The Kids Are Alright?

A plot by several third-graders to attack and "overthrow" one of their teachers was foiled Tuesday at a school in Waycross,Georgia after a student reported one of her classmates brought a weapon to school.Police seized a broken steak knife, handcuffs, duct tape, electrical and transparent tape, ribbons and a crystal paperweight from the students, who apparently intended to use them against the teacher, and all kids involved were either 8 or 9 years old!WTF???
While school admininstration said all students involved in the scheme have been indefinitely suspended,they cannot be charged with a crime under state law because they are under 13!Mothers of other 3rd grade students have joined forces to demand the participants be expelled for the safety of their own kids.
Chillingly,they had the whole thing planned out-even conspiring to cover the windows so nobody could see in and witness the impending attack.The teacher reportedly was a 3rd grade"special ed" teacher,and instructed children with ADD,and other developmental problems.The plot was in retaliation to her disciplining a classmate for standing on a chair.
While some people may find this amusing,I think it is extremely disturbing.Had these kids had the opportunity to set their plan in motion they could have seriously injured or even killed the teacher.(and in accordance to Georgia law,gotten away with murder!)There is nothing "special" about these special ed kids,they demonstrated that by working in tandem to cook up an ambush!Is this what schools are coming to?What about the kids with learning disabilities who truly need special education?They clearly are not getting the attention they require if the teacher is pre-occupied with controlling kids who have severe personality disorders.
And just because they under 13 and cannot be prosecuted does not mean it is out of the states hands.Social Services should do independent investigations into each of these children because plotting to kill an adult,a teacher no less,is NOT normal!Are they growing up in homes with domestic violence,sexual abuse,substance abuse,or mental illness?We cannot sit back and wait until they older and not intervene.Incidents like Jonesboro prove that even young kids can pull off school massacres and they did not just "snap" one day-there were signs of trouble before they decided to shoot up the school.