MONROVIA, Md. — An elementary school teacher who took 27 kids off campus and falsely reported a mass stabbing at her school Thursday was apparently following instructions from security drills, according to the Frederick County Maryland Sheriff's Department.
Investigators say the Green Valley Elementary School teacher acted after an attempt to radio the front office got no response, and she got worried something was wrong, according to Sheriff's Department spokesman Todd Wivell.
"She tried to call the office on her school-issued walkie-talkie to ask if she could take her class outside," Wivell explained.
"She did not get a callback. So she looked around and she felt like the school was eerily quiet. She’s taught emergency preparedness procedures and one of those things is avoid, so she went into that mindset.”
Wivell said the teacher then led 27 5th graders out of the school on foot to a strip mall about three-quarters of a mile away.
Witnesses there said the teacher asked a store clerk to call 9-1-1 because she said there had been a mass stabbing at the school.
It was a false alarm that resulted in a school lockdown.
Wivell said the teacher was taken by deputies to a hospital in Frederick for a medical evaluation.
She was not arrested or charged with any crime.
No children were hurt.
Frederick County State’s Attorney Charlie Smith said Monday that no charges will be filed in this case.
“We have evaluated it for the possibility of criminal charges," Smith said in a statement. "Based upon the Sheriff’s Office investigation, we do not believe that there are any criminal acts as a result of her conduct.”
In a letter to parents, Frederick County School officials said the teacher appeared to be acting on the system’s "Avoid, Deny and Defend" security training.
”We cannot answer every question and speculation about what happened," administrators wrote.
They cited “confidential employee information” and “personnel issues.”
A parent who did not want to be identified told WUSA9 that the teacher is beloved by kids and parents.
“My kids are students of hers and she seemed just fine 20 minutes before the other class came in," the parent said.
“I'm sad that this happened to the children and to the teacher. I hope we find closure and I hope we find some kind of healing for the kids and for the teacher's sake. I hope we put it behind us and move on,” the mom of 2 students said.
Friday, the school system met with the parents of the 27 kids directly involved.
Mental health counselors were on duty to help with emotional support.