kenneth bartley

Hmmm... VERY INTERESTING ARTICLE:

I thought everyone might find this article interesting. Campbell County voted down a law that would place more Resource Officers in the public school system. Hmmm... Now that doesn't sound like a county too concerned with the safety of their public schools. Interesting, isn't it? You know, the county where the "school shooting" took place in November 2005. A deeply loved and admired administrator, Ken Bruce, was killed, because of negligence on the principles part. The administrators chose not to follow standard procedure, costing Ken Bruce his life.(Article below)(Article below)

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No new school resource officers in Campbell County

http://www.wate.com/Global/story.asp... ...
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"I don't think that should be a burden to tax the citizenry when there's grant money available," Vic Pryor says.

August 4, 2006
CAMPBELL COUNTY (WATE)-- Voters in Campbell County rejected an increase in sales tax but that means there won't be more resource officers in schools.
"I don't think that should be a burden to tax the citizenry when there's grant money available," says Vic Pryor. He voted against the referendum, along with thousands of other voters.
The proposed hike from 2.25 percent to 2.75 percent was soundly defeated 5,452 to 2,073, a 44 percent difference.
That's not the outcome Jo Bruce was hoping for. She is the wife of slain high school Principal Kenneth Bruce. He was gunned down on the job at Campbell County High school eight months ago.
A student, Kenny Bartley Jr., will now stand trial for that murder. He's also accused of injuring Principal Gary Seale and Assistant Principal Jim Pierce.
Bruce spoke with 6 News at the end of July about her feeling that if more school resource officers had been present, the outcome of the shooting may have been different.
"I promised Ken we would do something positive and make something good come out of his death," Bruce said, wiping tears from her eyes.
She still grieves the loss of her husband every day. "I look at what happened the day that Ken died, and I think it might have made a big difference had we had someone who was trained to actually apprehend this student."
Bruce said teachers and students should have peace of mind when they're behind school walls. Safety is not something they should be concerned about.
Jim Lowe voted for the referendum but he was worried about the cost. "We absolutely need officers in the schools with what happened here. The amount of money is costs to do that is tremendous....I think if we talk to the new sheriff-elect I think we can do it for a lot less."
School resource officer funding wasn't the only budget item included in the referendum. Money for paving projects was also targeted.

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Kenneth Bartley (Yahoo News)
PLEASE SIGN THIS PETITION IN SUPPORT OF KENNETH BARTLEY
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/433 ...

Kenneth Bartley (Yahoo News)
PLEASE SIGN THIS PETITION IN SUPPORT OF KENNETH BARTLEY
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/433...

LaFolette is my safe haven, I go there every Summer and I party the whole time. I have come to realize though that if you stay there long enough you get sucked into this way of thought, it's like nothing else matters except the drugs and alcohol, not even people's own children matter up there, it's crazy...

I totally agree with you on that one.

The reason that nothing else matters except the drugs and alcohol because there is nothing to do in Campbell County! Though I feel that the comment about the "not even people's own children matter up there don't matter" is a little much !That's not really true ! Have you also looked other towns ! You just can't just say it's just Campbell County , Tennessee!

I'm not accusing nor excusing Kenneth Bartley. I do not know all the fact's involved in this matter. because all the facts have not been told. I do think there has been a lot of things said that don't add up! for instance was the gun loaded? or was it not? it has been said he pulled the gun and started firing, but again that he had the clip in his pocket! so which was it? also a lot more unanswered questions here. if this young man's lawyer does not stomp all the stink out of this matter he's not worth his salt. and let the chips fall where they may! and step on anyones feet he has too. but get the whole truth! nothing but the truth!

They wrote:

LaFolette is my safe haven, I go there every Summer and I party the whole time. I have come to realize though that if you stay there long enough you get sucked into this way of thought, it's like nothing else matters except the drugs and alcohol, not even people's own children matter up there, it's crazy...

If LaFollette is so crazy, why is it your safe haven? I can not believe that anyone would make uneducated remarks such as I have seen on this site. Kenny killed someone, and he should have to pay for that. Also, people can continue to say that the situation was not handled the right way. If you were not there, and a part of that day of hell, you should not critize what was done. I totally support Gary and Jim and the staff at Campbell County High School in their reactions to a most difficult situation.

