Thursday, January 8, 2009

Murder Touches One of My Students

Crime scene


When I was taking roll this morning I noticed that one of my new students was absent. Minutes later I received a call and was asked to send him to Guidance when he came in. I didn't get to check my email until second period because I was busy teaching the kids about demographics.

This is the tragic email I received with X's where names would be.

This morning I spoke to XXX XXXX, the mother of one of your students, XXX XXXX. She wanted XXX's teachers know that his brother passed away this week. The body of the brother, XXX XXXX, was found in Calhoun yesterday, and police are investigating the death as a homicide. No funeral arrangements have been made yet. I will let you know if I hear anything more.

How sad. I scoured the local paper online and didn't find it because in the paper the brother's name was not mentioned.

Here is the story from the paper in Calhoun:

A body was found this afternoon behind the Kmart on South Wall Street in Calhoun. According to Lt. Tony Pyle, a detective with the Calhoun Police Department: The body of a white male, estimated to be in his late teens or early 20s, was discovered behind the store on the edge of a woodline around 3 p.m. It was found by a person driving on a cut-through road behind the building.

Pyle said the body is being sent to the GBI crime lab in Atlanta for investigation and identification. “We’re still working on the victim’s identity since there was no wallet or ID with the body,” Pyle said. “And the GBI has been called in to assist in the investigation. “The case is being worked as a homicide right now, but that’s protocol. Anything that seems like it’s not a natural death is initially treated as a homicide.” Pyle said detectives are continuing the investigation this evening and he said within the next 24 hours, police hope to confirm the victim’s identity.

Another former student tried to re-register for school but was arrested and removed from campus. This is the same boy that punched my file cabinet and left a huge dent the size of his fist that's there even now almost a year later. In addition to harassing and threatening me, he had threatened one of the assistant principals, stalked a female student, and threatened another male student. He was told he would not be allowed back on campus. Yet he tried to sneak back on and re-register. He was discovered immediately, arrested for trespassing, and escorted off campus. Great.

Yesterday I took up a phone and a student grabbed my hand and squeezed his nails into my hands. Today I was called up to the office to be told that he would behave or be kicked out of school. Some people just don't understand how difficult it is to be a teacher. Sweeping and working on my blog are what I use to detox from my day.

Well I did get to enter a couple of blog contests but so far no new wins for th new year. Here they are:

1 Picture Keeper Digital Photo Storage Device

http://katydidandkid.blogspot.com/2009/01/new-year-new-you-giveaway.html

Prize: Red themed dinner party set from Social Couture

Prize: Mia Belle Bunny Pal and Pacifier Clip Set.

Prizes (3): Premade photo greeting design from Photo Greetings.

Prizes (5): Food to Live By: The Earthbound Farm Organic Cookbook

Prize: Winner's choice of Smaller baby shoes

Prize: Philips Docking Entertainment System DC910.

3 comments:

silverhartgirl said...

I am so sorry for the family and friends of the boy. That is... just beyond sad.
It is so scary the violence in schools.

Stephen said...

I work with the mother of the victim. I was so horrified when I learned of this earlier today, I just couldn't believe it. These people are some of the nicest people I know and and I just cannot believe that such a thing could happen. You think that living in a small town such as this, we can escape some of the crime that plagues the rest of the country. It's moments like these that we remember that violence and crime are problems that know no boundaries. To the family and friends of the victim, I'm here for you guys.

Stephen said...

Some of your information is a bit missinformed, by the way