Teacher killed, Leeds

[bleedingheart]

Just heard on the news that a female teacher has been stabbed to death by a 15 yr old student. This has made me go so cold. That poor woman.

[catsrus]

eviltwin I think you need to back off - you clearly don't understand the impact of Ann Maguire on her pupils, she was more than just a teacher to most of them. It's been like losing a family member for them so they are desperate to understand why this happened.

I don't live in Leeds now - but have spent a lot of time over the last few days talking to family back there and the people who knew her are devastated and in shock.

[EvilTwins]

I think you'll find I do understand, for a range of reasons I don 't feel the need to pour out on the internet. I find the whole "I used to go to that school/I know someone who goes to that school and therefore I'm involved" thing distasteful and insensitive. There are children who were in the room at the time, colleagues who are probably in shock, thinking "shit, it could have been me" but are soldiering on, children who might have been hurt in the altercation, a widower, two women who have lost their daughter. An ex-student of the school comes pretty far down the list of people who "deserve" something out of this.

[EvilTwins]

Sorry, lost their mother.

[Feenie]

I have to agree with Eviltwins there - they are the facts of the justice system. You're entitled to find out whatever is made public legally. That's it.

[catsrus]

to be honest I find it distasteful when people seek to negate or minimise other people's grief.. It's not a competition. It's clear from everything that has been said, the reports in the media, the interviews with past and present students that this was an exceptionally well loved woman whose loss is being deeply felt by a whole community. People who feel they have suffered a loss are looking for answers, I don't think being picky with them about the words they are using is either kind or helpful in the circumstances.

leedsgirl I hope you and your friends support each other through this and hold onto the memory of what a wonderful woman she clearly was. How fantastic to have been loved by so many pupils over so many years, pretty amazing in my experience.

[Feenie]

It isn't a case of being picky - it's what the law requires. The child concerned has to have a fair trial and the facts reported will be what is legally admissable after that process has been carried out.

[EvilTwins]

Exactly, Feenie, and if I was someone who,was actually involved (as in I was there, or the victim was a relative), I'd be pretty pissed off by the bandwagon-jumping.

[clam]

People who feel they have suffered a loss are looking for answers.
Maybe they are, but I don't think "deserve" is the appropriate term either.

[catsrus]

Isn't it possible to be a bit kinder to people who say they are grieving? Whether we think they they have the right to grieve or not? in circumstances like this I would rather see less of some of the judge pants posts, this is not AIBU - but maybe that's just me.

[BorisJohnsonsHairdresser]

Leedsgirl, here is your answer.

People are not perfect and sometimes make bad choices.

[Abra1d]

The child concerned has to have a fair trial


Yes, and the word 'child' needs to be underlined too.

[pumpkinsweetie]

Only on mumsnet
Never mind the child, he deserves a prison sentence.
He is a year of 16, he knew what he was doing!

Leave your concerns for the teacher's family & her children that now have no mother!

[BorisJohnsonsHairdresser]

He is a child and a human being, he deserves a fair trial.

[Feenie]

Leave your concerns for the teacher's family & her children that now have no mother!

It is not a competition. I can be concerned for Ann Maguire and her family, and for the mother whose 15 year old son will not be returning home. I can also have concerns for whatever dreadful circumstances led this boy to do what he did, if they ever come to light.

I sincerely hope MN isn't the only place where I may have to rank or conpartmentalise my compassion for other human beings.