Abby Zwerner, the Virginia teacher who was shot by her 6-year-old student in January, no longer works at Richneck Elementary School, per Fox8.

An email sent to Zwerner on May 22 informed her that a separation of employment had been processed, effective at the close of business on June 12, 2023. Zwerner's attorney, Jeffrey Breit, described this as a firing from her job, expressing his and Zwerner's surprise and confusion at the communication.

According to Newport News Public Schools spokesperson Michelle Price, Zwerner had notified the school system in March that she would not be returning. The email from the Human Resources Department was seen as a confirmation of her separation from service.

The school district stated that Zwerner resigned from her position as a Newport News Public Schools teacher on March 13, 2023. Her contract with the school district ended on June 12, 2023, the last day of her employment.

However, Breit contested the school district's explanation, stating that Zwerner was shocked by the email. He mentioned they had ongoing litigation and claimed that the school district had not paid Zwerner for a couple of months, trying to put pressure on her.

Abby Zwerner has filed a $40 million lawsuit against the Newport News School Board, former Superintendent Dr. Gregory Parker, former Richneck Principal Briana Foster-Newton, and former Richneck Assistant Principal Dr. Ebony Parker. The lawsuit seeks compensation for damages resulting from the incident.

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Virginia Teacher Has Not Been Paid Since February, Says Attorney

The Virginia teacher has not received any payment since February, according to her attorney, Jeffrey Breit,

Breit claims that the school district tried to make her accept workers' compensation, but when she refused, they stopped paying her altogether, according to WAVY.

He mentioned that a workers' compensation check, which amounted to two-thirds of her pay, was sent to Zwerner's bank account. Still, it was immediately returned by her legal team as it was not considered workers' compensation.

Breit further alleged that the school district may have attempted to use the workers' compensation check to argue that Zwerner had accepted it and could no longer sue them.

He also noted that Zwerner should have been eligible for disability benefits under Newport News' disability program. Still, she has not received any response to the disability letter from her doctor.

Breit indicated that he plans to raise these issues in court and stated that he would ask every first-grade teacher, under oath, whether being shot by a student was part of their job description.

He argued that while Zwerner protected her students and risked her life, the school district fired her because she refused to drop her lawsuit.

Breit believes this should be considered part of the damages for which Zwerner is entitled to compensation.

Mother of 6-Year-Old Who Shot Virginia Teacher Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun Charges

The mother of the 6-year-old student who shot the Virginia teacher at Richneck Elementary School earlier this year, Deja Taylor, pleaded guilty to federal firearms charges on Monday, 13News Now reports.

Prosecutors revealed new details about the investigation, stating that their search of two residences where Taylor lived led to the discovery of drugs, drug paraphernalia, and a firearm barrel lock. However, they did not find a lockbox, a trigger lock, or a key to a trigger lock.

Taylor's defense attorneys had previously claimed that the gun used in the school shooting was secured with a trigger lock. Following her guilty plea, prosecutors recommended a sentence of 18 to 24 months for Taylor.

The charges she pleaded guilty to include illegally obtaining and possessing a firearm and making a false statement during the purchase of a gun. The maximum penalty for these charges is 25 years in prison.

A judge will consider the evidence presented and evaluate the case before determining Taylor's sentence at a hearing scheduled for October 18.

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Written by: Bert Hoover

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