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Threats at my school today

mikemodena

mikemodena

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
May 30, 2005
552
0
Connecticut
I had a feeling this morning I shouldn't go to school, and my mom let me stay home since tomorrow is my license test anyway. I got a call from my best friend this morning saying that someone specifically plotted out killing some teachers and other students. I know the person who went into the bathroom yesterday and found a backpack with a letter in it stating how and when they were going to kill the teachers today and kids today. He turned it in, along with warning everyone he saw, and pretty soon kids were just leaving school. The school called it a bomb threat and that the reason they let everyone out at 10:30 was that a bad situation with a bomb threat got worse with students text messaging each other about a gun threat..

Here's the link http://www.wtnh.com/Global/story.asp?S=4153837

I really believe that the school covered up the gun threat, because that is something that will cause widespread panic--and as long as they made sure it wasn't happening.. I'm not so sure it was a bad idea to cover it up... What do you guys think?
 
things do get exaggerated rather quickly, hyperbole is a fact of life in these sorsts of situations, and the school and police are still probably trying to sort out details, they aren't going to release any information that isnt 100% confirmed and for certain on.

sorry to hear about this happening to you and your school though.
 
There really isn't a lot of bullying at my school... and my class is of 400 kids.. so the school has almost 2000 students. Bullying isn't a big problem at all.. there are the occasional fights, but all in all it's a pretty calm school. I'm pretty surprised, but I'm sure I'll find out more details when I get back in next week.
 
mikemodena said:
There really isn't a lot of bullying at my school... and my class is of 400 kids.. so the school has almost 2000 students. Bullying isn't a big problem at all.. there are the occasional fights, but all in all it's a pretty calm school. I'm pretty surprised, but I'm sure I'll find out more details when I get back in next week.
Click to expand...

Bullying may not be a problem, because you don't see it. You may be part of the middle group that each day is "just another day". Those that are "bullied" usually don't confide in others, or are even "visible" to the "main" group of students.

Just because there is not a lot of "acting out" or fights, doesn't mean that there are no problems. It is how those in charge (the adults) deal with even the "smallest" issue, can set the wheels in motion.

Hoping and praying for a successful outcome at your school.
 
mikemodena said:
There really isn't a lot of bullying at my school... and my class is of 400 kids.. so the school has almost 2000 students. Bullying isn't a big problem at all.. there are the occasional fights, but all in all it's a pretty calm school. I'm pretty surprised, but I'm sure I'll find out more details when I get back in next week.
Click to expand...
Wow, sounds just like my school (same size too)!

Last year, right before graduation a local news group was mailed a letter about a threat to our graduation that mentioned "A Columbine type Shooting." The media contacted out school and said they would withhold the info until our school had a chance to tell us (the students).
The letter was received Friday afternoon, and we were told Monday.
The graduation went as normal, with the exception of security. I forget the exact numbers but there were like 40 officers, a police helicopter, and fire-crews (for the fireworks). In addition to that, my school contracted with a security firm in Seattle to draw up a emergency plan in case of a "hostage situation."
Nothing ever happened. - But I'm still glad it wasn't my graduation.

Point is - most threats aren't real, but you have to act like they are.

But as for your school, they probably did more than you know. Before the graduation, all our school said they were doing was;
  • Collaborated and cooperated with law enforcement on the investigation
  • Called an emergency staff meeting to notify staff of the threat and to ask them to be alert and to report any unusual activity or behavior
  • Arranged for additional security measures, including increased adult supervision which will be in place at graduation.
From those statements, I would have expected maybe an officer or two at the most.
 
It's horrible how close to home this stuff gets. The grade-high school system I went to is in a small rural community of 5,000 people (about 140 students per class). We've had two bomb threats to the school system.

The first time was by a junior high kid, who foolishly threatened the courthouse as well, thus involving the FBI. The second was supposedly by an elementary student, just a few months ago. After the first threat they had metal detectors and cops at the high school (and others) checking students out.

Now we have plans in case of fire, tornado, and bomb threat. I question the safety of the high school's bomb plan as it involves taking the entire student body out to the football field which strikes me as awfully dangerous considering that one incident with shooters waiting outside at another school a few years back.
 
I hope everything turns out okay as well.

When I was in high school (graduated from a small rural school in 1992) several fights occured before school. The administration's response was to prohibit kids from coming into the building until 15 minutes before classes. There was a whole group of us that enjoyed getting together in the Spanish teacher's room an hour or so before school. Yes, the teacher was there. While there was a lot of socializing going on, there was also a lot of tutoring and homework being done as well. Rather then take care of the fights, the school's response was to take the easy way out and crack down on every student. The fights just moved from inside the school to outside, but out of sight, out of mind...

