This blog is about the testimony of Abby Zwerner in the civil trial from November 2025.
Ebony Parker did not testify, nor did she testify in the criminal trial. In the criminal trial in May 2026, a video of EP, talking with the HR director of the school in a Zoom call in January 2023 after the shooting, was presented by the prosecutor. Some lawyer pundits felt that the prosecutor could then have called (and should have called) EP to testify under oath after laying the foundation. The defense did not object to the video when the HR staff member was testifying. The video was misleading. Of course EP would cry. A kid used a gun in her school under her watch.
A jury found for Abby Zwerner in the civil case and awarded a $10 million judgement in favor of Abby Zwerner. The criminal trial was dismissed against EP by the judge. (See in other posts why that does not sit well with me.)
Personally, I find the testimony of Abby to be weak. Abby was a relatively new teacher. Per testimony, Abby Zwerner was on an anti-depressant since 2021. Her testimony of PTSD stemming from witnessing her dad's death in 2020 is short, but telling. The defense brought up possible recreational drug use prior to the shooting. Abby answered in an affirmative style at about 1 hour and twelve minutes into the testimony. (A reference to testimony of Dr. Watson is important.)
She certainly responded like a deer in the headlights in this testimony. Shock will do that, and so will heavy duty medication.
Did a teacher on an anti-depressant have any sort of diminished capacity to handle the stress of a classroom, especially with a violent child? Was there also recreational drug use?
Why didn't they ask these questions of Ebony Parker on her medical history? Stress at the VP level must have been really intense.
Abby testified that she felt a lot of stress and burnout in being a teacher. She taught less than three full years. It seems this young teacher relied heavily on the trust she placed in more experienced staff and administration. That would not make her unique. But it is a serious flaw in teaching.
The trial does appear to make her seem as though she was a weak teacher, in my opinion. The chain of command is supposed to be a support system for less experienced teachers. The chain broke at the VP, Ebony Parker. Abby Zwerner was employed as one of the distict's first grade teacher's and required support.
My story in my book does address stress on teachers. My testimony was from years ago and all the teachers who I worked with, handling my student, did have years of experience. Some of them were weak. I do not know about their medication use.
Listen to Abby's testimony. The defense attorney painted the shooting victim, just like rape victims get described, as part of the problem.
I am glad the young teacher won her civil case. I am also glad she is no longer teaching.
This post will kick off the next series of posts of how medication and the medical field factor into school safety. It is not only the children on medication. If "it takes a village" as demonstrated in this trial, this village failed.
I am thankful this young woman went forward with the civil case. Her story deserved to be heard. The trial does highlight missed signs and failure.
Since 1996, school shootings have been a regular occurrence. More people want more gun laws. Every law on the books related to a child's access and use of a gun in school were broken with JT. Asking for new gun laws will not keep guns out of our schools. Following the law would have helped before, during, and after JT brought a gun to school, but more than gun laws are involved here.
Parents, educators, doctors and lawyers can not only keep weapons out of schools, they can prevent scenarios such as the failure here.
So many interesting videos with witness testimony.
This is Abby's testimony since it talks about medication.
And this next video?
I wonder how R is doing? Check out the other first grade teacher's testimony in the first part of: https://youtu.be/bqi27XO3tG8?si=qv47b4JG3SeDyUDO. This is testimony about a child witness as the teacher tells it, allowed in the civil trial. This teacher's testimony is much stronger and still teaching at least per testimony in November 2025.
This child, R, should have been safely interviewed and allowed to testify in the criminal trial.
What cha gonna do when a gun comes to school? Rinse and repeat the question.
If you call in about a fire in a classroom, are you supposed to put out the fire too.
What happens in the chain of command when judgement could be clouded?
Marian R. Carlino
June 1, 2026