Concerns about violence can lead to innocuous references to guns being taken as threats, experts say.
By Ann S. Kim akim@mainetoday.com
Staff Writer
Staff Writer
The Columbine High School massacre in 1999 heightened fears
about threats made in schools, and the cultural shift may have
implications in the case of a teacher in Freeport who is charged with
terrorizing for allegedly making a remark in class about shooting his
students.
David Mason, 58, of Yarmouth was charged last month. Mason,
who teaches at Freeport Middle School, was put on paid administrative
leave after school officials learned of the allegation Feb. 9.
Mason was frustrated with his students and told them he wanted to
take them to the school's roof and shoot them, according to Charly
Haversat, the parent of a student in the class. Haversat said her son,
Theo Matheson, believed that the teacher was trying to be funny.
The increased concern about violence since Columbine affects the
standard of behavior for both adults and children in schools, said
Andrew Dolloff, superintendent for Regional School Unit 21, which serves
Arundel, Kennebunk and Kennebunkport.
"Once someone starts talking about guns and bombs and weapons around
schools, that takes things to a whole different level," he said.
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