The violence just seems to be getting worse and the reply of the schools is to take money away from education and put in more security. That really does not take care of the problem. There are still students that need help! They need friends. More metal detectors in schools is not going to reduce violence. We need to learn how to look out for and be kind to one another. It is our (students) responsibility to watch out for each other and to grab ahold of someone who is in trouble and help them out. Even if they are not in your click.

I could keep going on this one for quite a while.
 
mikemodena said:
I'm not so sure it was a bad idea to cover it up... What do you guys think?
Click to expand...

Not a bad idea at all...at least they told you there was a 'threat' (even if it wasn't entirely accurate) so everyone had fore-warning of a problem but not the exact details to incite mass hysteria.

High school sucks bad enough without having to worry about getting blown to pieces or shot. Home schooling anyone?
 
MattG said:
Wow...just one of those things that you think will never happen where you go to school.
Click to expand...

Exactly...I never worried about this level of threat...I returned to my hold high school a couple of years after finishing up my undergrad and found metal detectors and guards at the door.

It was rather upsetting even if I did hate the place.
 
Chip NoVaMac said:
Bullying may not be a problem, because you don't see it. You may be part of the middle group that each day is "just another day". Those that are "bullied" usually don't confide in others, or are even "visible" to the "main" group of students.

Just because there is not a lot of "acting out" or fights, doesn't mean that there are no problems. It is how those in charge (the adults) deal with even the "smallest" issue, can set the wheels in motion.

Hoping and praying for a successful outcome at your school.
Click to expand...

This is a very informative opinion, I believe. And bullying doesn't even have to occur for these kids at school. It could be a case of extreme jealousy, feelings of removal or things at home.

Children these days have a lack of respect. I was in Highschool when Columbine happened. I was actually at home that day, I woke up, went down stairs, turned on the news and just when I was going out to smoke - BREAKING NEWS! COLUMBINE HIGHSCHOOL IS UNDER ATTACK! came on the TV. I shook my head and said "it's probably a couple of idiots who have no respect or honor." I was right. Living in Colorado, I knew how kids were in thsi area.

Even when I was in school, a dispute would happen between two or more students, and a fight would happen. It generally resulted in little more than a feud afterwards. Most of the time, two kids would fight, and then go their seperate ways and no more would be made out of it.

If a child is 12 or above (I beleive, as a general rule) and is plotting a scheme such as this, they should not be able to see the outside world ever again except from inside a confined area.

I actually would prefer if these kids just off themselves rather than plotting to kill others who have nothing to do with their instability.

The kids at columbine were wannabe's, and I remember looking at their website with quotes (which were completely taken out of context) from several bands. One of them, KMFDM, lead by a German native who now lives in Seattle, was quoted on the site "I AM YOUR APOCALYPSE.") Which is funny, because KMFDM's beliefs are highly anti-war, anti-violence, and that one quote made the media blitz on that band a nightmare for them. The news characterized the children as "goths." Yeah, looking at photos of them they looked more like preppy's with bad fashion sense.

If you know who any of the suspects are, turn them in. You may end up saving the lives of many.
 
Onizuka said:
If a child is 12 or above (I beleive, as a general rule) and is plotting a scheme such as this, they should not be able to see the outside world ever again except from inside a confined area.

I actually would prefer if these kids just off themselves rather than plotting to kill others who have nothing to do with their instability.
Click to expand...


Not that you're trying to be inflammatory or anything :rolleyes:

We have a culture of overworked and overburdened teachers and administrators. If something is going on with a kid, his or her teacher should know. And you know, we often do. But I've got 111 students right now (over ten years, that's a thousand kids - and if you think you can pick the one out of a thousand that's going to go off the deep end, well, you're a better judge of character than I am). I'm responsible for running two clubs. I've got my job security tied up in standardized tests that take zero account of how much students learn in my classes. I'm counselling kids who are having problems so that they don't go and do something really stupid. And I'm working my butt off to try to get everyone to apply to college so they have a chance in hell of getting out of poverty and so that they don't raise their kids into the same cycle of poverty, drugs and imprisonment. Oh. Right. And did I mention I'm responsible for teaching these kids how to read, write, and think, too?

Which is why I'm so thrilled that the proposed federal budget intends to cut education funding. 'Cuz if I have 130 students next year, it'll really be a safer place for everyone ...
 
thedude110 said:
Which is why I'm so thrilled that the proposed federal budget intends to cut education funding. 'Cuz if I have 130 students next year, it'll really be a safer place for everyone ...
Click to expand...

Ponder this though. If the federal government didn't pony up money for education then you wouldn't have to put up with no child left behind or the like. The guy who pays the fiddler calls the tunes
 
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