East Texas teacher, coach placed on administrative leave after reporting threats
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.
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."
More: Here's what you need to know about the Sunday shooting
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
