An Indiana mother is facing charges after allegedly bringing a firearm to her daughter’s former school in an attempt to confront a teacher over a disputed assignment. The woman, identified as 48-year-old Carrie Rivers, was reportedly upset over an assignment she believed was promoting same-sex relationships and marriages.
Rivers’ daughter, a former sixth-grade student at Valley Mills Elementary School in Decatur Township, was given an assignment that involved flags, including the LGBTQ rainbow flag with the words “be kind” on it, along with flags from various countries. Rivers, however, interpreted the assignment as promoting same-sex relationships, which she disapproved of.
Following her disagreement with the assignment, Rivers withdrew her daughter from the school on April 9 and lodged a complaint. The teacher, in response, informed Rivers’ daughter that she was not required to complete the assignment. Despite this, Rivers reportedly decided to visit the school armed with a gun to discuss the matter further.
According to court documents, Rivers was taken into custody after police noticed she was openly carrying a holstered gun on her waist. She was released from jail the same day, after which she allegedly began sending threatening messages to the teacher via Facebook. The teacher, who is married to a police officer, was accused by Rivers of being a “child predator” and was warned to “say your prayers and kiss your kids goodbye.”
In a subsequent message, Rivers reportedly stated, “Sick, nasty teacher, you should never tell precious innocent kids that it’s okay to be in a same-sex relationship.”
The Decatur Township school district issued a statement in response to the incident, assuring that no students or staff were endangered during the incident. The statement detailed that police suspected Rivers of carrying a concealed handgun and escorted her out of the building, confiscating the weapon without incident.
Rivers claimed she had forgotten to remove the handgun before arriving on school property. She has been charged with possession of a firearm on school property and harassment. Her first court hearing is scheduled for April 15.