Were you in the office when it happened? I don't think you were. Because I don't remember any mention of a Steve. Figures that you would be a part of this ignorant system.

Steve from LaFollette wrote:

<quoted text>
If LaFollette is so crazy, why is it your safe haven? I can not believe that anyone would make uneducated remarks such as I have seen on this site. Kenny killed someone, and he should have to pay for that. Also, people can continue to say that the situation was not handled the right way. If you were not there, and a part of that day of hell, you should not critize what was done. I totally support Gary and Jim and the staff at Campbell County High School in their reactions to a most difficult situation.

Were you in the office when it happened? I don't think you were. Because I don't remember any mention of a Steve. Figures that you would be a part of this ignorant system.

Have we as a society gone NUTS??!? To think that there are people out there who actually blame the school that some psychopath kid brought a gun to school is unnerving.

First of all, Bobbie Day, it doesn't matter who was in the office and who wasn't. To be present at that school that very day at that particular moment was frightening enough. Take it from someone who was there. Who are you to speak out about this anyway? If it had been your children at school that day, I don't think you would be saying the things you are saying. You are absolutely insane for trying to get support FOR Kenneth Bartley. He has had a lot of personal problems in his life, but he murdered someone - a very beloved principal and friend to many students. You need to step into our [the students who were present that day] shoes before you criticize us and call us ignorant.

I was there that day idiot.

I don't understand how you could have possibly been there and are in SUPPORT of Kenny. Kill yourself.

My roommate, who is also from Campbell County and hates your guts, says that she is very willing to assist you in your attempt at suicide if you are intellectually incapable of accomplishing such a feat by yourself Bobbie Day.

My my you have some anger issues don't you Anonymous. Bless your soul. I hope you do not end up killing someone one day. You seem like a likely candidate to just flip out with your unstable mind frame. I support Kenneth Bartley!! I support Kenneth Bartley!! Get over it. And get a life and stop obsessing over Bartley.
By the way if your roommate assisted me with suicide it would not be suicide, now would it? That constitutes murder in America. Ironic that you could be so illogical.

(The below letter was published in a local newspaper. It might help clear up some of your ignorance on the matter. The author of this letter chooses to remain Anonymous. But rest assured that it was not written by the same lovely "Anonymous" that writes into this blog:)
<P> I have been following Kenneth Bartley’s case since day one, November 8th, 2005. I have been employed with the Department of Justice for over 20 years and I work closely with TBI. I am appalled at the level of vengeance and hate that people have for this child. He made a horrible decision, now he must suffer the consequences of his actions. I do agree that he needs to be held accountable. However, I do not think that he needs to be held solely responsible for this tragic incident. There is no way anyone can tell me that Kenneth Bartley went to school that day with the intention of killing anyone. I do not live in Campbell County, but I do know several people within your community who support this child, ranging from parents, administrators, law enforcement, friends of the Bruce family, and many others. You would be surprised to know all of the people who will be willing to testify in Kenneth’s defense in the event that his case does go to trial. People will come out of the word-work in the coming weeks. I can assure you of this. There are many people who know the truth. People are not as blinded by the media as one may think. People talk, word travels.
I am aware of what happened at Kenneth’s transfer hearing. And I must say, I was shocked to find that the testimony of six experts could be ignored. Six experts said that Kenneth Bartley was rehabilitatable. Ironically the doctor hired by the state to evaluate Kenneth, Vance Sherwood PhD., said that he was not rehabilitatable. He also testified that Kenneth was a Psychopath, a term deemed obsolete by The American Psychiatric Association, and a diagnosis not even recognized in the DSM-IV. Sociopath would be the correct term for this diagnosis. And a child cannot be diagnosed as a Sociopath until the age of 18 y/o, because children’s’ behaviors are constantly changing as they develop. Children who exhibit symptoms of conduct disorder or antisocial behavior are likely to change. And these disorders are reversible in adolescents. One would think that a doctor that is so well respected and revered would know this very common knowledge. Sherwood also testified that Valium and Xanax increased clarity of thought and reasoning. Valium and Xanax are classified as mild tranquilizers. The Psychiatrist (a medical doctor) testified that Vance Sherwood’s statements were in essence absurd and entirely untrue. These types of drugs by their very nature are prescribed to reduce anxiety. They have a calming effect and they impair one’s judgments and reasoning, and to slow motor movement and coordination. Vance Sherwood made a mockery out of the profession of Psychology and he was an embarrassment to the state, and to anyone who remotely knows about mental health. The three other doctor’s that testified proved this beyond a shadow of a doubt as well. Vance Sherwood was the only expert witness to testify that Kenneth was not rehabilitatable and that he was a Psychopath. Ironically, Vance Sherwood authored a book entitled,“Getting Past Resistance with the Out--of-Control Adolescent” which details a “Plan of Treatment” for adolescents diagnosed with conduct disorder and anti-social personality disorder. VANCE SHERWOOD WROTE A BOOK ABOUT TREATING (REHABILITATING) ADOLESCENTS WITH THE SAME DISORDER THAT HE CLAIMS KENNETH HAS. It is clear that Vance Sherwood’s sole purpose was to demonize this child. He met with Kenneth one time for one hour. A diagnosis cannot be made based on one session.

