Sarah Melissa Wilson, a 25-year-old North Carolina middle school teacher, has been arrested and charged for allegedly storing a gun for one of her students in her classroom.
According to the Winston-Salem Police Department, Wilson — a language-arts teacher at Paisley Magnet School — was arrested on Monday, May 13, and officially charged with aiding a minor to possess a firearm on educational property.
Authorities with the Winston-Salem Police Department say that on the week of April 22, Wilson allowed a student to store their firearm in the classroom before retrieving it later that day.
Wilson, who voluntarily surrendered to the Winston-Salem Police Department, had her initial court date scheduled for Thursday, May 30.
Following her arrest, the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County School District suspended Wilson with pay pending a further internal investigation.
Police said Wilson’s involvement with the handgun was discovered following a police investigation of a May 7 Snapchat video that showed the unidentified student with the gun.
The gun was found two days later in possession of another student, resulting in two separate teens being charged.
In a statement to Yahoo Lifestyle, Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools superintendent Dr. Kenneth Simington said that the safety of students is the district’s “top priority”.
“In recent days we have been made aware of two cases where weapons were found on one of our campuses. This is alarming as safety is our top priority. We are sincerely thankful that students trust and are comfortable enough with our school leaders to tell them when something is not right,” the statement from Dr. Simington reads.
These incidents are concerning and highlight the continued need for us to work together as a community and make sure students and parents understand the dangers of unsecured weapons, the power of social media, and the importance of a student’s emotional well-being,” the statement continues.
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