Terror in the Classroom

Today I heard a horror story that no mother wants to hear. I'm sure the title of this post brings to mind Beslan or Columbine, but that's not the case. Instead, it's a post about how things in a classroom can go horribly wrong for the teacher. Last week, at the elementary school across the street, a second grader attacked the resource room teacher. By attacked, I mean that he hit, kicked and, eventually, knocked her out cold with a thrown shoe, all the while cursing her out with words that I would hope most school children don't know. The teacher in question ended up with a cut on her face, bruises to her face and pelvic area, not to mention the knot on her head from being knocked out. This happened in class, in front of other children. I'm not sure of the particulars, as I got the story third hand, from the grandparent of one of the children in the room. I'm not sure what led up to the attack or what issues the child in question has. It just really caused me concern. It's a smaller school and my children attend it. In fact, I have a child in the second grade. What if this was one of my child's classmates? Could this child attack other children? Should this child still be attending school? After discussing this with my better half, who is attending college to become a teacher, I'm still left with all these questions. I understand that kids with disabilities have been 'mainstreamed' into regular schools. This is a wonderful thing. If not for that, my son might not be attending the school across the street. Not that he's got disabilities, but he is a year behind his twin sister in grades because he's had hearing and speech issues. However, where do you draw the line? I don't know that the child that did this is disabled. I do know that he is seven years old. How much rage is trapped in that seven year old body? It must be a lot for him to be able to inflict those kinds of wounds to an adult. And, what could he have done to another child before the teachers could separate them? I'm torn. While I understand the right of all children to get an education, at what cost does it come?