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Written by: E. George
Published September 17, 2024 @ 2:55 PM ET
ROCKDALE COUNTY, Ga. – Authorities arrested two employees on Wednesday, September 11, 2024, after the two men began acting suspiciously during a random security check at a Rockdale County school. A deputy observed the odd behavior, and Edwards Middle School was immediately placed on an hours-long lockdown.
Deputies found two razor blade knives on 63-year-old Paul Schwartz Sr., a sixth-grade math teacher, and charged him with two counts of entering school grounds with weapons. His 21-year-old son, Paul Schwartz Jr., worked at the school as a contracted employee and faces charges of making terroristic threats; however, no further details regarding the specifics of the threats have been released.
The sheriff’s office stated, “The safety of the students at Rockdale County schools is a priority. We are taking all necessary steps to ensure their well-being.”
The father and son pair were transported to the Rockdale County Jail and are no longer employed by Rockdale County Public Schools.
School officials explained that Schwartz Sr. began working in the district in January 2015 as a substitute teacher and became a math teacher at the middle school in December 2023.
On Thursday, September 12, 2024, the school district stated, “The safety, security, and well-being of our students, families, and staff continues as our top priority. We will always take threats of any kind seriously and take all necessary precautions.
We continue to encourage our students, families, and staff to See or Hear Something, Say Something. We are thankful for our local law enforcement partners, our school resource officer, and our school safety division who responded quickly and stayed to conduct a thorough investigation.”
This case is pending.