Unfortunately we’ve become accustomed to hearing about terror plots by al-Qaida and others that want to cause death, destruction and chaos. But I think it’s safe to say this terror plot wasn’t on anyone’s radar.

A group of 3rd graders from Waycross, Georgia were caught plotting to attack their teacher.

These are some of the materials police confiscated.

The 9 boys and girls brought a broken steak knife, handcuffs, duct tape and other items to school. They even went so far as to assign each other jobs, like covering the windows and cleaning up afterward. The 8, 9 and 10 year olds planned to knock the teach unconscious with a crystal paperweight, tie her up with the handcuffs and duct tape, then stab her. There was no mention of killing her, but police say they certainly could have done it accidently, which is why they’re taking this case so seriously.

Why did they want to do this to their teacher? They were apparently mad at her because she scolded one of them for standing on a chair.

School officials found out about the plot after another student tipped them off that a girl had a knife. Two of the students have been arrested and a 3rd one is expected to be arrested soon. Prosecutors plan to charge the 9 and 10 year old girls that brought the knife and paperweight with bringing weapons to school. They, along with an 8 year old boy who brought the duct tape will also be charged with conspiracy to commit aggravated assault.

As it seems with all stories like this, the teacher says these children are “considered pretty good kids” and “weren’t known as troublemakers.”

I say troublemakers have to get their start somewhere and it looks like this is where it begins, in 3rd grade. Hopefully the kids will be punished severely enough by police and parents that they will be detered them from the bad path they’re headed down.