Bartley pleads guilty and is sentenced

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15-year-old Kenneth Bartley Jr., the gunman in the Campbell County High shooting, has pleaded guilty to the murder of Assistant Principal Ken Bruce and the attempted murders of Principal Gary Seale and Assistant Principal Jim Pierce. Bartley was sentenced to 45 years in prison on a charge of second-degree murder and two charges of second degree attempted murder. Bartley was looking at life sentences if he went to trial.

Personally, I’m pleased with the sentence. I feel that justice has been done.

Comments

36 responses to “Bartley pleads guilty and is sentenced”

April 10, 2007

Endersdragon

Personally I feel this is crap, he won’t survive 45 more years in jail, he is never going to have a halfway decent life. I am still wondering when we are going to sentence our first 10 year old (which is legal in a few states) to 45 or more years in prision.

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April 10, 2007

Endersdragon

PS from what I heard hes going right straight to adult jail where he gets the opportunity to be raped daily. How nice.

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April 10, 2007

Donna J. Seiber

No, he will be held in the juvenile facility he has been staying in until age 19. I don’t think this is crap. He killed someone, and left 2 others with permanant injuries.

And 45 years isn’t going to make one difference to Mr. Bruce’s children and grandchildren (when they have them)… I know his youngest son got married to his high school sweetheart last week.

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April 10, 2007

Endersdragon

So if any age kills someone and leaves 2 others with permanant injuries they deserve 45 years in prision. What about an abused neglected 10 year old (don’t laugh in a few states that is the min age to be declared an adult)?

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April 10, 2007

Trench

But we’re not talking about a 10-year-old are we?

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April 10, 2007

Trench

in jail, he is never going to have a halfway decent life

Ken Bruce has no life at all.

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April 11, 2007

Endersdragon

If you want to go there, Ken Bruce had a decent life, a luxury that Kenneth never had and never will get.

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April 11, 2007

Endersdragon

No but then again she based his punishment on the damage he caused not his age. That goes if he is 14, 10, or 6 the crime doesn’t change why should the punishment?

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April 11, 2007

Anonymous

I do stuff on a case by case basis. I don’t see any reason why he should be treated as a juvenile. Hainstock yes but in this case I see no abuse or anythign else, just a kid who needs to be kept in prison until his mean streak goes away.

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April 11, 2007

Endersdragon

I differ on the abuse, I am not sure if all of the reports are to believed but it sounds to me like he was both abused and neglected a bit. On top of that I have heard many stories that he should not have even been in that class but the super-intendent didn’t want to spend any extra money on him.

Regardless of that I am curious on what kids you feel should be treated as a juvenile and adult. How about Thomas White, John Odgren, and Andy Williams. Those are the 3 cases I am most interested in (2 for being similiar with the bullying and 1 for having the same disorder.) What do you think about those 3.

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April 11, 2007

redshadow68

What about the fact that he is FIFTEEN YEARS OLD for cryin’ out loud and that he KNEW better than to bring a freakin’ gun to school in the first place?? Abused or not, most teenagers know it’s *wrong* to bring a gun to school.

This isn’t a case where a 15 year old boy broke some windows in an abandoned building with his b.b. gun. He shot at people. He took someone’s life. Others were injured. Put yourself in the victim’s shoes for a split second and I’m sure you wouldn’t be worrying about Bartley’s survival in prison for the next 45 years.

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April 11, 2007

Jacob

Amen. Good to see some normal folks on here.

There are no winners here. It’ sad that an innocent man died. It’s sad that two individuals where shot on the thorax. It’s sad that a fifteen-year-old has to spend 25-45 years in jail. But, justice has been served. Besides, let’s look at some other cases where children killed. Lionel Tate a TWELVE-year-old, killed a girl accidentally and was sentenced to life in prison.

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April 11, 2007

Endersdragon

If he shot his parents would you say that this sentence fits. He lashed out against the wrong person (though I have heard even more rumors that the people he lashed out against knew about the abuse… thus implying a bad motive) but since when do we expect kids to lash out against the right person?

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April 11, 2007

Jacob

There is a HUGE difference between the mental capacity of a 10 year old and a 15 year old. The famed pscyhologist Erickson stated people enter adolescence at age 12. Now, should a 12-year-old be sentenced to life in prison? Already happened:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2001/03/09/national/main277536.shtml

(the child in the above case was 12 when it happened and 15 when he was sentenced).

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April 11, 2007

Trench

And Tate was released due to the “save the children” crowd and was arrested again for armed robbery.

