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Seaside High School Students Injured by Teacher with Gun
Dennis Alexander—who also serves as Mayor Pro Tem in Seaside and a reserve police officer—was teaching a lesson on gun safety when his pistol discharged. The bullet struck the classroom’s ceiling, ejecting shrapnel that lodged in a 17-year-old’s neck; two other students were injured by falling debris.
California High School Students Injured by Teacher with Gun
In Northern California, three students were injured Tuesday when a teacher trained in the use of firearms accidentally fired a bullet from his gun in a classroom at Seaside High School, near Monterey. Dennis Alexander—who also serves as a city councilmember and a reserve police officer—was teaching a lesson on gun safety when his pistol discharged. The bullet struck the classroom’s ceiling, ejecting shrapnel that lodged in a 17-year-old’s neck; two other students were injured by falling debris. The incident came as President Trump and the NRA are pushing to arm teachers and school staff nationwide in the wake of the Parkland high school massacre.
In Northern California, three students were injured Tuesday when a teacher trained in the use of firearms accidentally fired a bullet from his gun in a classroom at Seaside High School, near Monterey. Dennis Alexander—who also serves as a city councilmember and a reserve police officer—was teaching a lesson on gun safety when his pistol discharged. The bullet struck the classroom’s ceiling, ejecting shrapnel that lodged in a 17-year-old’s neck; two other students were injured by falling debris. The incident came as President Trump and the NRA are pushing to arm teachers and school staff nationwide in the wake of the Parkland high school massacre.
For more information:
https://www.democracynow.org/2018/3/15/hea...
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Seaside High School published the following "Important Safety Message" on their website:
The safety and well-being of students and staff are high priorities for the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District. Today, an accident occurred in the Administration of Justice class at Seaside High School. During class, the teacher, who is also a reserve police officer, accidentally discharged his firearm during a lesson while it was pointed at the ceiling, and debris from the ceiling then fell.
Upon learning of the incident, school site administration, the District Office, and the Seaside Police Department immediately began investigating, including interviewing students in the class. It was determined that there was no immediate threat to students or staff, and school remained in session.
Due to the nature of this personnel incident, we are unable to share any other details at this time. The teacher has been placed on administrative leave for the duration of the on-going investigation.
California law prohibits firearms on campus, and MPUSD’s Board of Education policy prohibits any person other than authorized law enforcement or security personnel from possessing weapons, imitation firearms, or dangerous instruments of any kind in school buildings, on school grounds or buses, or at a school-related or school-sponsored activity away from school, or while going to or coming from school.
As we move forward, counseling services will be available for students should they seek it.
The safety of students is always our top priority, and we will continue to remain vigilant in our efforts to keep them safe while they are under our care.
The safety and well-being of students and staff are high priorities for the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District. Today, an accident occurred in the Administration of Justice class at Seaside High School. During class, the teacher, who is also a reserve police officer, accidentally discharged his firearm during a lesson while it was pointed at the ceiling, and debris from the ceiling then fell.
Upon learning of the incident, school site administration, the District Office, and the Seaside Police Department immediately began investigating, including interviewing students in the class. It was determined that there was no immediate threat to students or staff, and school remained in session.
Due to the nature of this personnel incident, we are unable to share any other details at this time. The teacher has been placed on administrative leave for the duration of the on-going investigation.
California law prohibits firearms on campus, and MPUSD’s Board of Education policy prohibits any person other than authorized law enforcement or security personnel from possessing weapons, imitation firearms, or dangerous instruments of any kind in school buildings, on school grounds or buses, or at a school-related or school-sponsored activity away from school, or while going to or coming from school.
As we move forward, counseling services will be available for students should they seek it.
The safety of students is always our top priority, and we will continue to remain vigilant in our efforts to keep them safe while they are under our care.
For more information:
http://seasidehigh.mpusd.k12.ca.us/cms/blo...
[ City of Seaside, California where Sand City Police Reserve Officer and teacher Dennis Alexander fired a gun inside a classroom. ]
Dennis Alexander: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know
A high school teacher in California accidentally fired a gun in a class full of students during a demonstration on gun safety Tuesday afternoon.
Dennis Alexander, a long time teacher, a former Peace Corps volunteer, involved in scores of community-based programs as a volunteer, a reserve police officer, teaches his math class in Spanish, and is Mayor Pro Tem of the city of Seaside, apologized to his students and was then placed on leave following the incident.
1. California Teacher Dennis Alexander Fired a Gun Accidentally in a Law Enforcement Class
Seaside High School teacher Dennis Alexander fired a gun during his ‘Administration of Justice’ class in Sand City, California Tuesday afternoon. Alexander was demonstrating how to handle a gun safely when it fired.
