The plot was foiled when concerned parents and a school board member became aware of the plan reported.
Word initially got out when the students told their classmates about their evil plot.
The students said they were going to cover the classroom with hand sanitiser after they found out their female teacher was highly allergic to antibacterial products.
In a report provided by the Genesee County Sheriff’s Department, they said “the suspects made comments to other students that they were going to kill [the teacher] by putting antibacterial products around the classroom”.
When youth officers interviewed the suspected students with their parents and school officials present one student stated that her teacher “yells at us and that the class has problems with her.”
In the end police handed the matter back over to the school to deal with.
“When we realised they never followed through with it and they told us they had no intention of following through, we said there was not much we can do,” Genesee County Sheriff Chief Investigator Jerome E. Brewster
“We suggested they turn it over to youth court, but (the school) indicated they were going to handle it internally.”
While a motive isn’t clear, the Genesee County Sheriff’s Department report indicated alleged bullying in the classroom, and the officers were told that particular class of fourth graders “had problems working together.”
Elba Superintendent Jerome Piwko issued a statement regarding the incident:
“It has been widely reported that certain fourth grade students had been discussing a way to harm a teacher in the Elba Central School District. This event has been a shock to our community and school. The District cannot comment on the specifics of this event, including discipline, as the information is protected from disclosure under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. The reports in the media and on social media do not accurately reflect the entire event.”