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April 11, 2007

ZappaCrappa

“PS from what I heard hes going right straight to adult jail where he gets the opportunity to be raped daily. How nice.”

I hope it’s twice daily….with sand as a lubricant.

Yeah…I know…I’m a cold, unfeeling bastard…blah blah blah.

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April 11, 2007

Endersdragon

I would say you would be better off dead… but that would be mean… I will settle for steralized.

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April 11, 2007

Endersdragon

So 45 years for killing the people that have abused and neglected you not to mention the ones that denyed you treatment you despertly need to stay alive yourself. That makes sense.

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April 11, 2007

Endersdragon

Who’s to say that wasn’t because he learned to be a better criminal in juve (and I believe he ended up going to jail too.) And in many states a 10 year old can be tried as an adult, and most phycatrists don’t believe the part of your mind that controls impulses (which is what this was) isn’t fully developed until you are in your 20s.

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April 11, 2007

redshadow68

If he shot his parents would you say that this sentence fits.

Yes, I would say the sentence would fit in that case too. Last time I checked, parents were PEOPLE too.

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April 11, 2007

The Theorist

If Orson Scott Card saw this he’d sue you for using one of his characters names in your pursuit of…who knows.

The little bastard deserves whatever he gets.

And sand as a lubricant doesn’t begin to describe it.

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April 11, 2007

Endersdragon

I have used this name on the Hatrack Forums so whatever.

So you agree with pedophila and tourture??? I wonder if you have any child porn on your computer or just BDSM shit.

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April 12, 2007

D.P.

What are you talking about? You apparently agree with MURDER as a solution to personal problems! I would think that someone who seems to think it’s ok for a kid to walk up and shoot someone dead, because “someone hurt his wittle feelwings” wouldn’t bat an eye at torture and pedophilia. You my friend, place your sympathies in entirely the wrong place, and I can only wonder at what exactly makes you tick.

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April 12, 2007

Endersdragon

When did I ever say I agreed with murder? I just know what it is like to feel like there is no way out. To feel that you will never be accepted, always be abused, and to want to go after all those that notice this abuse and don’t give a damn.

I don’t think that a 14 year old is an adult. If a 14 year old is an adult they should get all the rights of adults. I hate to think that there are people in jail for having consentual sex with an “adult”.

The fact of the matter is Kenneth never had a chance. If his father hadn’t taken him out of rehab, if the super-intendant had took note of his problems instead of just the money he would cost, if the school administrators had followed policy, none of this would have ever happened.

Yet you think it is okay to rape a 15 year old. That is why I think you guys love pedophilia and torture.

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April 13, 2007

Alyric

Don’t bother. Just… don’t. Enders is a troll that cannot get through a single post without resorting to logical fallacies and/or personal attacks.

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April 13, 2007

D.P.

I noticed.

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April 13, 2007

Endersdragon

Just because you disagree with me doesn’t make me wrong. If one agrees with child rape I think that makes them a pedophile, and if that one wants them to “use sand” that makes them in favor of torture.

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April 16, 2007

Trench

It doesn’t matter anyway because Bartley isn’t going to adult jail until he’s 19.

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April 17, 2007

Donna J. Seiber

This has completly gotten off of the real problems. Kenny was in a facility to get help, his mother pulled him out early.

As far as if he had killed his parents…that is still murder even if they did abuse him which they did not. The only problems this punk had was he didn’t like authority, he had severe drug problems, and refused help offered to him. He had more opportunities than you know to get the help that he needed but he enjoyed his life of partying and drugs to much and wouldn’t give it up. And his parents DID NOT abuse him, in fact they also tried to force him to get help and he would run away from the facilities. His father pretty much disowned him because he knew that Kenny was a time bomb ticking. Everyone knew it, but like any bomb you never know when it is going to go off or what is going to set it off.

The 45 years is good for him. And I say that because with the charges pending without the gun on school property and the controlled substance charge he wouldn’t be eligible for parole for 51 years, so the other 2 charges would probably have added 10-20 more years before he could go up for parole. The choice was made in what was the best interest for Kenny.

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April 17, 2007

Endersdragon

You contradicted yourself there, you said both he ran away from facilities that his parents put him in and tried to give him help in. Then you said that he was pulled out early by his mother, if your mother wants you get help they don’t pull you out of a facility, no matter what you are saying.

