Eugene, OR Parents - Abduction this morning (renting, homes)

[haggardhouseelf]

My kids schools were locked down today after a Sheldon High School student (a 15 year old girl) was reportedly abducted. They say she has been found and is safe now, but all the parents received a phone call warning us to be mindful - do not allow our children to walk or bike alone, and if walking or biking in groups to stay on main roads. Also, we had to sign our children out of school today and no child was allowed to walk, bike, or take a school bus home.

Two weeks ago there was a bomb threat at Cal Young Middle School.

Things like this also happened in the Lake Washington School District while we were there for a year. Three attempted abductions, one shooting, and one bomb threat - in one year.

This is so unsettling!

Why does it seem like there are more people doing bad things now than when I was a kid? We never had any of these types of things happen when I was in school. I graduated in the mid-nineties. I'm sure things happened... but never at my schools or even in the District I attended. The worst thing that ever happened was someone getting caught smoking, or cheating.

It's no wonder kids test scores are so low and there are so many struggling - they are in a constant state of either fear of something happening or recovery from something having happened. Their brains can't learn when they are in a state of stress like that. So what are we to do?

Just needed to vent a little... any other concerned parents out there?

[Nell Plotts]

This is such a rare event. Instead of instilling fear in children teach them the skills to know what trouble looks like and techniques to deal with bad/mean people.

When I was a kid someone attempted to abduct the little brother of a friend (assumed for ransom as the family was prominent). Although I was hardly a candidate for that, we all got an education about how to spot someone who could cause you grief.

Don't get me started on how perverts should be handled in the justice system...

[mrwumpus]

In most ways society is decaying. My children live in an America where they are more likely to be abducted, molested, shot, or exposed to more violent or criminal behavior than I or my parents ever were. It is sad that I as a parent have to instruct my four year old daughter on what to do if a stranger attempts to take her somewhere. I don't see how that does not instill fear as her intelligent little brain asks itself, "But why would a stranger ever want to take me somewhere and harm me?" Until I had my two girls I never realized just how good the world could be, and therefore how bad, the world is.

But to be fair, most bomb threats are done by stupid teenagers unless you live in the West Bank.

I used to ride my bike alone for miles to the mall and back in the 1970s. My children will never be able to do that, and I am certain my grandchildren never will. Even still, the good old days weren't that great. Even I remember being stalked by an obvious child molester one day at that mall. My Dad grew up in the 40s amid broken homes, poverty and alcoholism.

One thing is certain: More people in the past by and large believed in objective truths, true right and wrong, and consequences beyond the grave. It put a sort of grip on their behavior and no doubt held back a lot of the bad stuff we see unleashed today. No matter what side of the fence you are on, that is mere historical fact. The price of being freed from all restraint is, well, unrestrained behavior that affects us all.

My theory is that as things worsen, the family-minded people will band together in citadels similar to today's rich gated communities, and there try to enjoy a sort of cloistered, manufactured good life while all the people in the "free" society outside chew themselves up in true Darwinian fashion. You can see additional signs of this movement in so many of today's families seeking refuge in outposts of Small Town, USA. This sort of scenario would be accelerated by a massive economic collapse. Anyone who has studied human behavior in unrestrained circumstances like war or riots knows how ugly it will get.

From Edward Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire:

"[T]he decline of Rome was the natural and inevitable effect of immoderate greatness. Prosperity ripened the principle of decay; the causes of destruction multiplied with the extent of conquest; and as soon as time or accident had removed the artificial supports, the stupendous fabric yielded to the pressure of its own weight..."

Wow, I've thoroughly spent my lunch typing this and depressing myself. Time to buy those five acres and extra ammo. Hopefully a hysterical optimist will counter my post and convincingly prove me completely wrong.

[pshinspections]

I still do not see the wisdom in sending your children to strangers half of their waking hours away from parents. We will continue to homeschool. Our oldest just got accepted to the U.S. Air Force Academy.

[Leisesturm]

And I do not see the wisdom in working so hard at raising wonderful, intelligent young people only to let them become cannon fodder in the prime of their lives...

[haggardhouseelf]

Let's not allow this thread to turn into an ugly and bitter debate between different parenting methods...

