Apr
27
Lockdown
April 27, 2007 |
Fill me in if you can…
The high school is in lockdown. Apparently someone found/received/heard about a note saying something to the effect that “It’s a good day for a shooting.” The kids and faculty have all been searched, the lockers have been searched, and now the vehicles are being searched.
IT IS NOT A GOOD DAY FOR A SHOOTING! No day is good for a shooting. If you want out of class that bad fake the flu. Say your dog ate your homework or something. This is not ok.
And if this turns out to be something more than a slimy hoax to get out of class I hope a world of hurt finds whoever is responsible.
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I saw this on KCCI.com. I thought i might find the scoop here. I agree with Nate. This likely hoax is stupid. Nothing like making light of the murder of 32 people for your own personal gain or satisfaction.
Well, I got a frantic call from my brother today while I was at work. Seems his kid sent him a text message about a threattening note found. I gave refference to Hitler and death and how this would be a good day to kill some people. After the school was locked down, kids were patted down, lockers, the entire school, cars and purses were searched by police. There supposadly was a large knife found that belonged to a student that had a “HIT LIST”. Thank God the lockdown happened before the kid could retrieve the knife from the vehicle. This is all 2nd hand, so I imagine that with emotions on high alert, there could and probably is some enhancing the trueth. However, there is no way that this should be over looked and swept under the rug. They need to make an example out of this kid. The student has had phsyciatric treatment in the past. They said that the student has had the “Hit List” ever since 7th grade and is now a sophmore. I don’t know if the student has been arrested by law enforcement, but if they found a weapon and a “list” of people they want to get rid of, then they should put him in jail and throw away the keys.
I wonder if they found any drugs in the search?
97% of what you said is false “s.”
I said that this was 2nd hand news, but I doubt if it’s 97% false. I don’t doubt that it is exagerated, but at least somewhat true.
My brother called the school. Deb Daughty said the school was in lockdown because a threatening note was found and brought into the office. She said that nobody could leave or enter the school and that the police were searching the building. They would then search the students and the parking lot. I was told that a knife was found along with a “Hit List”. I was told that they also found the student that was responsble for the note was the student with the knife. I was told this similar story by 4 different students at separate times. So I do believe the basic story without the emotional embelishments.
I heard a kid had a double rifled barrel with a night vision scope and 4 hand gernades
What a lie 11:46. Plus, what’s the point of night vision in the middle of the day? Nate, if you want to know what’s going on go read Tyler’s blog. He WAS there after all.
The other blog shows no real information either.
I would hope hoax or not that someone is in a world of trouble. The anxiety that was caused to parents, spouses, and others. The waste of emergency resources. We all remember the boy who cried wolf, right?
no i don’t remember that story. maybe because that was a fictional story.
you at the mall?
The boy who cried wolf……A young shepard boy was watching the town flocks. One afternoon he grew bored, and cried “WOLF, WOLF!” All the menfolk in town rushed to the hillside to save the flock from the wolf. Naturally they were angry that there was no danger to the sheep and that they had been tricked. The shepard boy however enjoyed the uproar he had created. Several weeks went by and again the boy was bored with his duties and cried, “WOLF, WOLF!”. Again the menfolk of the town rushed to the hillside to save their flock only to find they had again been tricked. The townfolk were very angry. The boy very amused at all the excitement he had created. The next day, lurking just beyond the rise of the hill was a pack of great big, hungry wolves. When the shepard boy saw the wolves killing a sheep, he cried, “WOLF, WOLF!” The townfolk upon hearing the boys cries talked among themselves, saying things like, “he won’t make a fool of us again” and “if we run everytime he cries wolf he will never stop playing this game”. No one went to the aid of boy. The entire flock of sheep and the shepard boy were lost to the wolves.
it’s a folk tale
and………………..folk tale , story whatever you call it, the moral is the same
Well, obviously that story doesn’t apply here considering it was a credible/serious threat. I mean come on, this kid had a hit list for at least 2 years. The principal was made aware last year and didn’t do anything. If I had been her, he wouldn’t have been allowed back at school. But, I guess she has to live with her decisions and mistakes.
principal needs fired for not turning last year’s hit list from the kid into authorities.
Yeah, let’s just fire the person at the top of the chain for some anonymous and vague shooting/bombing/destruction threat and young kid’s actions. That makes a whole lot of sense. I love how everyone starts to point the fingers at other people and claim that “if I were in charge this wouldn’t have happened.” Yes it would have. You are not omniscient. You also do not have the specific college degree and training the principal and counseling staff has in dealing with these situations.
