TEACHER BRINGS GUN INTO TROUBLED MAINE SCHOOL

[MaineCWPtraining]

PRINCIPAL: Ed Tech Brought Gun to Riverton School

An assistant teacher at Riverton Elementary School is on administrative leave for allegedly bringing a gun to school that students found sitting in the cafeteria.

Principal Nancy Kopak says the weapon was spotted inside a clear swim bag Wednesday morning that had been placed in the cafeteria. It it unclear whether the gun was loaded.

News 13 has been told that an ed tech - a long time staff member at the school - says she had no idea she brought the gun to the school.

As soon as kids spotted the gun, the ed-tech immediately removed the bag and gun from the school property. Superintendent Jim Morse says the gun was never handled by any kids and in no way was the safety of any student or staff member compromised.

Police were called in and the staff member who allegedly brought the gun to school was told to leave the property immediately until an investigation was completed.

The school is planning to send a letter home to parents Thursday detailing what happened.

WGME TV

 

[theGringo]

oopsie.

 

[center442]

I have no idea what a swim bag is. I'm guessing it's a bag used to hold swim gear. Why the heck would someone put a gun into a bag designed to hold wet objects?

I feel like I'm missing something here.

 

[Blitz1]

Idiot.

 

[clinotus]

I have no idea what a swim bag is. I'm guessing it's a bag used to hold swim gear. Why the heck would someone put a gun into a bag designed to hold wet objects?

I feel like I'm missing something here.

You are married and not thinking of the obvious.

Look at your wife's bag. Its probably large enough to hold a puppy, a gallon jug of water, a full box of Kleenex and a makeup vanity with legs.
Ask her whats inside, or if she can find something and it takes her 20 minutes of scavenging shoulder-deep surfacing only for air just to tell you its in her other bag.

Chances are this was one of those occasions, it went in....never came out.

 

[Baystatesuks]

Not sure if Maine has a handbag law or not, but many women who carry shove their gun into whatever bag they are carrying with them. Maybe not a good idea if you are a school teacher though. On the other hand, schools and churches are likely targets for violent outbursts.

 

[jenlynn724]

Hahahaha. I mean, that's not good.

 

[MaineCWPtraining]

Police were called in and the staff member who allegedly brought the gun to school was told to leave the property immediately until an investigation was completed.

Typically you are provided bracelets; even for union members.

 

[striped1]

teachers who are properly vetted and trained should be allow/expected to carry.

 

[DanK]

teachers who are properly vetted and trained should be allow/expected to carry.

I have no problem with teachers carrying....

But there is a wee bit of a difference between carrying and leaving unattended in the middle of a cafeteria!

Its an unfortunate mistake. If the teacher's assistant had issues of being clumsy, I might make an issue out of this. They should have known better. But this is a "long time staff" member, so I am assuming they were a valuable contribution to the school (one would hope); and let's face it s*(t happens. I hope this will be brushed under the rug. Although, I think it would be best for this particular staff member not to be allowed to bring a firearm to school anymore, regardless of policy.

 

[Evergreen]

You are married and not thinking of the obvious.

Look at your wife's bag. Its probably large enough to hold a puppy, a gallon jug of water, a full box of Kleenex and a makeup vanity with legs.
Ask her whats inside, or if she can find something and it takes her 20 minutes of scavenging shoulder-deep surfacing only for air just to tell you its in her other bag.

Chances are this was one of those occasions, it went in....never came out.

+1 Hi-larious!

 

[center442]

You are married and not thinking of the obvious.

Look at your wife's bag. Its probably large enough to hold a puppy, a gallon jug of water, a full box of Kleenex and a makeup vanity with legs.
Ask her whats inside, or if she can find something and it takes her 20 minutes of scavenging shoulder-deep surfacing only for air just to tell you its in her other bag.

Chances are this was one of those occasions, it went in....never came out.

You're 100% correct. As I read your post I thought of what happens when my wife's cell phone rings in her bag. There's only a 50/50 chance she'll be able to find it before the ring times out and it goes to voice mail. I was over-thinking the situation!