(Letter Continued)
<P> Here are the facts:
1. Campbell County Comprehensive High School did not follow Federal and/or State Regulations/Laws.
2. Campbell County Comprehensive High School had NO policy/procedure for this type of emergency situation, even though it is required that all schools have a detailed plan of action for this type of emergency situation. They had no safety plan in place and no contingency plan set up.
3. The principal is the first in the chain of command. Peirce (Assistant Principal) decided to take matters into his own hands and have an untrained School Resource Officer get the student out of class and walk him down the HALLWAY AND INTO THE MAIN OFFICE.
4. The administrators put the lives of all students and staff at risk by walking an allegedly armed student down a school hallway and into a main office without being searched. And then sitting him in Pierce’s office for close to 20 minutes. Kenneth saw the student who told on him while he was in the office. Surely he knew at that point that the boy had told on him. Why not shoot him out of anger, if anyone? If this was an act of malice, don’t you think that Kenneth would have been volatile and obviously angered? He could have easily gotten up at any time and opened fire if he wanted to. But he did not, because this was not an intentional act of violence against the administrators. He sat calmly talking with Pierce for 20 minutes before Seale arrived.
5. At the first indication that a student may have a gun, the principal is by law, obligated to contact the police. But Pierce called Seale and gave no indication of an emergency situation. Thus Seale took his time getting back to the office, stopping by the guard shack to talk to another student. In the meantime, Kenneth Bartley sat waiting for the principal to arrive. The student was still not searched.

(Letter Continued)
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6. Why didn’t the School Resource Officer testify at Kenneth’s transfer hearing? Maybe because she would have indicated that the student exhibited no outward signs of distress and he was compliant. Or that she reported to Pierce that the student was suspected of having a loaded gun on his person. Or was it because she was not properly trained and failed to do her job of first searching the student prior to leading him down the hallway, knowing that he allegedly had a loaded weapon in his possession. Federal law dictates that a School Resource Officer must be a trained member of law enforcement and equipped to handle these types of situations. She was not.
SB0938 HB0403 Requires school resource officers to be law enforcement officers certified by the POST commission.(S: Burks; H: Jones S.)
7. The administrators say that Kenneth loaded the weapon in front of them and said,“I never liked you anyway.” And “You want to see if it is real.” This is untrue. The administrators know that they are not telling the truth. The resource officer reported that the student had a loaded gun in his possession. Therefore it becomes clear that the administrators realized that their gross negligence and their total disregard for the law had resulted in Ken Bruce’s death, and their own wounds. KENNETH BARTLEY WAS SHOT IN THE HAND, even stronger evidence that shots were fired after the student was no longer in control of the gun. Peirce said in court that Ken Bruce was shot after he lunged for the gun, meaning Kenneth did not shoot and aim the weapon. Peirce also admits to being shot when he was wrestling Bartley for the gun. It appears that the administrators got themselves shot by the way they carelessly handled the situation. They then had to make it look like it was an act of premeditation, by alleging that Kenneth loaded the gun and said,“I never liked you anyway”, while tossing the gun from one hand to the other.(I can assure you that his child does not have the agility to reach in his pocket, pull out a cartridge, and load a gun that he was unfamiliar with and then toss it from one hand to the other under the influence of Valium.)