Under California law, teachers are not permitted to be armed. Alexander is a reserve police officer for the Sand City Police Department and while had a permit for the gun, it’s illegal for him to possess much less handle it, especially loaded, in a classroom.
Alexander was showing the teens how to disarm someone and had the gun pointed up when it went off hitting the ceiling, shattering a section and pieces fell to the floor.
2. Police Said There Were No Serious Injuries, But 3 Students Were Hurt
The Seaside Police Department said there were no “serious injuries” in the incident. But a father told local media he and his wife were shocked when their 17-year-old son came home from school with blood on his shirt and shell fragments in his neck. The father, Fermin Gonzalez said his son was hurt when fragments flew after the bullet ricocheted off the ceiling and embedded in his son’s neck. The parents took the teen to the hospital but were angered that neither school officials nor police notified them of the incident or their son’s injuries. The family filed a police report.
3. Alexander Was Placed on Administrative Leave From the Sand City Police Department
The chief of police told local media he had “concerns” about why Alexander had a loaded firearm in the school, which is prohibited and then fired it, albeit accidentally, in a classroom of kids.
Sand City Police Chief Brian Ferrante told local TV news station KSBW he’d be “looking into that.”
4. The Superintendent Said Parents Are Questioning ‘Why a Teacher Would Be Pointing a Loaded Firearm at the Ceiling in Front of Students’
“I think a lot of questions on parents’ minds are, why a teacher would be pointing a loaded firearm at the ceiling in front of students,” Monterey Peninsula Unified School District Superintendent PK Diffenbaugh said, to state the obvious, parents are likely concerned about why a teacher would point a loaded firearm at a ceiling in a room full of students.
Ironically perhaps, the school district posted a school safety symposium salted for next week on its Facebook page Monday but posted nothing about the incident at Seaside and the high school did not post anything on its homepage that was visible or on its Facebook page.
Tuesday Diffenbaugh sent a letter to parents and posted on the district website: “We want to make you aware of an accident that occurred in the Administration of Justice class today at Seaside High School. As some of you may know, the teacher is a reserve police officer. Today, during class, the teacher accidentally discharged his firearm during a lesson while it was pointed at the ceiling. Debris from the ceiling then fell. Upon learning of the incident, our Human Resources department, school site administration and the Seaside Police Department immediately began investigating the incident, including interviewing students in the class. We will also have counseling services available for students. Due to the nature of this personnel incident, we are unable to share any other details. The teacher has been placed on administrative leave for the duration of the on-going investigation. The safety of your student is always our top priority, and we will continue to remain vigilant in our efforts to keep them safe while they are under our care.”
5. Alexander, Seaside City Councilor Mayor Pro Tem, Decorated Reserve Police, Math Teacher & Volunteer, Has Both Supporters & Detractors, the Latter Are Against Guns in Schools
Former student Ev Valle defended his teacher: “Mr Alexander was one of the best teachers I had at Seaside High. Really hope he can go back to teaching after this (even if this was a completely dumb move). Don’t even want to read the comments on KSBW TV Action News 8’s page because this guy has contributed more to his community than some rando spitting garbage on Facebook.
Alexander has served as a reserve officer for more than a decade and was named Reserve Officer of the Year in 2013 by the California Reserve Peace Officers Association for heroics during the course of duty, Ferrante told local media that Alexander, who has a history of positive professionalism. Alexander is also a Seaside City Council member who teaches mathematics in Spanish.
But some argue this is a prime example of why not to arm educators. Michael Wells posted on Facebook, “Another for the ‘This arming teachers thing is a really bad idea’ files. And this guy was a trained reserve police officer. He planned to teach his students how to disarm someone and fired the gun at the ceiling to make sure it wasn’t loaded… yes, seriously. Because using anything besides a gun wouldn’t have been as effective I guess and the best way to unload a gun is to shoot it in a class full of kids.
“This guy is a cop! His gun went off. Explain to me how we’re supposed to trust all teachers with weapons in the class! BTW… there was a police officer in Seaside during my years there. He NEVER took his firearm out. We didn’t even know if he had it with him.”
Dennis Alexander: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know
A high school teacher in California accidentally fired a gun in a class full of students during a demonstration on gun safety Tuesday afternoon.
Dennis Alexander, a long time teacher, a former Peace Corps volunteer, involved in scores of community-based programs as a volunteer, a reserve police officer, teaches his math class in Spanish, and is Mayor Pro Tem of the city of Seaside, apologized to his students and was then placed on leave following the incident.
