Middle school teacher arrested for allegedly storing gun for student in her classroom
Two middle students and their teacher were arrested for carrying a gun on campus, which the employee hid in her classroom.
The Winston-Salem Journal reports that Sarah Melissa Wilson, 25, a language-arts teacher at Paisley Magnet School in Winston-Salem, North Carolina was charged on Monday with “aid a minor to possess a firearm on educational property” after voluntarily surrendering to police. Her first court date is on May 30.
According to a report sent to Yahoo Lifestyle from the Winston-Salem Police Department, during the week of April 22, a student told Wilson about a gun on campus and even gave it to her. Wilson then “allowed the firearm to be stored in the classroom” and the student to “retrieve the handgun near the conclusion of the school day.”
Investigators were led to Wilson while investigating a May 7 Snapchat video of the student with the gun. When officers found the gun two days later — in possession of a second student — they charged both children through the Forsyth County Juvenile Justice System.
A spokesperson from Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools sent Yahoo Lifestyle a press release from interim superintendent Dr. Kenneth Simington, in which he said Wilson was suspended.
“In recent days we have been made aware of two cases where weapons were found on one of our campuses,” he said. “This is alarming as safety is our top priority. We are sincerely thankful that students trust and are comfortable enough with our school leaders to tell them when something is not right. These incidents are concerning and highlight the continued need for us to work together as a community and make sure students and parents understand the dangers of unsecured weapons, the power of social media, and the importance of a student’s emotional well-being...”
“...Based on the police investigation at Paisley, we have suspended a teacher with pay pending further internal investigation. State personnel laws limit what we can say about this matter.”
Simington also communicated two different incidents within the district this week — on Sunday, an unknown person made a possible threat on social media toward Reynolds High School. Although police determined there was no credible threat, officers were stationed at the school for protection. And on Monday, a gun was seized from a student’s backpack at Northwest Middle School.
“Many of our staff members and administrators are parents too,” wrote Simington. “We understand threatening language and images of young people with weapons talking about harm to a school can be frightening. That is why we work to let parents know the facts, not the rumors, as soon as we can. We are lucky to have a strong partnership with law enforcement, and in these incidents Winston-Salem Police Officers serving as school resource officers could quickly respond. We follow their lead as they are seasoned professionals working to gain facts. Understand, however, we must not interfere with these critical investigations and releasing information too soon can do just that. Thankfully not every report is valid, or truthful, but all are taken seriously.”
Yahoo Lifestyle could not reach Wilson at any of her listed phone numbers for comment.
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