Obviously the principal didn’t see there was a threat to turn it in because he/she is smart enough to know this stuff happens a hundred times a day in every school, business, and government building in the country. If the people in charge were to let on about every alleged threat to our lives we would all be living in cement bunkers in our backyards 10 feet below the surface.
There’s no way for us to live in absolute assurance that nothing is going to tragically happen to either ourselves or loved ones. That’s the price we pay to participate in a civilized society. You can either take the risk and send your kids off to public school to play and interact with others or you can supervise them 24 hours a day and homeschool them. Your choice.
1. I didn’t say if I was her this wouldn’t have happened. I said “If I was her, he wouldn’t have been allowed back after the first time.” See, people like you twist words. The kid needed mental help. Anyone who does something like this has major problems.
2. When you have children, maybe you will understand how fearful us parents were. And then to have your kid come home and say he had a hit list last year too and no one was notified? PISSED me off. From what I understand (told to me by someone who read the emergency handbook), if any type of threat is made, the admin is supposed to call the police. Last year, that procedure was not followed.
3. Top of the chain is Arnold, not Wilson. But, she’s in charge of the welfare of the high school students so…
4. How do you know I don’t have the required degree or training? You don’t know me. Don’t make assumptions. I bet I’m as qualified - if not more - to discuss, make decisions, and state beliefs on this topic. You are not the Queen Bee-Know-It-All, so back off.
5. No, there’s not a way to be safe 24/7, but it’s always better to err on the side of caution than to brush it aside because someone didn’t think the person was capable of this. I’m sure the family and random aquaintances of the VT shooter didn’t think he was capable of that either.
6. Just because you don’t like what 9:37 said doesn’t mean they don’t have the right to their opinion. You don’t know who they are or what they are basing that thought on. Maybe it’s a student who said that. Maybe the don’t feel safe under her control. Don’t criticize the things you don’t know about.
Any situation like this should be taken seriously. You never know when a student is the one who will carry out a threat like this. I do think this student needs to be HARSHLY punished, hoax or not. Maybe then the students will realize it was no laughing matter.
“People like me,” eh? You attempt to chastize me saying I don’t know anything about you, then make a generalization like that? At least I use my real name. Actually, you don’t even use a fake name to help me identify where you’re coming from or which comments are yours. Thankfully my boy Nate added these little monsters here to help me sort through all the Anons.
Here’s where we’ll have to agree to disagree. I don’t think every kid with a “list” is a total mental case.
Believe it or not, there are, actually, a few things I do know:
1. Chances are at least 10 other kids in a school this size have had vivid thoughts about taking people out.
2. My husband was working on the university campus last Friday when a vague bomb threat was emailed in. Campus didn’t close down, no one went home, no one freaked out, and guess what? Nothing happened.
3. Group think (and gossip) is dangerous.
And there are a couple things I don’t know:
1. I have no idea who Arnold or Wilson are.
2. I have no idea what it’s like to live anywhere that could be considered ‘rural.’ Maybe this is why the threats don’t rile me up as much.
It really irked me when you said, “I guess she has to live with her decisions and mistakes,” implying this was a mistake in the first place. It seems to me like no one knows for sure what’s going on with this kid yet.
But I do have to give you credit for being both articulate and precise with your opinions. I only wish I could say the same for others that will discuss issues like these.
My main point is that we can’t constantly be living in fear. I hope that is something we both can agree on.
We don’t get threats like this here often. In fact, it’s quite rare. That’s why everyone is so upset. Considering the fact that we live in an area where guns are pretty much in most homes, this threat, along with the one last year, needed to be taken as seriously as possible. It’d be nice to be able to shrug it off and not be so riled up but we are living in an angry, dangerous world where kids are bold enough to carry out thoughts and plans.
And yes, I did say “people like you” because you came off swinging with insults on people who expressed opinions even though you don’t know anything about them. But yet you take offense when I said that? If you don’t like to be grouped with the notorious “those people” then don’t act like them - insulting without knowing.
The monsters don’t help anything, especially if you are using a public computer like this one. I’ve posted on here and probably have had at least 5 different monsters. Nothing is any clearer with them.
You don’t like “people like you?” Well I don’t like the following:
“But I do have to give you credit for being both articulate and precise with your opinions.”
