Oxford School Officials Announce Investigation into Shooting-The New York Times

2021-12-08 11:00:47 By : Mr. Mike M

The school district gave a version of the incident for the first time. In a letter to parents and staff, it also stated that it will seek outside investigations.

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On Saturday, Oxford Community School in the Michigan School District of Oxford High School announced in a letter to parents and staff that it would seek an outside group to investigate the November 30 shooting that killed four students and injured many others. The 15-year-old shooting suspect Ethan Crumbley was charged with murder and terrorism. His parents James and Jennifer Crumbley were charged with manslaughter. Each of them pleaded not guilty.

In addition to releasing information about the investigation, Tim Throne, the head of the school district, disclosed in his letter details of what happened before the shooting, including school officials and Ethan Crubley (Ethan Crubley). Crumbley)’s two meetings, this is the first time the school district provides an event version.

The following are the five questions raised by the school in the letter.

Mr. Throne said that outsiders will check any communications received by the school and "any and all interactions" of Ethan Crumbley with faculty, staff and students. Mr. Throne also stated that the school district plans to ask an independent safety consultant to review the district’s safety practices and procedures.

On November 29, Mr. Throne wrote that a teacher in class saw Mr. Crumbley viewing images of bullets on his mobile phone. The letter said that a counselor and a staff member met with him, and he stated that shooting is a family hobby. The school tried to contact Ms. Crumbley, but did not receive an immediate response. The letter said that the next day, Mr. Crubley’s parents confirmed his statement.

On the morning of November 30th, the day of the shooting, a teacher observed Mr. Crumbley's painting, which aroused people's attention. The prosecutor Karen D. McDonald of Oakland County, Michigan, said the painting depicts a gun, a man who was shot, a laughing emoji, and “blood everywhere. "And "Thoughts have triumphed" images. do not stop. help me. "

Mr. Throne said the teacher notified the school counselor and student dean. Mr. Crumbley was immediately taken out of the classroom and taken to the counselor’s office, where he claimed that the painting was part of a video game he was designing, Mr. Throne said.

According to this letter, it was difficult for the school to reach Mr. Crumbley's parents, and he stayed in the office for an hour and a half before they arrived. During this time, school officials observed and talked to Mr. Crumbley.

Mr. Throne said that after his parents arrived, school officials asked “specific exploratory questions” about the possibility of Mr. Crumbley harming others or himself. The superintendent said that Mr. Crubley’s answer was confirmed by his parents, which led the counselor to conclude that he had no intention of harming anyone.

"The counselor never thought that the student might harm others based on his seemingly calm behavior, reaction, and demeanor," Mr. Throne wrote when referring to the two meetings.

It is recommended to provide counseling services to Mr. Crumbley. His parents were told that they had 48 hours to seek counseling services for their children, otherwise the school would contact the child protection service agency, Mr. Throne wrote.

"When the parents were asked to take their son home for a day," he wrote, "they categorically refused and did not leave without the son, apparently going back to work."

Because their son had not violated any discipline before, “decided to send him back to the classroom instead of being sent home to an empty house.”

According to this letter, decisions related to these two meetings are still made by the guidance counselor and have never been promoted to the office of the principal or assistant principal. Counselors make judgments based on their training and clinical experience. Mr. Throne said, "There are not all the facts that we know now."

Mr. Throne said that whether Mr. Crumbley had a gun in his backpack during the meeting “has not been confirmed by law enforcement, nor by our current investigation.” But Mr. Throne wrote, “The student’s parents never told the school district that he could Direct contact with guns, or they recently bought a gun for him."