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April 20, 2007

Bobbie Day

No worries guys, Kenneth is doing well. He has not been raped yet.
And Donna, just to set the record straight, Kenneth’s parents did not pull him out of a facility early. That information is false. The school said that to cover their ass. He completed the program, and received a certificate of completion. But they did not mention this in court, because his attorney thought it would look better for Kenneth if he did not complete the program. I disagree. I think it would have shown that he is capable of doing well given an atmosphere of structure and discipline.
Kenneth is not a bad kid. He is a troubled child who was grossly neglected. Not to mention that he had a huge drug problem that went unnoticed for years. A child that brings a loaded gun to school obviously has some serious problems. He wanted to sell the gun for Oxycontin after school. The kid was high on Valium at the time, snorting one right before he was called to the office by the SRO. He was never searched. The boy who told on him for having the gun was trying to get Xanax out of Kenneth’s pocket when he felt the gun. The boy did not tattle on Kenneth because he was concerned with the safety of others. He told because Kenneth would not give him any Xanax. The boy reported that Kenneth had a LOADED GUN ON HIS PERSON AND THIS IS WHAT THE SRO REPORTED TO THE VICE PRINCIPLE (PIERCE), YET HE STILL HAD KENNETH REMOVED FROM CLASS WITHOUT BEING SEARCHED AND WALKED DOWN THE MAIN SCHOOL HALLWAY AND INTO THE MAIN OFFICE. KENNETH SAT IN PIERCE’S OFFICE FOR CLOSE TO 20 MINUTES “MAKING SMALL TALK”, WITH NO MENTION OF THE WEAPON AND NO SIGNS OF ANY OUTWARD STRESS OR ANGER. THE POLICE SHOULD HAVE BEEN CALLED THE SECOND THE ADMINISTRATOR LEARNED THAT A STUDENT MAY HAVE A GUN ON THEIR PERSON, LIKE THE LAW REQUIRES THAT YOU DO EVEN IF YOU ONLY SPECULATE THAT A STUDENT MAY HAVE A WEAPON. THEY WAITED 40 MINUTES TO CALL THE POLICE FROM THE TIME THEY INITIALLY FOUND OUT ABOUT THE GUN. AND THE POLICE WERE NOT CALLED UNTIL AFTER THE TRAGEDY OCCURRED. AND THE SCHOOL WAS LOCKED DOWN ONLY AFTER THE SHOTS WERE FIRED AND THE BOY WAS SUBDUED. TOO LITTLE TOO LATE. THE PRINCIPALS REALIZED THEIR NEGLIGENCE WAS PARTLY TO BLAME FOR THE TRAGEDY. AT WHICH TIME THEY DECIDED TO MAKE IT LOOK LIKE AN INTENTIONAL ACT OF MALICE AND PREMEDITATION ON KENNETH’S PART BY CLAIMING THAT HE LOADED THE GUN IN FRONT OF THEM AND SAID, “I NEVER LIKED YOU ANYWAY.” SEALE TESTIFIED THAT BARTLEY TOSSED THE GUN FROM ONE HAND TO THE OTHER. WHAT IF? LIKE IT WAS A JOHN WAYNE MOVIE OR SOMETHING. WHILE KENNETH WAS LOADING THE GUN WOULD HAVE BEEN A GOOD TIME TO KNOCK IT OUT OF HIS HAND, DON’T YOU THINK? THE PRINCIPAL’S STORIES WERE SO INCONSISTENT WHEN THEY TESTIFIED AT THE TRANSFER HEARING THAT IT WAS ALMOST COMICAL. IN THE END KENNETH’S ATTORNEY DID NOT FIGHT FOR HIM. Kenneth should have been charged with what he was guilty of
1.) Manslaughter (3 to 6 years for a 1st time offender)
2.) Aggrevated assualt (1.5 years max)
3.)Aggrevated Assualt(1.5 years max) 4.) Possession of a weapon on school grounds. 5.)Possession of a Scheduled IV narcotic
And the two administrators need to be charged with 1.) Criminal Negligence for failing to follow appropriate safety procedures and for the gun shot wound that Kenneth Bartley sustained. Campbell County still does not have a contingency plan for these types of emergency situations. They should also be charged with Perjury, because they lied on the stand about Bartley loading the weapon and saying, “I never liked you anyway.” The fact that they lied at this child’s expense proves that they felt that they needed to cover something up.

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April 20, 2007

Bobbie Day

(The below letter was published in a local newspaper. The author was Anonymous.)

