Officials: Stabbing of 8th grader in Detroit involved mother sneaking knife into school

A Detroit school canceled classes last week after an eighth-grade student was stabbed by a classmate, officials say.

“The stabbing occurred after the child’s mother reportedly gave her child a ‘small knife,’ said a statement from the Detroit Public Schools Community District,” reported Chalkbeat Detroit of the Oct. 8 incident at Gompers Elementary-Middle School.

“The mother entered the school through a metal detector that went off, the district said. The school’s security guard did not search the mother, according to DPSCD.”

The student who was stabbed is in “stable condition” while both mother and student accused of the stabbing have been arrested, the district said. 

Classes were canceled Oct. 9 as the school worked “to ensure safety protocols are in place,” according to the district, noting the guard had been removed “pending an investigation that could lead to termination.” 

The district has enrolled approximately 45,400 students this academic year – about 500 more than last year’s total, Chalkbeat Detroit wrote. 

“In the last 20 years, DPSCD has lost more than 92,000 students. Many factors played a role in the drop, such as population declines in the city, lower birth rates, the state’s emergency management of the district, and the pandemic.” 

‘Increased security and concern for student safety’ 

Middle schools nationwide are intensifying safety efforts after several high-profile shooting incidents and threats involving violence. 

In one example, a threat made on Snapchat caused an Oklahoma middle school to cancel classes while local police investigated. 

“This incident comes less than two weeks after a shooting outside the high school led to increased security and concern for student safety,” the Sapulpa Times reported. 

Many analysts blame social media algorithms emphasizing aggressive, controversial content for higher user engagement and interaction. 

“The algorithm of platforms like Instagram can feed vulnerable youth a fake reality in which violence is the norm,” wrote Chalkbeat and Axios in a recent report involving Indianapolis youth.  

“It can also amplify pre-existing drama between students before an audience of their peers both during and outside of school hours. And it can make communication between teenagers – whether to meet up to trade a gun or buy marijuana – instantaneous and discreet.”  

Additionally, a deadly shooting in the Metropolitan Nashville Public School district prompted officials to expand weapons detection systems from high schools to middle schools. 

The yearly cost for adding these scanners is about $1.1 million. 

“If it adds to the safety to the kids of Nashville, whatever it may be, I think it’s worth the cost,” parent Taylor Barnette told journalists.  

However, other parents disagreed with Barnette. 

“If you treat people like they’re prisoners, they’re going to act like it,” said Dayna Scianna in a news report. “So you’re having more violence in schools because we’re trying to crack down on violence that isn’t happening.”