Students at Richneck Elementary in Newport News returned to class today, weeks after a first-grader shot teacher Abby Zwerner in her classroom.
The unidentified 6-year-old received mental health treatment immediately following the incident and according to a family lawyer, was hospitalized.
Zwerner, who was shot in the hand and chest, was in the hospital for several weeks before returning home last week.
After the shooting, district officials promised to increase security measures at all schools. Newport News School Board chair Lisa Surles-Law said at a press conference a week after the shooting that with support from the city, the district was able to purchase metal detectors for every school and would install them as soon as they were purchased.
She said the district would have metal detectors at Richneck when the school reopened.
"The school board is fully committed to restoring our teachers, staff and community's trust and confidence in the division and to do the work that is needed to be done to keep our school communities safe," Surles-Law said at the press conference.
Newport News had metal detectors available for targeted use, former Superintendent George Parker said immediately after the shooting.
"Those are things we'll have to consider moving forward again," he said at the time.
"I cannot control access to weapons. My teachers cannot control access to weapons. ... We do respond to whatever we have come on campus, but again, it comes on campus because of access in the community."
The Newport News school board voted last week to remove Parker from his position the same day a lawyer for Zwerner said the 25-year-old teacher plans to sue the school system.
"It is important that we state that this decision was made without cause as Dr. Parker is a capable division leader who has served NNPS for nearly five years through some extremely challenging circumstances," Surles-Law said.
"This decision based on the future trajectory and needs of our school division."
Former Richneck principal Briana Foster Newton was also removed from her post following the shooting, but remains employed by the district.