Do we not have brains up here in the sticks? We do know how to read, write, think. It’s amazing at how universal those skills are.
Yes, I’m being sarcastic because that’s just a rude statement.
Yellow monster, I doubt she’s implying that people in Stuart don’t have brains and don’t know how to read and write, but rather that rarely are those brains utilized in these comments.
You’d be hard pressed to argue that the majority of comments on here are based on intelligence and logic. Far more are based on pure emotion and speculation.
Is there a right way to comment? I don’t think so. But it’s tough to have a debate when emotions are getting in the way and clouding everything up.
Hey, I don’t want you to read too much into that. I was sincerely trying to compliment you on the way you delivered your points, Anonymous. I certainly can appreciate a good debate among many folks with differing views, as long as they are expressed without vulgarity or name-calling, as is the case with so many blogs today.
I think you would agree that when this blog lit up over the school bond vote (something I don’t know about, therefore stayed out of), there were quite a few comments that were virtually incomprehensible, due to CAPS LOCK and various curse words among numerous other things. I brought up the fact that you are a credible arguer because I think this topic could bring in that volume of comments again, which unfortunately seems to bring out the worst in some people (not you) given an anonymous forum.
you don’t even live or have ever lived around here maren!
It’s funny you bring it up, blue anonymous monster. Yesterday while I was in the area a shooter ran rampant through Ward Parkway Center killing three people before he was stopped by police.
Just because I don’t live in your community doesn’t mean I don’t know what it’s like to deal with any of those issues.
where it belongs. Not on the administration or the school or the students who ‘thought’ this kid was/is a mental case. No one is blaming the administration, professors, or other students at VT for what that psycho did. He was an obvious threat with a history of mental instability and stalking women. There is only so much you can do.
IF, and I say IF, all is true about the ‘hit-list’ and other things being said, like that the kid ‘needs mental help’, the administration should involve not only the police, but the PARENTS, and they should be held responsible for if and when he gets the help he needs. School is school, not therapy or a babysitter or the police, and it is sad that so many parents use it for that. Also, I do know about the threat from last year and I can tell you that you are 100% wrong about the police not being invloved. Just because your child doesn’t know about it or told you that they weren’t invloved, does NOT mean that it’s true. And just because the administration didn’t broadcast in the school newsletter, doesn’t mean it wasn’t handled in the way it is indicated in the handbook. All it means is that the administration successfully took care of the immediate threat and didn’t have to involve or place stress on your child to do it. They obviously felt it was handled and that it wouldn’t happen again. They can’t see the future or know everything that will happen.
I understand your worry. I don’t have children in high school yet, and I was worried for all the kids/teachers/administration involved. But we have to keep things in perspective. Someone commented on one of the other blogs that school should have been let out so the kids could go home. I also disagree with that. If something would have happened to a student on their way home from school, who would have been blamed? Administration. I’d bet my last dollar on that one. Also (and I hate that this is even true), if kids see that they can get out of school by throwing around some threatening note, what’s stopping someone else from doing it to get another day off, or to miss that algebra test they didn’t study for? The person responsible will be held accountable for his/her actions and I absolutely believe any investigation into the handling of this situation by the teachers/administration will show that they did everything they were supposed to do and acted in the best interest of your children.
Thank you marenfaye and annonymous for your intelligent conversations. Nate is right, there are too many emotional and heated commenters. My comment was not to offend anyone, but simply to make sure that we’re looking at all sides of an issue before we make hasty judgements and accusations.
I think that the Administration did the right thing as far as “Lock Down”. If they had dismissed the students, the student with the weapon could have been able to get to it. Because of the lock down it was in a car in the parking lot not in his hands. Now if it had been a bomb threat, Lock down would be wrong. They would need to get the students out of the building. Not sent home though. I do think that the school board and administration owes the district an explanation and a warning to anybody else that has similar thoughts about threats. I don’t mean they should name names or point fingers, but they need to show the public that there will be absolutly NO TOLERANCE for any kind of threats or for bringing any kind of weapon to school. They MUST make an example out of this kid! I don’t think that this should be swept under the rug and I do realize that because of privacy issues they can’t disclose many details. They are in a tough place, but as parents we are confident that our kids are safe when we send them to our school. How can we balance living and the fear that this incident has instilled in our minds? We don’t want to live in fear, but after Columbine, VT and 911 it can’t be totally eliminated. We have to be prepared for the “What If”.
It is easy to look back and criticize the administration for their handling of the issue last Friday AND to criticize them for a supposed lack of action a year (?) ago.