Every family will decide for themselves what is the right path for themselves and their children. Personally our family has gone the homeschool route and we have gone the private school route and currently we're on the public school path and they all have had negative and positive aspects... I will say that of everything we have tried our children seem to be happier and more well-rounded with the current method - public schools in a nice neighborhood in a wonderful college town. I really feel there is no right or wrong way - you just have to be open to figuring out what works best for your children. And also, some methods might work well for one child but not for another child as each child learns differently.

And pshinspections - if you are any kind of parent you are not sending your children "off to strangers"... Part of being an involved and conscientious parent is developing relationships with all the adults involved in your childrens school. We know the office staff, the P.E. teacher, the music teacher, the drama teacher, the art teacher, and even the lunch ladies and so on... We volunteer in their classroom several times a week. We email with their teachers almost daily. We also help out with school-wide events such as the book fairs and triathalons and safety clinics and so forth. It's not as if you just boot them out the door and that's it. Well - maybe for many parents that might be how they go about it, but for those of us that really care we choose to go about things differently.

Anyway -

There was another bomb threat at Cal Young yesterday - a note left in the girls bathroom (a few weeks ago it was in the boys bathroom)... but they do believe these threats are fake. They do take them seriously and investigate - bringing the dog sniffers and professional bomb threat checker-outers (whoever is involved! ) and whatnot to make sure the school is safe.

And the reported abduction which supposedly happened the other day of a Sheldon High School student has turned out to be a hoax as well - the 15 year old girl admitted to making the story up. They are considering pressing charges.

[haggardhouseelf]

You know, Mr. Wumpus, I really enjoyed reading your post. I'm giving you a rep point.

Especially the bit about "objective truths, true right and wrong,"...

The older I get, the more I understand the point of religion or a collective spiritual belief system that a culture adheres to. In my mind, anyway, it is seeming to have less and less to do with God or Heaven and Hell and much more to do with keeping a society intact and under control. And there's nothing wrong with that - no matter what flavor you choose.

Thanks for your lunch break post - I appreciated it!

[mrwumpus]

Originally Posted by haggardhouseelf

You know, Mr. Wumpus, I really enjoyed reading your post. I'm giving you a rep point.

Especially the bit about "objective truths, true right and wrong,"...

The older I get, the more I understand the point of religion or a collective spiritual belief system that a culture adheres to. In my mind, anyway, it is seeming to have less and less to do with God or Heaven and Hell and much more to do with keeping a society intact and under control. And there's nothing wrong with that - no matter what flavor you choose.

Thanks for your lunch break post - I appreciated it!

Thanks, I appreciate the comments and the points.

[ajpacino]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=gQNY7Sti8FY



Found this on youtube she kinda sums it up, Yesterday "here in Sacramento" there was an 11 yr old girl taken, and a Amber Alert issued, she was found but unfourtanalty this is not an uncommon accurance, this is why we are leaving, My girl will not be the one she talking about in the bathroom, watch the viedo, it is so ture,

[TheShoeboxDiaries541]

Originally Posted by haggardhouseelf

My kids schools were locked down today after a Sheldon High School student (a 15 year old girl) was reportedly abducted. They say she has been found and is safe now, but all the parents received a phone call warning us to be mindful - do not allow our children to walk or bike alone, and if walking or biking in groups to stay on main roads. Also, we had to sign our children out of school today and no child was allowed to walk, bike, or take a school bus home.

Two weeks ago there was a bomb threat at Cal Young Middle School.

Things like this also happened in the Lake Washington School District while we were there for a year. Three attempted abductions, one shooting, and one bomb threat - in one year.

This is so unsettling!



Why does it seem like there are more people doing bad things now than when I was a kid? We never had any of these types of things happen when I was in school. I graduated in the mid-nineties. I'm sure things happened... but never at my schools or even in the District I attended. The worst thing that ever happened was someone getting caught smoking, or cheating.

It's no wonder kids test scores are so low and there are so many struggling - they are in a constant state of either fear of something happening or recovery from something having happened. Their brains can't learn when they are in a state of stress like that. So what are we to do?

Just needed to vent a little... any other concerned parents out there?

You graduated from high-school in the mid-90's, and you have high-school aged children? I think that says a little something right there...