I have been following Kenneth Bartley’s case since day one, November 8th, 2005. I have been employed with the Department of Justice for over 20 years and I work closely with TBI. I am appalled at the level of vengeance and hate that people have for this child. He made a horrible decision, now he must suffer the consequences of his actions. I do agree that he needs to be held accountable. However, I do not think that he needs to be held solely responsible for this tragic incident. There is no way anyone can tell me that Kenneth Bartley went to school that day with the intention of killing anyone. I do not live in Campbell County, but I do know several people within your community who support this child, ranging from parents, administrators, law enforcement, friends of the Bruce family, and many others. You would be surprised to know all of the people who will be willing to testify in Kenneth’s defense in the event that his case does go to trial. People will come out of the word-work in the coming weeks. I can assure you of this. There are many people who know the truth. People are not as blinded by the media as one may think. People talk, word travels.
I am aware of what happened at Kenneth’s transfer hearing. And I must say, I was shocked to find that the testimony of six experts could be ignored. Six experts said that Kenneth Bartley was rehabilitatable. Ironically the doctor hired by the state to evaluate Kenneth, Vance Sherwood PhD., said that he was not rehabilitatable. He also testified that Kenneth was a Psychopath, a term deemed obsolete by The American Psychiatric Association, and a diagnosis not even recognized in the DSM-IV. Sociopath would be the correct term for this diagnosis. And a child cannot be diagnosed as a Sociopath until the age of 18 y/o, because children’s’ behaviors are constantly changing as they develop. Children who exhibit symptoms of conduct disorder or antisocial behavior are likely to change. And these disorders are reversible in adolescents. One would think that a doctor that is so well respected and revered would know this very common knowledge. Sherwood also testified that Valium and Xanax increased clarity of thought and reasoning. Valium and Xanax are classified as mild tranquilizers. The Psychiatrist (a medical doctor) testified that Vance Sherwood’s statements were in essence absurd and entirely untrue. These types of drugs by their very nature are prescribed to reduce anxiety. They have a calming effect and they impair one’s judgments and reasoning, and to slow motor movement and coordination. Vance Sherwood made a mockery out of the profession of Psychology and he was an embarrassment to the state, and to anyone who remotely knows about mental health. The three other doctor’s that testified proved this beyond a shadow of a doubt as well. Vance Sherwood was the only expert witness to testify that Kenneth was not rehabilitatable and that he was a Psychopath. Ironically, Vance Sherwood authored a book entitled, “Getting Past Resistance with the Out–of-Control Adolescentâ€ which details a “Plan of Treatmentâ€ for adolescents diagnosed with conduct disorder and anti-social personality disorder. VANCE SHERWOOD WROTE A BOOK ABOUT TREATING (REHABILITATING) ADOLESCENTS WITH THE SAME DISORDER THAT HE CLAIMS KENNETH HAS. It is clear that Vance Sherwood’s sole purpose was to demonize this child. He met with Kenneth one time for one hour. A diagnosis cannot be made based on one session.
Here are the facts:
1. Campbell County Comprehensive High School did not follow Federal and/or State Regulations/Laws.
2. Campbell County Comprehensive High School had NO policy/procedure for this type of emergency situation, even though it is required that all schools have a detailed plan of action for this type of emergency situation. They had no safety plan in place and no contingency plan set up.
3. The principal is the first in the chain of command. Peirce (Assistant Principal) decided to take matters into his own hands and have an untrained School Resource Officer get the student out of class and walk him down the HALLWAY AND INTO THE MAIN OFFICE.
4. The administrators put the lives of all students and staff at risk by walking an allegedly armed student down a school hallway and into a main office without being searched. And then sitting him in Pierce’s office for close to 20 minutes. Kenneth saw the student who told on him while he was in the office. Surely he knew at that point that the boy had told on him. Why not shoot him out of anger, if anyone? If this was an act of malice, don’t you think that Kenneth would have been volatile and obviously angered? He could have easily gotten up at any time and opened fire if he wanted to. But he did not, because this was not an intentional act of violence against the administrators. He sat calmly talking with Pierce for 20 minutes before Seale arrived.
5. At the first indication that a student may have a gun, the principal is by law, obligated to contact the police. But Pierce called Seale and gave no indication of an emergency situation. Thus Seale took his time getting back to the office, stopping by the guard shack to talk to another student. In the meantime, Kenneth Bartley sat waiting for the principal to arrive. The student was still not searched.
6. Why didn’t the School Resource Officer testify at Kenneth’s transfer hearing? Maybe because she would have indicated that the student exhibited no outward signs of distress and he was compliant. Or that she reported to Pierce that the student was suspected of having a loaded gun on his person. Or was it because she was not properly trained and failed to do her job of first searching the student prior to leading him down the hallway, knowing that he allegedly had a loaded weapon in his possession. Federal law dictates that a School Resource Officer must be a trained member of law enforcement and equipped to handle these types of situations. She was not.
SB0938 HB0403 Requires school resource officers to be law enforcement officers certified by the POST commission. (S: Burks H: Jones S.)
7. The administrators say that Kenneth loaded the weapon in front of them and said, “I never liked you anyway.â€ And “You want to see if it is real.â€ This is untrue. The administrators know that they are not telling the truth. The resource officer reported that the student had a loaded gun in his possession. Therefore it becomes clear that the administrators realized that their gross negligence and their total disregard for the law had resulted in Ken Bruce’s death, and their own wounds. KENNETH BARTLEY WAS SHOT IN THE HAND, even stronger evidence that shots were fired after the student was no longer in control of the gun. Peirce said in court that Ken Bruce was shot after he lunged for the gun, meaning Kenneth did not shoot and aim the weapon. Peirce also admits to being shot when he was wrestling Bartley for the gun. It appears that the administrators got themselves shot by the way they carelessly handled the situation. They then had to make it look like it was an act of premeditation, by alleging that Kenneth loaded the gun and said, “I never liked you anywayâ€, while tossing the gun from one hand to the other. (I can assure you that his child does not have the agility to reach in his pocket, pull out a cartridge, and load a gun that he was unfamiliar with and then toss it from one hand to the other under the influence of Valium.)

