A Broward County elementary school teacher is out of a job and facing a felony charge after authorities say she brought a stun gun onto the Liberty Elementary School campus in Margate. Police records identify the teacher as 27-year-old Nia Natalie Robinson, who investigators say pulled out the device during a conversation with two co-workers in April. Staff members and a school resource officer took the stun gun, and the district says Robinson is no longer employed by Broward County Public Schools. Margate police arrested her this week on a charge of possession of a weapon on school grounds.
What police say
According to an arrest report reviewed by Local 10, the incident happened on April 17 when Robinson showed the stun gun to two other employees. Both colleagues submitted written statements that authorities say matched Robinson's description of what happened. The report notes Robinson told staff she had "totally forgot" she still had the device with her at school. Investigators say a school resource officer confiscated the stun gun, and a probable-cause affidavit was later forwarded to the Broward County State Attorney's Office before the charge was filed.
District response and teacher's explanation
As reported by CBS News Miami, Robinson told investigators she carries the stun gun for personal protection and forgot she still had it when she went to work. The outlet noted that the district removed her from Liberty Elementary following the incident, and that police later arrested her on the weapons charge.
Legal risks
Florida law (F.S. 790.115) makes it a third-degree felony to possess an electric weapon or other weapon on school property and prohibits exhibiting or discharging such weapons on or near school grounds. The Florida Senate outlines limited exceptions for law enforcement and authorized programs, along with the penalties that can apply if the statute is violated. Any discipline from Broward County Public Schools is handled separately from criminal proceedings, and the district can remove or reassign staff while investigations are underway.
Context in Broward
The arrest comes months after the April incident and follows other recent, high-anxiety moments over weapons on Broward campuses, including a March case in which a substitute teacher was fired after a weapon turned up during an entry screening at a district high school. As CBS News Miami reported earlier this year, district leaders say they treat any weapon on campus as a serious threat to school safety. Broward has also rolled out staff-worn panic badges and other security technology across the district; a recent overview on panic badges slammed 54,000 times and local reporting noted the district distributed roughly 30,000 CrisisAlert devices to speed up emergency response.
What happens next
Margate police say Robinson was arrested Sunday and held at the North Broward Bureau. She was expected to appear in bond court, according to Local 10. The Broward County State Attorney's Office will review the probable-cause affidavit and decide whether to file formal charges as the case moves through the courts. District officials say parents, staff, or community members with concerns or information should reach out to school administrators or law enforcement to assist investigators.
