I think it's a really scary time to be a parent. I really hate that you can't even send your child off to school worry-free anymore. Locally, in several cities there are gang rumblings about some sort of resistance to authority that will occur in school on February 29th. They didn't even start in my city, but things like that can spread. The school district sent a letter and a phone message home saying that they are aware and are working with police. The letter asks that we send our children to school anyway, "We need your support and cooperation by having your children in school. Friday, February 29, 2008 will be a regular school day for all students in the School District."
I am wondering how it makes a difference, security-wise, to have all kids in school. Wouldn't it be easier to manage, should anything occur, with less kids to protect? I know the chances of something happening at the elementary school level are slim, but it's not unheard of, and it would make more of a statement. School shootings are becoming increasingly common, so it occurs to me that doing something to an elementary school would have more shock value. I also worry that, forgive me for saying it, but in a sea of minority students, a caucasion student is more likely to stand out and and thus become a target. I've been seriously considering keeping her home that day-I hesitate mainly because she has so recently missed school from getting sick twice and then attending the funeral.
Any advice to offer? What would you do?
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
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5 comments:
I would send her to school. It was only meant for Liberty High School in the Bethlehem School District. Then it spread to the Easton and Allentown School Districts ( High Schools-Only). We didn't get any info on it that I know of.
Steph, I just talked to a Bethlehem School teacher whose a good friend of ours, he said that their district sent letters home and told the parents if you didn't feel comfortable sending your child to school on 229, then keep them home. It will be an excused absent all you do have to do is write a note saying my child stayed home because of 229 and sign it. He said they are taking it very seriously, so whatever you do will be up to you. But if it was me I send her. Kids at her age and school level seem to enjoy school and being with their friends.
I knew as soon as this hit the media, the rumors and threats would begin spreading like wild fire from one school district to another. I asked Adam last night if there were any rumors going around Northampton, and sure enough he said there are. Unfortunately, you never know what is rumor and what is truth. Likewise, stuff like this is becoming all too common in our schools. Fortunately, my kids are older and have only had to experience this nonsense towards the end of their school years. Yours on the other hand will be aware of it at a much earlier age. Metal detectors and backpack searches have become the norm.
If the districts bend to these kids making these threats, and close the schools, then they'll think they've won and do it more often.
Unless I hear something differently today from Adam, I expect that he will go to school, mainly because I expect there will be added security tomorrow.
You need to do what your heart tells you to do, one would hope that nothing would happen at an elementary school, but again one never knows.
I will say that both my kids were so upset last year by the upheaval all these bomb threats caused. They just wanted to go to their classes and learn (yeah, even Adam...), and not be disrupted by this craziness!
A Wilson Police Officer told me tonight that there aren't enough gangs out there to attack every school and that's where all this craziness is coming from.
He did tell me that they are bringing out extra patrol for the morning, anyways. He doesn't think anything will come of all this craziness. Let's hope so!
Ever since the Columbine School shootings this has been going on and it is just ridiculous. We need to stand our ground and take back our neighborhoods, school, and whatever else these gangs are trying to take over.
Look it up on mcall.com, it's spread to all major local school districts. From what I've read, the two groups mentioned originally (2/29 group and the pink soldiers) are actually anti-war and not at all for violence. I'm not worried about those groups, I worry about copycats and people taking advantage of supersentive fear-hyped people to make their own points. A lot of people have suggested that the answer is to increase penalties for violent behavior and for starting rumors. But if someone has decided to commit suicide I doubt fear of increased prison time will have an effect!
I agree that you can't live your life in fear of what may happen. Someone could shoot a school up next Monday instead. Or we could be in a car accident tomorrow and be gone in an instant. Nor can you bury your head in the sand and pretend that we live in the 1950s. A balance has to be found, I'm just doing my best to find it.
Allentown is not excusing kids from school. They have sent several messages that they expect people to be at school tomorrow. I get the sense that most people understand that the threat is based on rumors, but many, like myself, just don't like to take chances. They used to call in bomb threats when I was in high school and people didn't protest them evacuating the school to check. I don't feel safe generally, where I live, and that probably affects my feelings to a great degree. I am aware of gang presence here. Not rumored gangs, the real kind.
Should someone decide to do something, an extra cop or two on guard is little more than a target. I also lean towards homeschooling, for many reasons, but is't not feasable (again, for many reasons that I won't go into)because unfortunately school violence has become a real option to depressed or unstable people. I think I personally lost faith in all forms of government to protect us after Hurricane Katrina. That just really affected me. Most likely absolutely nothing will happen tomorow, if for no other reason, because everyone has made such a big deal out of it. But because you never know when someone will be crazy enough to not care, and because I'd prefer not to spend the day worrying-and I would-I'm keeping her home. In first grade you don't lose all that much in one day. The regrets should things go wrong, would last a lifetime.
Thank you for the thoughtful opinions though, Sue and Michelle, I appreciate your taking the time to answer!!
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