weren't enough for him to be suspended. If they'd checked his bag and found the gun, things would've been different. I'm sure someone will be fired for not taking the initiative to do that given how uncomfortable the teachers were.

Again, I'm not saying it's right. I was just pointing out that there are rules the administration had to follow and it explains why he was allowed to stay.
 
Top