8. Kenneth must be held accountable for his actions. But this child is not solely responsible for Ken Bruce’s death.

9. The school was put in lock-down after the incident occurred. Federal and state laws dictate that the school must be placed in lock down as soon as an emergency situation is discovered and the police have been informed. This ensures the safety of all students and staff. Campbell County High School did not abide by these laws. The police were contacted almost 40 minutes after the assistant principal was initially informed that the student had a loaded gun by the resource officer. And they were contacted AFTER the tragedy. The police should have been contacted immediately after the resource officer learned that there was an alleged loaded gun on the school’s campus. The police are contacted immediately so that a tragedy like this one can be avoided.

10. The entire school was not locked down even after the announcement. The football team was up on the hill in a separate building working out and did not get word of the lock-down until other schools were calling the building inquiring about what was going on down at the school. The boys hadn’t a clue as to what had happened. I know students who will testify to that, and parents who are enraged that their sons were not informed of the emergency situation and the lock-down of their school.

11. These two men are not heroes.
12. These two men broke the law and put many other lives at risk that day.
13. Kenneth is not innocent. He never should have brought a gun to school. Even at that, he is not solely responsible for the tragedy that occurred that day. It could have been avoided if appropriate procedures were followed by the administrators. Seale reached in Kenneth’s pocket once in the small office with the door shut. At which time Kenneth panicked and also reached for the gun. The gun was already loaded. Making it more accidental than intentional.
14. KENNETH IS NOT GUILTY OF FIRST DEGREE MURDER
15. KENNETH IS NOT GUILTY OF SECOND DEGREE MURDER.
16. I and many others have been in contact with several national organizations, administrators, and personnel, who if need be, will be made accessible to his attorney, upon his acceptance of their expertise. The U.S. Department of Education: The Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, The Department of Justice, and members of the Tennessee State Board of Education have been taking a back seat, but they are willing and ready to step forth in Kenneth’s defense of how grossly negligent this situation was handled. Campbell County violated state and federal laws and endangered the entire student body by failing to follow state and federal guidelines, designed for this sole purpose.
17. Manslaughter or Criminally negligent homicide are much more applicable to the crime and the sentencing is not so harsh.
18. I assure you, with all of the available resources, Campbell County High School will be put on trial. Not Kenneth Bartley.
19. Kenneth is 15 years old. He is still very much a child. He is rehabilitatable, six experts testified to that. He is not violent child. He is a child who needs help and a chance to prove that he is rehabilitatable.
20. In Kenneth’s present facility he can receive the treatment he so desperately needs. There are therapists, counselors, and teachers available to the student. Kenneth also meets with a private Psychologist. Kenneth’s current facility does have the necessary resources and services to treat this child.
21. I have also been in contact with countless DCS employees who currently work with Kenneth Bartley, or who have worked with Kenneth Bartley in the past, who will attest to his excellent behavior while at his current facility. The very officers who issued Kenneth’s disciplinary write-ups are willing to testify in his defense and will come forward, should Kenneth’s attorney request their assistance. They will explain how Kenneth’s behavior took a dramatic turn for the worst in the weeks leading up to his transfer hearing. And they will testify that he was markedly depressed and intentionally acting out, an obvious sign that the child was in emotional turmoil. He was crying out for help with his uncharacteristic behaviors. They will also testify that Kenneth made a shank, but that he had no intention of ever using the weapon. He intentionally left it in clear view of staff so that he would be removed from the drug dorm. They will also attest to the fact that Kenneth gave several warnings that he was unhappy and that he was going to act out.