 

[whatluck]

You're 100% correct. As I read your post I thought of what happens when my wife's cell phone rings in her bag. There's only a 50/50 chance she'll be able to find it before the ring times out and it goes to voice mail. I was over-thinking the situation!

This is exactly why purse carry is a bad idea.

 

[MaineCWPtraining]

Gun taken to school wasn't loaded

Police say the handgun was inadvertently brought in by a teacher's aide, who could be charged with a crime.


November 20, 2009

PORTLAND — The handgun that a teacher's aide brought into the Riverton Community School on Wednesday wasn't loaded, according to detectives investigating the incident.

The aide has a permit to carry a concealed firearm but didn't realize that the gun was in her swim bag when she entered the elementary school on outer Forest Avenue, Capt. Ted Ross said Thursday.

"It appears to have been an unfortunate oversight," Ross said. "There's nothing to suggest that she intended to bring the gun into the school."

When police complete their investigation, the Cumberland County District Attorney's Office will decide whether to charge the woman with a crime, Ross said.

Under Maine law, possession of a firearm on school property is a misdemeanor that carries a maximum six-month jail sentence.

READ MORE

 

[Speedway]

Competent teachers should be required to bring a loaded gun to school.

In this case, it seems like she was a little mentally incompetent and she brought an empty paperweight to school.

Make her stand in the corner for a week with a dunce cap on.

 

[K-DUB]

This is exactly why purse carry is a bad idea.

Only if the carrier is an idiot. In some situations it's perfectly fine, & the best way to carry.

 

[Woodstock]

People in Maine swim with guns? This stuff seems to happen a lot at airports. It's probably a good idea to keep a dedicated "range only" bag, and "other luggage." Not just a gun, but one live round or a loaded mag floating around in your other stuff can be a huge PITA if it sets off alarms.

 

[Metalhead]

The school is planning to send a letter home to parents Thursday detailing what happened.

Oh yes, lets send a letter home about a non-incident.

 

[Fixxah]

I have no idea what a swim bag is. I'm guessing it's a bag used to hold swim gear. Why the heck would someone put a gun into a bag designed to hold wet objects?

I feel like I'm missing something here.

Glock?

You are married and not thinking of the obvious.

Look at your wife's bag. Its probably large enough to hold a puppy, a gallon jug of water, a full box of Kleenex and a makeup vanity with legs.
Ask her whats inside, or if she can find something and it takes her 20 minutes of scavenging shoulder-deep surfacing only for air just to tell you its in her other bag.

Chances are this was one of those occasions, it went in....never came out.

Agreed 100%.

 

[Tiny207]

Chief: School aide should lose gun permit

What are peoples Opinion about this article below

Chief: School aide should lose gun permit

http://updates.pressherald.mainetoday.com/updates/chief-school-aide-should-lose-gun-permit

PORTLAND — Police Chief James Craig said today that if it were up to him, he would revoke the concealed-weapon permit of the teacher's aide who mistakenly brought a handgun into Riverton Community School earlier this week.

Craig said the woman's permit to carry a concealed firearm was issued through Maine State Police. If it had been issued through the Portland Police Department, Craig said, he would revoke it immediately.

Craig said he will ask the Cumberland County District Attorney's Office to charge the woman with violating a state law that prohibits firearms possession on school property.

"What happens after that is up to the DA," Craig said. "I don't believe she acted with malice and I'm not saying she should get the maximum sentence, but I am concerned that a gun was brought onto a school campus."

The charge is a Class E misdemeanor that carries a maximum six-month jail sentence.

Police detectives continue to investigate the incident and plan to present the case to the district attorney's office early next week, said Capt. Ted Ross.

Craig said he wants to send a message to the broader community that having a permit to carry a concealed firearm comes with significant responsibilities, such as using a gun lawfully and storing it safely.

He's unswayed by the woman's explanation to school officials and police detectives that she didn't realize the gun was in her swim bag and that it wasn't loaded.

