Texas Teacher Stabbed to Death by Student

[Kythas]

http://www.abcnews.go.com/US/texas-teac ... id=8653789

A Texas teacher who helped children with special needs by playing them the guitar was stabbed to death by a juvenile student at a high school in Tyler on Wednesday morning, authorities said. Todd Henry, 50, was stabbed in the neck and shoulders in a classroom at John Tyler High School a little before 9 a.m. CDT, according to police.

Todd Henry, 50, was stabbed in the neck and shoulders in a classroom at John Tyler High School a little before 9 a.m. CDT, according to police.

The attacker, who is in custody, has not yet been identified. Police haven't said whether the suspect was a special-needs student or what led up to the attack.

Henry was in the classroom with a paraprofessional and three students, one of whom is the alleged killer, said Randy Reed, superintendent of the Tyler Independent School District.

Following the incident, Henry was rushed to a local hospital. The school was placed on lockdown and the student was taken in to custody by school district police.

Reed said the attack was "not gang related or racially motivated. All reports suggest this was a random act by a single student."

Henry, a father and a grandfather, was an "accomplished and respected guitarist" who worked as a music therapist with special-needs students at the school, his brother Jody Henry told the Associated Press.

Classes were cancelled at 10:45 a.m., when many parents arrived to pick up students from the building.

Local police are cooperating with the school district's own police force, Don Martin, spokesman for the Tyler Police Department told ABC News.com.

The accused student "has been taken to Smith County Detention Center, a juvenile facility," Martin said.

The local Tyler Morning Telegraph reported the police scanner chatter "indicated that a fight escalated to the point that [school district] police had to call for backup from Tyler Police."

Locals in Tyler were reeling from the shock, some of them seeking solace in New Life Community Church across the street from the high school.

"He was a very good friend of mine and we all loved him very much. Him and his family are in my prayers, as well as the student and the student's family that was involved in the altercation," Tiffany Channon told ABC News affiliate KLTV.

[Keith B]

This is a tough situation. A lot of these kids are pretty troubled that are in the special needs programs. My wife substitutes in these classes frequently, anywhere from kindergarten to Sr. High School. She is always on her guard for any escalation of physical aggression by a student. They had one of their full-time teachers who ended up with a broken finger last year, just by a student in grade school.

[smyrna]

This is a tough situation. A lot of these kids are pretty troubled that are in the special needs programs.

This incident is evidence of the larger problem that schools face; that is, our schools have become responsible for EVERY aspect of not only educating, but in most cases, raising kids at whatever expense to the system or those within it. No doubt that this kid had "issues", mental, emotional and/or social. That's an easy case to make. Sane people don't go around stabbing and killing in cold blood.

[nils]

Plenty of sane people go around killing in cold blood....I'd say the majority of killers are sane....legally. I used to teach special needs kids, and it sucked!!!! They were great, hearts of gold, but they were disturbed to the hilt. Even if you try to help them with an honest effort, most of the time it doesn't matter for the seriously disturbed ones. Because of abuse, drug use while in the womb, or just a regular mental impairment, some of these kids will never get better. This kid may have seen the teacher as a threat, even though he wasn't, and that's part of the problem. If this is the class, prison is not the answer....send him to a hospital where he can get help...if he doesn't improve while there.............KEEP HIM IN THERE FOREVER.

[smyrna]

Plenty of sane people go around killing in cold blood....I'd say the majority of killers are sane....legally.

I agree with what you say in the "legal" sense. Unfortunately, I think sanity, or lack thereof, has been used to pervert the justice system. I don't buy the politically correct bull about someone's background, upbringing, drug use, playing video games, the devil made me do it, or whatever, being an excuse for taking human life. The local news has already reported all the reasons why this was a tragedy for the kid as well...he was a Katrina evacuee, in and out of Juvee, family struggles, blah, blah, blah.

Does it explain it or provide motive? Perhaps...but in my opinion, that's insane! (not in the "legal" sense I understand)

Should it absolve that person from responsibility of his actions? No way. And, in the rare case that someone could convince me that a person in a similar situation was actually legally "cuckoo for coco puffs," and they couldn't have possibly known what they were doing or the outcome of their actions, well then, that goes back to my earlier post about this being a symptom of the larger problem of education. Schools are expected to, and in most cases legally bound to, educate practically EVERYONE that graces their door at the expense of others within the system.

[Bisley]

I live in that school district, and I spent a very large chunk of my hard-earned wages, for many years, so that my two daughters would not have to attend that school and grow up in that culture. Meanwhile, all my tax dollars went to support that school, anyway, so as you can imagine, I am a major proponent of school vouchers. For those of you who have put a kid through college, imagine the financial strain if you had to pay that kind of money from kindergarten on through college. No nice pickup trucks, or expensive hunting trips, or fishing boats...

In my opinion, the school boards should hire a significant number of teachers that are capable of undergoing an abbreviated law enforcement training regimen, so that they might be deputized. A school could then hire as many teacher/LEO qualified people as the individual school boards deemed necessary. Of course, legislation would be required that would protect everybody from some of the liability, and that's probably what would kill the whole idea, but there may come a day when it could happen.

[Rodrockinoff]

I am a a retired music professor (and CHL) at the university where Todd Henry did his training years ago. He was a fine musician, an excellent student, and a very sensitive and caring person. Everyone liked him. He was, however, not one who would be interested in any handgun or defensive training (in my estimation). He was vulnerable, no doubt, because he had great respect for everyone and expected all that back. He got it for many years... until that day. I hope his family is dealing with this O.K. What a loss!

[Bisley]

I am a a retired music professor (and CHL) at the university where Todd Henry did his training years ago. He was a fine musician, an excellent student, and a very sensitive and caring person. Everyone liked him. He was, however, not one who would be interested in any handgun or defensive training (in my estimation). He was vulnerable, no doubt, because he had great respect for everyone and expected all that back. He got it for many years... until that day. I hope his family is dealing with this O.K. What a loss!

It's true that most teachers would not avail themselves of the option I suggested, even if it were offered to them. And it's also likely that being armed would not have saved Mr. Henry, even if he had been inclined to use a weapon against a student. My understanding is that he was taken completely by surprise, and had no chance, whatsoever, to protect himself.

My reasons for suggesting that a few teachers be trained as deputies are more because of the many other incidents that have occurred in schools, many of which could have been minimized or prevented altogether by one armed person. Mr. Henry's demise only reminded me of the risks some teachers face, in some schools. My oldest daughter is a high school counselor and deals with those kids that the school system refers to as 'at risk' students, so this is always very much on my mind.

[Harley rider 55]

It sounds like Earl Campbell's high school has gone downhill.

[Abraham]

This is heart breaking.

I'm very grateful my daughter home schools my Grand children.

They aren't exposed to all the harm available at public or private schools.