I know that Mrs. Bruce is very angry, and I know that she and her family have suffered a great loss. But it appears to the general public, that she has lost sight of her intended purpose Justice for Ken. By all accounts, Ken was a wonderful, very loving husband, father, and friend, who genuinely cared about the student’s at Campbell County High School. I did not know Ken Bruce, but if he was anything like the man people describe him to have been, then I know that he would not want Kenneth to face several years in prison. Ken would not give up on a child he would want the child to get the help they needed. Mrs. Bruce even said this only days after the shooting. She said that she felt very sad for the boy and his family. And that he must be in a lot of pain to have done what he did. And that she hoped that he got the help he needed. She said that Ken would have wanted that too.

Excerpt from an article in the LaFollette Press back in November 2005.
Wife Of Slain School Administrator Criticizes Campbell Co. School Board
Submitted by Left Of The Dial on Fri, 2006/01/27 – 4:31pm.
From Jim Dossett of The LaFollette Press:

The widow of a slain Campbell County High assistant principal scolded the Campbell County Board of Education and central office staff at a Thursday meeting. Jo Bruce directed pointed remarks to board members and central office staffers, saying she was tired of hearing how well school personnel handled the Nov. 8 tragedy in which her husband, Ken, and two other principals were shot.

“You keep saying that everything was done well, but that’s not acceptable.â€

“As Ken’s wife, I definitely know that something went wrong that day. We all know that something went wrong or three men would not have been shot,â€ Bruce told board members.

Bruce said she has repeatedly asked the central office to review the school safety plan, but she believes those requests have not been followed.

“Why, when told that the boy had a loaded gun in his pocket, was he (the assailant, Kenneth S. Bartley) not searched?â€
“The SRO (School Resource Officer) did a good job getting him out of class, but he was still not searched even at Mr. Pierce’s office,â€ she said.

Below is an excerpt from an article that I thought you would find very interesting.

Do your school employees know what to do when a kid brings a gun to school?
BY THOMAS A. GAVIN
Word reaches you that a student has brought a gun to school. Is confronting the student a job for a school administrator or for the police? If you think school employees can handle a situation like this on their own, you’d better think again. Are you prepared to tell a slain student’s parents their child died because you thought you didn’t need professional assistance to handle a student with a gun?
And don’t think it couldn’t happen in your school district. According to the National Center for Juvenile justice, juvenile arrest rates for aggravated assault (that is, assaults involving a deadly weapon) increased by 100 percent between 1983 and 1992. During the same period, juvenile arrests for weapons offenses increased by 117 percent, compared to a 21 percent increase in adult arrests on weapons charges. What’s more, juvenile weapons offenses are not restricted to urban centers. According to a 1991 survey conducted by the Illinois Criminal Justice Authority, 5 percent of students had brought a gun to school some time during the 1989-90 school year, and that percentage was roughly the same for students in urban, suburban, small town, and rural schools.
If — when — it happens in your school, what would you do? Think about it: If the chemistry lab burst into flames, you’d call the fire department — you wouldn’t attempt to put out the blaze yourself. If a student were seriously injured, you’d summon professional medical assistance. So why try to handle a situation involving an armed student without help? The potential for danger is real even for administrators who know the student involved, and the situation should be considered every bit as grave as a fire or a medical emergency.
Police officers receive extensive training in dealing with armed subjects. They have the experience and the tactical training to handle a person who might be armed, and they are equipped with the appropriate tools to handle the job — and I don’t mean just their sidearms. If you or someone else in the school community tried to subdue an armed student who began to resist violently, would you know how to subdue the student with speed and alacrity? When was the last time you practiced “take downs” or “pain-compliance techniques”? Do you carry handcuffs? Without handcuffs, how would you secure the student?