"How do we know that it wasn't loaded?" Craig asked. "I'm not saying it was, but you just can't have a mental lapse when it comes to carrying a weapon. That's when bad things happen and we could have had a tragic outcome earlier this week."



Police and school officials haven't identified the aide, who has been an educational technician at the 500-student elementary school for many years.

According to preliminary police reports, the aide set down her swim bag when she entered the cafeteria at the start of the school day. The bag was unzipped and subsequently tipped over, revealing the gun inside, Ross said.

Several students saw the gun, and one of them pointed it out to a school employee who was standing nearby, Ross said. That employee called it to the attention of the bag's owner, Ross said.

The aide immediately removed her bag containing the gun from the school, put it in her car and reported the incident to Principal Nancy Kopack.

Kopack notified police and put the aide on paid leave pending an investigation by school officials.

School Superintendent Jim Morse said he plans to decide how to discipline the employee as soon as his staff completes its investigation, hopefully by the end of November. It could range from a verbal warning to dismissal.

Morse had little to say about Craig's decision to make an example of one of his employees.

"Chief Craig knows the laws of the state of Maine and needs to act as he sees fit," Morse said.

 

[Lamina]

Way to protect and serve.

If anyone doubts there is a metric shit ton of dickhead LEO's out there, ask only how such a douche made it to CoP.

 

[MassBites]

I think the police chief is a moron and as such, should have his gun taken away. Or at the very least, made to carry his one bullet in his shirt pocket.

,

 

[MaineCWPtraining]

A crime is a crime. She told the police she thought it was in her car. Well, that's a crime too!!!

 

[Ricky]

Update
http://northeastshooters.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=84096


>merge<

 

[MaineCWPtraining]

That article is posted above here too.

 

[MaineCWPtraining]

Chief: Charge school aide who had gun

James Craig says he wants to send a message that having a permit carries responsibilities.

November 21, 2009

PORTLAND — Police Chief James Craig said Friday that if it were up to him, he would revoke the concealed-weapon permit of the teacher's aide who mistakenly brought a handgun into the Riverton Community School this week.

Craig said he wants to send a message to the broader community that having a permit to carry a concealed firearm comes with significant responsibilities, such as using a gun lawfully and storing it safely.

He said the woman's permit was issued through Maine State Police. If it had been issued through the Portland Police Department, Craig said, he would revoke it immediately.

Craig said he will ask the Cumberland County District Attorney's Office to charge the woman with violating a state law that prohibits possession of firearms on school property.

READ MORE

 

[jcr]

I have no idea what a swim bag is. I'm guessing it's a bag used to hold swim gear. Why the heck would someone put a gun into a bag designed to hold wet objects?

My first impression was that it was probably only a water pistol and the students didn't see the orange tip.

Upon further updates though, that seems not to be the case.

 

[Gaffer]

This particular Portland neighborhood is a tough area and it is my understanding that the police only go there in pairs. I would want to be carrying if I worked in that area. However one must abide by state law which does not allow guns in school campuses.

It is easy for the police chief to be so trite, he probably carries all the time. Just another hypocrite is my guess.

 

[terraformer]

It is easy for the police chief to be so trite, he probably carries all the time. Just another hypocrite is my guess.

More likely he doesn't carry any time because he doesn't think law abiding citizens have anything to be worried about.

 

[MaineCWPtraining]

Teacher aide, facing gun charge, resigns

December 8, 2009

PORTLAND — A teacher's aide who brought a handgun into the Riverton Community School last month is scheduled to be arraigned today in District Court.

Beth Bergeron, 49, of Harrison has been charged with possession of a firearm on public school property, District Attorney Stephanie Anderson said Monday. The charge is a misdemeanor that carries a maximum six-month jail sentence.

Superintendent Jim Morse said Monday that Bergeron, who had been on paid leave, resigned Friday, even though school officials hadn't completed their investigation of the incident. A person who answered the telephone at Bergeron's home Monday said she didn't want to be interviewed.

READ MORE