On Wednesday, Jan. 18, Waskom ISD middle school teacher and coach Patrick
Durbin reported a possible threat made by a student.

Durbin, who teaches sixth-grade social studies and coaches football,
basketball and track, took to social media after he says the
administration did not handle the situation with any urgency or concern.

Now, Durbin is on administrative leave.

@patrickdurbin778 #schoolsafetymatters ? original sound - patrickdurbin778
What happened on Jan. 18?
According to Durbin, around 2:30 p.m. that day, two students told him that
another student had threatened to shoot him.

"I immediately went and told my principal," he explained.

Durbin said that while in the principal's office the school counselor was
present. He gave the names of both students who reported the threat.

Following that Durbin continued with his workday, proceeding over to the
high school campus to do junior high athletics. While there he learned
that the student who had made the threats earlier in the day was in the
fieldhouse.

Durbin then asked another coach to remove the student while he went into
the coach's office and locked the door.

The student was removed, and around 4 p.m. Durbin reached out to a friend
with the Waskom Police Department to see what was being done with the
situation. He was then advised that no communication with the school and
police had taken place.

Durbin went home and made the TikTok video.

In the video, Durbin recounted the incident without naming the students or
any administration involved in the situation.

"Y'all wonder why teachers are getting out and quitting, it's bad
administration and people covering up for kids doing things to endanger
other people's lives," Durbin said in the video.

He continued, saying part of him was ready to go back to a previous
district. "For the simple fact enough that I know the principals and the
superintendent and the people that I worked with had my back and would
protect us at all costs. I can't say the same for this district."

The video, which sits at over 5,000 views, 243 likes and has been shared
over 500 times as of Jan. 27, struck a chord with more than just TikTok.

"The next day everything was blowing up," said Durbin. "Parents were
messaging me. They're mad because they didn't find out anything had
happened until after 6 p.m. Wednesday."

He did not attend work Thursday, because he did not feel safe and felt the
situation had been handled inadequately.

Early that morning he received a phone call from the superintendent, Rae
Ann Patty, telling him he needed to be at her office at 7:40 a.m. Friday.

"Immediately that made me think they're going to suspend me or I'm getting
fired," said Durbin. "She wouldn't give me any answers, she wouldn't tell
me anything over the phone, she said you need to meet me here at 7:40
a.m."

On Jan. 20, Durbin was placed on administrative leave for spreading false
information.

The Shreveport Times has reached out to the Waskom ISD superintendent
multiple times but has not received a response.

Waskom ISD did take to Facebook, making a post on Jan. 20.

Jan. 20, 2023, Facebook post:

"The District understands that the communication caused parents, students,
and staff concerns... After a thorough investigation based upon District
protocol, it was determined that at no time were students or staff in
imminent danger. Waskom ISD has collaborated with the police department
since Wednesday once we were made aware of the situation and will continue
to share information and all items requested by the City of Waskom Police
Department."

The Times reached out to Waskom PD and did not receive a response.

On Jan. 27, Waskom ISD sent out a message saying they are offering group
counseling for students following the Jan. 18 incident.

The incident echoes one in Newport News, Virginia earlier this year.

On Jan. 6, a first-grade teacher was shot in her classroom at Richneck
Elementary School after multiple reports were made to administrators of a
possible weapon that day.

Newport News Police said that the child brought a loaded 9mm handgun to
school in his backpack and without warning shot Abigail Zwerner, 25, once
wounding her in the hand and chest.

Earlier that day the child's backpack was searched but nothing was found.

USA Today reported that in a three-hour school board meeting, school
district staff members said teachers' concerns about student behavior are
routinely ignored.

Newport News schools have had two shootings in over a year.

Zwerner's lawyer, Diane Toscano spoke during a press conference on Jan. 25
and said she intends to file suit against the Newport News school system
for failing to act after three reports were made about this student on
Jan. 6.

As for Durbin, he said, "as educators, it is our job to teach and help our
students. I want to see the district be a safe district. I want kids to
feel safe in their classrooms."

An emergency board of trustees meeting has been requested by parents and
guardians, but no date has been set. Waskom ISD will meet on Feb. 13 for
their regular board of trustees meeting.

Jeanine Santucci contributed to this story.

Read: There were two mass shootings in Louisiana over the weekend: here's
what you need to know
Makenzie Boucher is a reporter with the Shreveport Times. Contact her at
mboucher@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Waskom teacher
placed on administrative leave after reporting threats

Comments:

Carolyn
30 January, 2023

So the teacher is in trouble and nothing happens to the students. It is a
wonder we have any teachers left in our educational system at all.
Teachers are leaving in record numbers because we are no longer permitted
to discipline students or to expect any consequences for them. Maybe one
day someone will realize that having high expectations without any
accountability will never work. We are no longer preparing students for
life.

https://news.yahoo.com/east-texas-teacher-coach-placed-130045845.html