Call the cops
Once an administrator has been notified, the first order of business is to contact your local law enforcement agency to secure the weapon and protect students and staff members. If you have a school security officer, that person should call the police for a backup. Depending on security personnel who might lack police training, experience, and the appropriate tools is a questionable course of action. It could open the district to some liability in the event things go sour.
I cannot overstate the potential danger involved in disarming a suspect. Summoning police officers to help investigate the report of an armed student is the prudent and safe thing to do. If you or your school employees think you should take matters into your own hands, consider whether you have the experience, the training, the stamina, and the tools to handle the situation adequately and safely. If you still think you can disarm a student on your own, remember that you are literally betting your life and the lives of other students and faculty members that you will succeed. That’s a bet you shouldn’t take, because you can’t afford to lose.
Thomas A. Gavin is a lieutenant with the Youth Resources Section, Community Policing Division, St. Petersburg (Fla.) Police Department, and president of School Safety Consultants, Inc.
Below are Federal Laws and State Regulations that Campbell County High School Violated:
Notify appropriate emergency responders and the school crisis response team. One common mistake is to delay calling emergency responders, such as the police or fire departments. In the midst of a crisis, people often believe that the situation can be handled in-house. It is better to have emergency responders on the scene as soon as possible, even if the incident has been resolved by the time they arrive, than to delay calling and risk further injury and damage. For instance, it is better to have emergency responders arrive at a school to find a fire put out than to arrive too late to prevent loss of life or serious property damage. Notifying a district’s or school’s crisis team allows them to begin the necessary measures to protect the safety of all persons involved. Unless informed otherwise by the incident commander, school crisis team members should proceed with their responsibilities. Evacuate or lock down the school as appropriate. This step is crucial and should be one of the first decisions made, regardless of the order in which initial decisions are implemented. (U.S. Department of Education)
A crisis intervention plan includes immediate responses for imminent warning signs and violent behavior, as well as a contingency plan to be used in
the aftermath of a tragedy. The plan must be consistent with federal, state, and local laws. It also should have the support of families and the local school board.
Crisis Management/Emergency Response

Response and Management Plans: The Federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) requires schools that receive Title IV funds to have a “crisis management plan for responding to violent or traumatic incidents on school grounds.â€-The National Association of State Boards of Education
49-6-4205 Search of persons and containers.

(a) A student may be subject to physical search because of the results of a locker search, or because of information received from a teacher, staff member, student or other person if such action is reasonable to the principal.

49-6-4209. Report of reasonable suspicion by principal to law enforcement officer.
It is the duty of a school principal who has reasonable suspicion to believe, either as a result of a search or otherwise, that any student is committing or has committed any violation of Â§ 39-17-1307, Â§ 39-17-1309, or of title 39, chapter 17, part 4, upon the school ground or within any school building or structure under the principal’s supervision, to report such reasonable suspicion to the appropriate law enforcement officer. School personnel have the duty to report any reasonable suspicion that a student is committing or has committed any violation of Â§ 39-17-1307 to the principal, or, if the principal is not available, to the principal’s designee. If neither the principal nor the designee is available, school personnel may report such violations of Â§ 39-17-1307 committed on school property to the appropriate authorities.

49-6-4216. School policies and procedures â€” Contents â€” Zero tolerance policy â€” Notice to students and parents. â€”

(a) Prior to commencement of fall classes for the 1996-1997 school year, and annually thereafter, each local and county board of education shall file with the commissioner of education written policies and procedures developed and adopted by the board:

(1) To ensure safe and secure learning environments free of drugs, drug paraphernalia, violence and dangerous weapons and

(2) To impose swift, certain and severe disciplinary sanctions on any student:

(A) Who brings a drug, drug paraphernalia or a dangerous weapon onto a school bus, onto school property or to any school event or activity or

(B) Who, while on a school bus, on school property or while attending any school event or activity:
(I) Is under the influence of a drug or
(ii) Possesses a drug, drug paraphernalia or dangerous weapon or

(iii) Assaults or threatens to assault a teacher, student or other person.

