An elementary school principal has been placed on leave after she conducted a “disturbing” active shooter drill, where parents say she pretended to shoot some of the children.
Nina Denson conducted the drill at Washington Elementary School in San Gabriel, California, on Wednesday.
Children and parents are upset by what they say was a series of completely inappropriate behaviors by Denson during the shooter drill.
A father who spoke with KTLA He said Denson used finger movements to pretend to shoot the children and punched the school windows.
Some of the children who witnessed the principal’s actions were as young as four years old, parents told the outlet.
Children and parents are upset by what they say was a series of completely inappropriate behaviors by Nina Denson, seen here, during the shooter drill.
Parent Jennifer Chavez said: ‘She proceeded to walk around the campus and pretended to shoot people she saw using finger movements and banging on the windows.
‘From what I heard, he said to one of the students: ‘Boom.’ You are dead’. (My son) was really upset.
“The only shocking and surprising thing he said when he was 6 years old was, ‘I’m so glad none of my friends died.’
Ann Bustamante, another parent, said, “Can you imagine the trauma these kids could go through just thinking, ‘Oh my God, they killed my friend’?”
‘Or ‘They shot me and told me I had died.’ At the young age of these children, he was very disturbing.”
The incident occurred Wednesday at Washington Elementary School in San Gabriel, California.
Nina Denson conducted the drill at Washington Elementary School in San Gabriel, California, on Wednesday.
Outraged parents told how their four-year-old children were traumatized by the drill
Denson joined the school as principal in the fall of last year, and a school district confirmed that the drill was not authorized.
Staff told the outlet that after the drill was over, Denson made an announcement saying seven children had died.
Jim Symonds, superintendent of the San Gabriel Unified School District, said, ‘This type of scenario drill is not approved by the district nor is it part of our district protocol.
District officials later sent an email to parents that said, “Conducting the drill does not appear to have been in line with district protocols or best practices.”
Officials also said that because both staff and students were upset by the drill, counselors were on site to help those who may need it.
Denson has been placed on leave with an investigation currently investigating her behavior at school.
Chavez told KTLA he had already made up his mind, saying, “I don’t want her back here at all.” She doesn’t have the trust of the community.’
An update posted Thursday said a veteran teacher had taken over as interim principal while the investigation continues.