According to Indianapolis news outlet WTHR, police arrested Indianapolis mom, Carrie Rivers, on April 11, 2025, accused of bringing a weapon to school and of sending threatening messages to her daughter’s sixth-grade teacher.
The controversy began when Rivers, 48, complained to the teacher of her daughter about a flag assignment in class, including the rainbow pride flag. Rivers objected to the use of the pride flag, arguing that the teacher was promoting a “personal agenda” for homosexuality.
The teacher, who reportedly has a photo of her wife and daughter on her desk, allowed Rivers’ daughter to be exempted from completing the assignment.
Despite the accommodation, Rivers came back to the school carrying a weapon, visible in her waistband. When she arrived, she reportedly used a racial slur against the teacher.
The fight occurred at Valley Mills Elementary School and has gained a tremendous amount of media attention due to implications involving school safety and how such topics are taught in schools, especially amid Donald Trump’s anti-DEI rhetoric in his second term.
School officials escorted Rivers from the school
Carrie Rivers, 48, was arrested for allegedly harassing her daughter's sixth-grade teacher at Valley Mills Elementary School in Indianapolis. https://t.co/5SXHAxOsYa
— NBC Out (@NBCOUT) April 15, 2025
School police officers immediately responded, escorted Rivers off the property without incident, and confiscated the firearm. Rivers said that she forgot that she was carrying the gun, saying she carries it for personal protection. Her husband told investigators she usually wears the gun and may have taken it to school unintentionally.
But approximately 25 minutes after officers escorted her out of school, Rivers allegedly sent threatening messages to the teacher. These messages involved religious insults and accusations, such as calling the teacher a child predator and stating that “God will send you to hell.”
One reportedly said, “Say your prayers and kiss [your] kids goodbye and goodnight. You never know when God says it’s our time, so get ready.” These messages could lead to further legal action.
As a result of these events, Rivers had an arrest warrant issued against her. Indiana authorities charged Rivers with felony possession of a firearm on school grounds and harassment. She was also banned from all school grounds. The school district reaffirmed that no threats were issued to students or other staff members and that the matter is now in legal proceedings.
After the incident, Decatur Township School said in a statement, “No threats were made against students or staff at that time. The police suspected that the parent had possession of a concealed handgun on her person and escorted her out of the building. At that point, they took possession of the weapon from the parent without incident outside the school. The parent stated that she forgot to remove the handgun before arriving on school property.”
The statement added in part, “After the incident, it came to our attention that the parent then sent harassing and threatening messages to her child’s teacher. A warrant was filed for her arrest, and she is not permitted on any Decatur Township school property. We are committed to ensuring a safe learning environment for students and staff, and are grateful for the quick action of the office staff and school police in handling the situation safely.”
Published: Apr 16, 2025 04:04 pm