1. California Teacher Dennis Alexander Fired a Gun Accidentally in a Law Enforcement Class
Seaside High School teacher Dennis Alexander fired a gun during his ‘Administration of Justice’ class in Sand City, California Tuesday afternoon. Alexander was demonstrating how to handle a gun safely when it fired.
Under California law, teachers are not permitted to be armed. Alexander is a reserve police officer for the Sand City Police Department and while had a permit for the gun, it’s illegal for him to possess much less handle it, especially loaded, in a classroom.
Alexander was showing the teens how to disarm someone and had the gun pointed up when it went off hitting the ceiling, shattering a section and pieces fell to the floor.
2. Police Said There Were No Serious Injuries, But 3 Students Were Hurt
The Seaside Police Department said there were no “serious injuries” in the incident. But a father told local media he and his wife were shocked when their 17-year-old son came home from school with blood on his shirt and shell fragments in his neck. The father, Fermin Gonzalez said his son was hurt when fragments flew after the bullet ricocheted off the ceiling and embedded in his son’s neck. The parents took the teen to the hospital but were angered that neither school officials nor police notified them of the incident or their son’s injuries. The family filed a police report.
3. Alexander Was Placed on Administrative Leave From the Sand City Police Department
The chief of police told local media he had “concerns” about why Alexander had a loaded firearm in the school, which is prohibited and then fired it, albeit accidentally, in a classroom of kids.
Sand City Police Chief Brian Ferrante told local TV news station KSBW he’d be “looking into that.”
4. The Superintendent Said Parents Are Questioning ‘Why a Teacher Would Be Pointing a Loaded Firearm at the Ceiling in Front of Students’
“I think a lot of questions on parents’ minds are, why a teacher would be pointing a loaded firearm at the ceiling in front of students,” Monterey Peninsula Unified School District Superintendent PK Diffenbaugh said, to state the obvious, parents are likely concerned about why a teacher would point a loaded firearm at a ceiling in a room full of students.
Ironically perhaps, the school district posted a school safety symposium salted for next week on its Facebook page Monday but posted nothing about the incident at Seaside and the high school did not post anything on its homepage that was visible or on its Facebook page.
Tuesday Diffenbaugh sent a letter to parents and posted on the district website: “We want to make you aware of an accident that occurred in the Administration of Justice class today at Seaside High School. As some of you may know, the teacher is a reserve police officer. Today, during class, the teacher accidentally discharged his firearm during a lesson while it was pointed at the ceiling. Debris from the ceiling then fell. Upon learning of the incident, our Human Resources department, school site administration and the Seaside Police Department immediately began investigating the incident, including interviewing students in the class. We will also have counseling services available for students. Due to the nature of this personnel incident, we are unable to share any other details. The teacher has been placed on administrative leave for the duration of the on-going investigation. The safety of your student is always our top priority, and we will continue to remain vigilant in our efforts to keep them safe while they are under our care.”
5. Alexander, Seaside City Councilor Mayor Pro Tem, Decorated Reserve Police, Math Teacher & Volunteer, Has Both Supporters & Detractors, the Latter Are Against Guns in Schools
Former student Ev Valle defended his teacher: “Mr Alexander was one of the best teachers I had at Seaside High. Really hope he can go back to teaching after this (even if this was a completely dumb move). Don’t even want to read the comments on KSBW TV Action News 8’s page because this guy has contributed more to his community than some rando spitting garbage on Facebook.
Alexander has served as a reserve officer for more than a decade and was named Reserve Officer of the Year in 2013 by the California Reserve Peace Officers Association for heroics during the course of duty, Ferrante told local media that Alexander, who has a history of positive professionalism. Alexander is also a Seaside City Council member who teaches mathematics in Spanish.
But some argue this is a prime example of why not to arm educators. Michael Wells posted on Facebook, “Another for the ‘This arming teachers thing is a really bad idea’ files. And this guy was a trained reserve police officer. He planned to teach his students how to disarm someone and fired the gun at the ceiling to make sure it wasn’t loaded… yes, seriously. Because using anything besides a gun wouldn’t have been as effective I guess and the best way to unload a gun is to shoot it in a class full of kids.
“This guy is a cop! His gun went off. Explain to me how we’re supposed to trust all teachers with weapons in the class! BTW… there was a police officer in Seaside during my years there. He NEVER took his firearm out. We didn’t even know if he had it with him.”
For more information:
https://heavy.com/news/2018/03/dennis-alex...
> 3. Alexander Was Placed on Administrative Leave From the Sand City Police Department
Ah yes, good old paid vacation as punishment for a gun crime. Two sets of rules...
Ah yes, good old paid vacation as punishment for a gun crime. Two sets of rules...
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