Returning to class on Monday, Glen Burnie High School students were met with heightened security measures following an incident involving a substitute teacher.
According to Principal Kevin Carr, a handgun was discovered in the substitute teacher’s backpack after it was left behind in a classroom on Friday afternoon. As soon as this discovery was made, the school promptly initiated a lockdown and alerted the authorities. The substitute teacher was removed from the classroom and taken into custody. The Anne Arundel County Police said that the gun was a loaded 9mm Taurus handgun.
The individual responsible for this incident has been identified as a 45-year-old resident of Baltimore. The substitute now faces multiple charges, including illegally possessing a firearm, disturbing a school’s operation, and possessing a firearm by a felon. He is facing a maximum sentence of 15 years with a 5-year non-suspendable mandatory minimum if convicted due to prior convictions for misdemeanor marijuana possession in 2007 (Probation Before Judgment), distribution of a CDS in 2001 (Guilty, 30 Days Prison, three years probation), and a 1999 misdemeanor conviction for illegally possessing a handgun where he served three days in jail. The felony conviction in 2001 prevented him from possessing a gun.
We asked the Anne Arundel County Public Schools if background checks were done on substitute teachers and the response from the Office of Communications was:
AACPS does 3 background checks for all employees, including substitutes: A State fingerprint supported background check; a Federal fingerprint support background check, and a commercial background check.
All three checks were done on Mr. XXXXX and he was cleared for employment. A misdemeanor handgun possession charge from 22 years ago is not a disqualifying offense.
Bob Mosier, Chief Communications Officer
He is currently being held without bond and is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday.
In a letter to parents, Principal Kevin Carr said, “The person identified in this incident has been barred from serving as a substitute teacher or acting in any other role in our school system. I want to commend our students for the outstanding way in which they handled this situation. They were calm and orderly, and followed directions of staff.”