The system shall develop a Crisis Management plan for use in times of crisis, including suicides, shootings, and death of a student, parent or faculty member. Within the development of such plan, the system shall appoint a Crisis Team which shall deal with specific situations, make decisions, and disseminate information in the event of a crisis. Members of the Team shall consist of the principal, school counselor, and at least two other staff members designated by the principal. The principal of each building shall be responsible for the development of emergency procedures which shall be distributed to building employees, parents, and members of the Crisis Team. Training for all school employees in the crisis management procedures shall be conducted annually during in-service sessions prior to the beginning of school. In the event of a crisis, the principal shall notify the Crisis Team members and the director of schools. If he determines it to be necessary, the principal shall contact the appropriate emergency services (police, fire, ambulance, etc.). All media attention shall be directed to the director of schools’ office. -(Tn State Code under School Safety for TN Schools 2.300)
TENNESSEE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION SCHOOL SAFETY FOR TENNESSEE SCHOOLS 2.300 SCHOOL SAFETY
For Tennessee’s schools to be safe, three general objectives must be achieved: [1] schools must initiate violence prevention programs and be prepared to respond properly, prior to incidents of violence or threats to the safety of teachers and students [2] schools must accept responsibility for instructing children and school personnel in the importance of mutual respect and the avoidance of violent actions and reactions and [3] schools must establish a working relationship with other community agencies, especially the juvenile justice system, in order to properly respond to individual students exhibiting violent or threatening behaviors.
BEING PREPARED – SCHOOL SYSTEM RESPONSIBILITIES
1. By July 1,1995 each school system will develop and adopt a school safety plan. The plan can be modeled after examples already developed by some systems or designed using guidelines provided by the State Department of Education. School systems are encouraged to form a committee with wide representation to assist in the development and implementation. Furthermore, the State Board of Education, in support of its Master Plan commitment to school-based decision-making, encourages school systems to allow individual schools to develop plans based on their specific safety needs.
The emergency preparedness plan required by State Board Rule 0520-1-3-3(17) should be reviewed and expanded to include nonviolent crisis intervention procedures and training for emergencies such as an armed person, an armed student, massive injury, hostile situation, school bus accident with severe injury, and evacuation plans which address special needs students. School personnel should be informed of existing statutes, rules and regulations which promote school safety.1
2. All school systems are responsible by statute to have a code of conduct.2 The school safety plan should ensure the code of conduct is distributed to all faculty members, students and parents. Parental signatures certifying receipt of a code of conduct should be on file. The code of conduct should be posted in each school. School systems are encouraged to publish codes of conduct in the local newspapers.

Anticipates the potential for violence in schools. Violence prevention programs must meet specified principles of effectiveness and be grounded in scientifically based research that provides evidence that programs will reduce violence and illegal drug use. Under No Child Left Behind, states must report school safety statistics to the public on a school-by school basis, and districts must use federal school-safety funding to establish a plan for keeping schools safe and drug free. These plans must include: appropriate and effective discipline policies security procedures prevention activities student codes of conduct and a crisis management plan for responding to violent or traumatic incidents on school grounds.

Tennessee Public School Laws
0129 Permits LEA’s to act in partnership with local law enforcement agencies in hiring school resource officers (1999)

Title IV – Part A. Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Program

The purpose of Title IV-Part A, The Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act, is to support programs to prevent violence in and around schools prevent the illegal use of alcohol, drugs and tobacco by young people and foster a safe and drug-free learning environment that supports academic achievement. Without a safe and orderly learning environment, teachers cannot teach and students cannot learn. Students and school personnel need a secure environment, free from the dangers and distractions of violence, drug use and lack of discipline, in order to ensure that all children achieve their full potential.

Reply
April 29, 2007

Emily

I have to agree with Bobbie’s article on this one. Ken wouldn’t have wanted Bartley to do that amount of time in jail.Just imagine.He never gets…………….

1.to get his license at the normal age
2.to go on his first date at the normal age
3.to drive his first car
4.to watch tv
5.to listen to music
6.to go to the movies
7.go to the mall
8.get on the internet
9.have some other meal besides that shit they serve in prison

They said he can have parole in about 25 years.Just think.25 years!25 years of not talking to your friends.25 years of having no communication with people who arent criminals.25 years of sitting there in the jail cell.Rotting in that jail cell.Knowing that what you did was completely wrong.Imagine trying to sleep every night on the thought of killing a man.A man that loved all.A man that never talked bad about people.A man that loved ones lost.And a man that never deserved that horrible day in November of 2005.But I for one am a follower of God.And I think that God was ready for Ken Bruce to come home.And if Bartley has God in his life,then may God be with him.Cause he’s gonna need it in jail.

I bet ANYONE that when he comes out of jail, he’ll be gayer than applesauce.Thats all I have to say on this situation.

Reply
May 5, 2007

Jacob

Wow, what a profound point. We should never let anyone go to jail. It sounds like a horrible place 🙁

Reply
May 10, 2007

CougarMom

Looks like the truth may come out after all. Kenneth Bartley has filed a motion in Circuit Court this morning asking that his plea be changed to “not guilty.” The Clerk’s office says the motion states he was not properly questioned by the Judge when making his allocution and that his mother did not agree with the plea agreement.

Reply
January 29, 2008

Bobbie Day

No his mother did not agree with the plea. And Kenneth was not allowed to consult with either of his parents before accepting the plea.

Reply