(Letter Continued)
<P>
8. Kenneth must be held accountable for his actions. But this child is not solely responsible for Ken Bruce’s death.
9. The school was put in lock-down after the incident occurred. Federal and state laws dictate that the school must be placed in lock down as soon as an emergency situation is discovered and the police have been informed. This ensures the safety of all students and staff. Campbell County High School did not abide by these laws. The police were contacted almost 40 minutes after the assistant principal was initially informed that the student had a loaded gun by the resource officer. And they were contacted AFTER the tragedy. The police should have been contacted immediately after the resource officer learned that there was an alleged loaded gun on the school’s campus. The police are contacted immediately so that a tragedy like this one can be avoided.
10. The entire school was not locked down even after the announcement. The football team was up on the hill in a separate building working out and did not get word of the lock-down until other schools were calling the building inquiring about what was going on down at the school. The boys hadn’t a clue as to what had happened. I know students who will testify to that, and parents who are enraged that their sons were not informed of the emergency situation and the lock-down of their school.
11. These two men are not heroes.
12. These two men broke the law and put many other lives at risk that day.
13. Kenneth is not innocent. He never should have brought a gun to school. Even at that, he is not solely responsible for the tragedy that occurred that day. It could have been avoided if appropriate procedures were followed by the administrators. Seale reached in Kenneth’s pocket once in the small office with the door shut. At which time Kenneth panicked and also reached for the gun. The gun was already loaded. Making it more accidental than intentional.
14. KENNETH IS NOT GUILTY OF FIRST DEGREE MURDER
15. KENNETH IS NOT GUILTY OF SECOND DEGREE MURDER.
16. I and many others have been in contact with several national organizations, administrators, and personnel, who if need be, will be made accessible to his attorney, upon his acceptance of their expertise. The U.S. Department of Education: The Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, The Department of Justice, and members of the Tennessee State Board of Education have been taking a back seat, but they are willing and ready to step forth in Kenneth’s defense of how grossly negligent this situation was handled. Campbell County violated state and federal laws and endangered the entire student body by failing to follow state and federal guidelines, designed for this sole purpose.
17. Manslaughter or Criminally negligent homicide are much more applicable to the crime and the sentencing is not so harsh.
18. I assure you, with all of the available resources, Campbell County High School will be put on trial. Not Kenneth Bartley.
19. Kenneth is 15 years old. He is still very much a child. He is rehabilitatable, six experts testified to that. He is not violent child. He is a child who needs help and a chance to prove that he is rehabilitatable.

(Letter Continued)
<P>
20. In Kenneth’s present facility he can receive the treatment he so desperately needs. There are therapists, counselors, and teachers available to the student. Kenneth also meets with a private Psychologist. Kenneth’s current facility does have the necessary resources and services to treat this child.
21. I have also been in contact with countless DCS employees who currently work with Kenneth Bartley, or who have worked with Kenneth Bartley in the past, who will attest to his excellent behavior while at his current facility. The very officers who issued Kenneth’s disciplinary write-ups are willing to testify in his defense and will come forward, should Kenneth’s attorney request their assistance. They will explain how Kenneth’s behavior took a dramatic turn for the worst in the weeks leading up to his transfer hearing. And they will testify that he was markedly depressed and intentionally acting out, an obvious sign that the child was in emotional turmoil. He was crying out for help with his uncharacteristic behaviors. They will also testify that Kenneth made a shank, but that he had no intention of ever using the weapon. He intentionally left it in clear view of staff so that he would be removed from the drug dorm. They will also attest to the fact that Kenneth gave several warnings that he was unhappy and that he was going to act out.

I know that Mrs. Bruce is very angry, and I know that she and her family have suffered a great loss. But it appears to the general public, that she has lost sight of her intended purpose; Justice for Ken. By all accounts, Ken was a wonderful, very loving husband, father, and friend, who genuinely cared about the student’s at Campbell County High School. I did not know Ken Bruce, but if he was anything like the man people describe him to have been, then I know that he would not want Kenneth to face several years in prison. Ken would not give up on a child; he would want the child to get the help they needed. Mrs. Bruce even said this only days after the shooting. She said that she felt very sad for the boy and his family. And that he must be in a lot of pain to have done what he did. And that she hoped that he got the help he needed. She said that Ken would have wanted that too.