Judge permits tutor for Memorial Middle School shooter

Memorial Middle School shooter Thomas Gregory White, who has not had any schooling since his October 2006 arrest, will get to hit the books once more.
Jasper County Circuit Court Judge David Mouton ruled Tuesday that White, 15, could have a tutor, though the decision included numerous stipulations:

1. Defense counsel have represented to the court that the proposed tutor will donate her time; accordingly, this order does not require Jasper County or any other party to provide a teacher or tutor for the defendant or pay or reimburse any expense for the same. 2. Any teaching or tutoring of the defendant must comply with all security measures and protocol of the Jasper County Sheriff's Department, and all teaching materials brought to the jail or left with the defendant at the jail must be in compliance with the said security measures and protocol. (For example, materials with paper clips or staples should not be brought into the jail.) 3. Scheduling for all tutoring or teaching must be arranged through the Jasper County Jail and will be at the discretion of the persons in charge of the jail, will be subject to the availability of an appropriate room for the tutoring or teaching, must not interfere with the feeding of the defendant and other inmates or other necessary functions at the jail, and shall not exceed two (2) hours per day or a total of eight (8) hours per week. Clerk to notify. It is so ordered. David B. Mouton, Circuit Judge.

White faces two counts of assault, and single counts of armed criminal action, unlawful use of a weapon, and attempted escape. White, who was 13 and a seventh grader at Memorial at the time, took an assault rifle to the school, fired into the ceiling and then pointed the gun at Principal Steve Gilbreth, allegedly trying to pull the trigger, but was unable to do so when it jammed.

***
While I agree with the judge's decision and have no problems whatsoever with White receiving tutoring while he awaits trial, it should be noted that any disruptions to White's education pale in comparison to the disruption in the education of every other Memorial student that occurred because of his actions, and the further disruptions that could have occurred had he successfully pulled the trigger.