Hindsight is 20/20.
It is easy to criticize the school for their actions when you don’t realize what the school can actually do or not do. There are protocols that need to be followed and these are not done on a whim.
How many people actually knew that this kid had a hit list for more than a year. I didn’t.
Too often rumors float around and the original story gets so twisted that it isn’t even close to being accurate.
OK, you said that the hit list has been known, but do you actually know if the administration knew of it? Do you actually know if the administration “blew it off”?
As a teacher AND a parent, I have seen firsthand how accounts differ from one student to another. I have personally witnessed how my own 2 sons have communicated wrong stories.
So, base your opinions on facts. You may love your son/daugher immensely and feel they are the salt of the earth, but they too can tell a different story.
Instead, call Mrs. Wilson and get the facts from her.
Now, during the lock-down, I had several students who were shaking and upset. We initially thought this was a drill, but as time passed, it became apparent that this was the real deal.
The horrific event from VT was fresh on their minds, but Columbine is a distant memory. Either way, these students were genuinely afraid AND what we did in the high school was the right thing to do.
It is wonderful that you are thinking of the welfare of the students (your children), but don’t ever think that the school disregards their safety. Mrs. Wilson did the right thing.
I agree with you Mr. Broman. Kids say a lot of things that aren’t necessarily true but that sound good. Adults do the same thing though. So we do have to be very careful with separating the facts from the rumors. Obviously I wasn’t there, but I have been in similar situations at my own school. When there is a threat other than a bomb threat, the school must go on lockdown. If we let the students out, we have no hand in keeping them safe, knowing where they’re at, or being able to calm parents when they can’t find or get ahold of their child. Doing a lockdown is the safest way and it is the best procedure in order to get the students back to their families as safely as possible.
I’d like to stand up for Maren also. I do know her and even though she isn’t a small town person, I don’t think she would ever offend or insult someone from a small town on purpose. I don’t know her to think that she’s better than others. I thought her comment about the articulate opinions hit the nail on the head. So many people do a lot of “stinkin thinkin” and type/speak before really thinking about what they are saying. I think this post has a very serious topic and the comments have been very thoughtout for the most part. I agree with those of you that say something needs to be done. I had a 5th grader bring a knife to school and after he was suspended for 10 straight days, we had to have a hearing with the supt. of discipline to see whether he should be allowed back into school. It definitely made him realize that it was no laughing matter and as the stories passed through the other kids’ mouths, they too knew things were taken seriously. I’m not sure that jail is the best place for the student in WCV’s case but he needs someone to do something otherwise he might think it’s all a joke and next time take it a step farther.
With everything that has happened in the world with 911, Columbine, VTech, and many other incidents that just aren’t “big” enough to make the world news, people do have a greater sense of fear. Things like this can happen anywhere, in schools, in malls, in office buildings, pretty much where ever there are people, so we can’t just fear our kids’ lives at school. Be confident that when you send your kids to school, those teachers, administrators, and other staff members are there to protect them and they will do the right thing. It’s part of the job.
The only person who can protect you is yourself.
[...] Lockdown [...]
I wanted to share the response i received from the superintendent of WCV. I would like your opinions.
Good Afternoon,
I am still concerned about last Friday’s lock down and lack of information about it. I was thinking there would be some communication to reassure parents. I would like to know if there was a weapon found and if we know who is responsible for the lock down. And where is the student now?
The response…
First, no weapon was involved in the lockdown. The lock down stemmed from written material, and the police are working the with the state handwriting analysis group. At this time, no one person has been identified as the person that originated the note. I cannot discuss specific student issues of course, but on a previous day student witnesses reported to Mrs. Wilson that a student had been showing a knife to other students prior to the start of school. The police were immediately involved, and the student is not at school.
The lockdown procedure has been in force for a number of years, and the students do practice such a drill just as they do fire drills and tornado drills. Mrs. Wilson initiated the lock down, contacted me and the local authorities. The safety of the students is paramount, and we will continue to provide a safe learning environment for the students and staff. I know that the media were involved, and I know that the office fielded numerous questions from parents. I can discuss communication options with Mrs. Wilson.
Thank you for the e-mail!
Dr. David Arnold
We trust these people with our children. I wonder how the school administration is going to spin this next story about WCV? Third Degree Sexual Assault, Lascivious Acts with a Minor and Sexual Exploitation of a Minor by a School Employee - all are felonies.