Bomb 'joke'

Community college fires teacher for alleged bomb comment; other schools probe possible threats

A community college fired a teacher who allegedly joked in class about being a suicide bomber, and other schools investigated possible threats of violence after this week’s massacre on the Virginia Tech campus.

Students reported that their geography instructor at Ozarks Technical Community College walked into class Wednesday, set his briefcase on a table and said, "I’m a suicide bomber," according to school spokesman Joel Doepker.

Police and the school did not identify the part-time instructor, pending an investigation.

He told an Ozark police investigator that he felt bad afterward and only meant to lighten the mood while students were preparing for a test, according to a police statement.

"Even without the Virginia Tech situation, (the instructor’s comments) still would have been cause for termination," Doepker said.

Another Gun Threat

Teacher sent note mentioning gun

A high school teacher who was told his contract would not be renewed passed a note to a guidance counselor asking her to "make sure I don't bring a gun to school," according to Chiefland Police.

Mark W. Avery, 43, of Gainesville, was placed on administrative leave after reportedly passing the note to guidance counselor Teri Edison on April 11.

On Tuesday morning, the Levy County School Board accepted Avery's resignation, which will take effect May 1. Superintendent Cliff Norris said Avery will not be returning to the school

Shooting Threat

Substitute Teacher Arrested, Accused of Threatening to Shoot School Staff

A former substitute teacher was arrested after he was accused of threatening human resources and administrative staff in the Northside School District.

Investigators picked up the 60-year-old Thomas Kincaid near his home in the Lake Hills/Pipe Creek area. Kincaid was locked up at the Bandera County Sheriff's Office as of Tuesday afternoon.

Kincaid spent 4 years as a substitute teacher in the Northside School District, filling in at all grade levels. Deputies said he told a counselor at his church he was upset and planned to shoot staff members.

Role Reversal

Teacher convicted of bomb threats

A sixth-grade teacher was convicted Monday of making false bomb threats that targeted five students attending the middle school where she taught.

Michelle J. Dohm, 41, had pleaded not guilty but agreed to a written statement of facts, on which Frederick County Circuit Judge Julie Stevenson Solt based her verdict. In return, prosecutors dropped seven felony threat counts and four misdemeanor stalking counts.

Dohm, a married mother, made the threats from September 2005 to April 2006. The threats were in notes found in the boys' lockers, a Thurmont Middle School bathroom and envelopes mailed to two of the victims' homes.

Some of the notes began, "Tick Tock Tick Tock. Is it a bomb or is it a clock?"