“Resignation of Teacher Who Was Shot by a 6-Year-Old in Virginia”

Teacher Sues School District Over Shooting: Resigns As Contract Ends

Abby Zwerner, a former first-grade teacher in Newport News Public Schools, has resigned from her position as her contract came to an end. Abby was shot in her classroom on January 6th. She filed a lawsuit against the school district, claiming that they ignored warnings of the shooter’s violent mood. This lawsuit came after her announcement to human resources in March that she would not return for the upcoming school year.

Shooting Incident

Abby Zwerner, at 25 years old, was shot in the hand and chest as she sat at a reading table in her first-grade classroom. She spent nearly two weeks in the hospital, has endured multiple surgeries, and sometimes “can’t get up out of bed,” according to NBC. The shooter used his mother’s gun. His mother, Deja Taylor, pleaded guilty in federal court to using marijuana while owning a firearm, which is illegal under U.S. law. Taylor is facing charges on a state level of felony child neglect and reckless storage of a firearm. The trial for these counts is set for August.

Lawsuit Against the School District

Abby filed her lawsuit for $40 million, alleging that school officials ignored multiple warnings that the boy had a gun and was in a violent mood that day. According to her attorneys, school officials knew the boy “had a history of random violence” at school and at home. They cited an episode the year before in which he “strangled and choked” his kindergarten teacher. The school board asked a judge to dismiss the case, arguing that Abby’s injuries fell under the state’s workers compensation act. They claimed that she refused to accept workers compensation.

Resignation and Firing

According to WAVY TV, an attorney for Abby, Jeffrey Breit, characterized her departure as a firing, citing an email that school officials sent Abby in May. The email stated that the officials processed a separation of employment for Abby effective after the close of business on June 12th, 2023. Newport News Public Schools refuted Breit’s claim in a statement but provided emails between the district and Abby in which Abby wrote: “I wish to resign. Thank you.”

Conclusion

Abby Zwerner, a former teacher in Newport News Public Schools, resigned from her position. She was shot in her classroom on January 6th and subsequently filed a $40 million lawsuit against the school district, alleging that school officials ignored multiple warnings of the shooter’s violent mood. The school board asked a judge to dismiss the case, arguing that her injuries fell under the state’s workers compensation act. While Abby’s attorneys claim that the school officials ignored warnings and concerns about the shooter’s history of violence at school, the school board cites numerous incidents of violence against teachers across the U.S. and in Newport News.