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Today, at my sons' elementary school, one student (jokingly) said of another student having drugs. A teacher over-heard and moments later the authorities were called in along with K-9s to sniff out any drugs.
Apparently the entire school was swept and no drugs turned upin any lockers, or on any students.
As I'm being told this, I wondered "how far is too far?" And should everything said be taken with absolute extreme seriousness?
I had to pick other because of one word used in the poll question. The word being "extreme".
This word is a matter of opinion in many situations. What may appear to be extreme to some, may in fact not be extreme at all to others. So it's difficult to truly assess when something is doen in "extreme" measures, without the case by case information.
Personally, I think, in this day and age, everything should be looked into seriously and nothing simply be taken for granted on face value alone. There have been way too many tragedies in schools that perhaps could have been avoided if schools had taken warning signs a bit more seriously. There are times also when minor things are taken too seriously and over reaction does take place. Again, it is a case by case situation in my opinion. A tough job on schools.
I will give an example of a situation that occured in my children's high school. Some say the school over reacted. Perhaps. In my opinion, despite the worry and concern that I went through for hours, I do not feel they over reacted, I believe they handled the situation appropriately and am for one grateful that they take such precautions to ensure the safety of my children and the other children in the school.
Several months back, a student reported that another male student he did not know had a gun and had stated plans to use that gun on a female student. This incident was reported to the school officials and in turn the school resource officer. The school was immediately placed on lock down. The media, everything was out there. My son, being a senior and having his car in the parking lot, managed to get himself and my daughter out out of the school at the very last second just before the lock down. He and my daughter knew not to take such things lightly and if able to safely get out as soon as possible to do so. My son made me aware of the situation and I immediately drove over to the school where they were standing just at the police crime scene tape. They have been at that school for 3 years, have a lot of love for many of the administration staff and teachers and many, many friends. Understandibly they did not want to leave the area, so we hung around praying and comforting other parents as we waited for information and updates. Many of my children's close friends, who I view as my own kids and they even call me mom, were still in the school. This was a terrifying time. My daughter was crying and everyone outside was scared.
In the end, they were not able to identify the boy or find any gun. Hours later the school was cleared and parents were allowed in to pick up their children. I had to go in to officially sign my kids out and also sign out one of my daughters friends, whom I had been on the phone on and off with her mother and she asked me to take her home with me. The lines of parents covered the hallways and I'm sure the school was pretty much emptied out.
Did the school over react? Take extreme measures? Some say they did without a verifiable name for this mysterious student with a gun. I, and many other parents, say absolutely not. They did not over reacted or take extreme measures. They took appropriate measures to make sure our kids were safe. That it possibly proved to be false allegations. Yeah, perhaps. They never did find this mysterious boy. But, all in all the school can shuck it up to a drill. First time they had to do something like that, and now they could go to meetings and discuss what they did right, what they did wrong, where they could improve.
When it comes to protecting the lives of our children, I am not sure what exactly constitutes extremes. I know I would go to extreme measures to keep my children safe. I would hope the school would do the same thing while my kids are entrusted to their care.
As far as the situation in the OP... many schools bring in these K-9 dogs for random sweeps of schools for drugs and weapons. My kids school has been known to do these random sweeps. Drugs are very common in schools these days. So why not? Now if they do so for random sweeps, how much more so is it appropriate when there is a suspicion or allegations of such.
While actual threats need to be handled immediately, overreacting is not doing a darn thing to keep our kids safe. They're still doing drugs, they're still having sex, they're still being violent. Just check out myspace and youtube for evidence of that.
Don't misunderstand, I have 6 children, three still in school. I want a safe environment, too. It's just that calling in law enforcement and the K-9 unit because you overheard something a kid said - and didn't question it further! - is overreacting.
Fear makes us do stupid things sometimes. Whether it's us (parents) who fear for our child's safety or the schools fearing a lawsuit, someone needs to stop and think before reacting out of fear.
In the story of what happened at my kids' school yesterday, I wondered how much of the drug accusation was questioned before the authorities were called.
This is an elementary school of kids no older than 13-14
I saw random locker checks when I went to highschool (way back when) but I never thought I'd see the day a locker check of a 6-8th grader.
And then I thought how easy it is for drugs to get into schools, because last year a child (5-6 years old) walked into his daycare school with crack. After a lengthy investigation, the child got it from home and thought it was candy.
I'm still torn on how to feel about this because one part of me questions the school calling in the police and K-9 to sweep the entire school (k-8th grade), the other part of me is worried, if maybe the drug related accusations of middleschool aged children was true... what would parents do/think then?
I remember when I was in school....3rd or 4th grade probably. There were a couple of kids who thought it was funny to take some chalk dust and make lined out of it and sniff it like coke. I thought it was stupid....and a little comical at the same time.
The teacher just wrote it off as being stupid boys doing stupid things.....and then later gave us all a special lesson about how we should "Just Say No to drugs and alcohol".
No police were called. No drug sniffing dogs were brought in. And the situation was handled appropriately IMO. For the record those boys grew up just fine and are not involved in any illegal activity.
I think every situation has to be taken seriously, better to be safe than sorry. Not to act on every tip could be disasterous and have disasterous consequences.
The students must learn to be careful of what they say and what they bring to school. It is a new world they are in and they have to learn the rules or pay the consequences. My own grand daughter was suspened for bringing a steak knife to school when she knew it would get her into trouble. When asked why she did it, she had no answer other than just because..... I think she did it just to see what would happen.... and she found out.
Parents today, just have to teach their kids that idle threats are no longer "childs play" and can get them into a heep of trouble. They have to follow the rules as to what they can and can not bring to school or pay the consequences.
It is so sad that kids can not be kids anymore and have to fear going to school but that is the world we live in now.
I chose other as it depends on the circumstances..in this case yes over reaction
had the child jokingly said classmate has a gun then no it would not have been over reaction
Unfortunately in this day and age all possible threats needs to be taken seriously. This situation sounds benign but there is no telling what kids will do or bring to school.
This child is probably in need of attention at home.
I think every situation has to be taken seriously, better to be safe than sorry. Not to act on every tip could be disasterous and have disasterous consequences.
While I am agreeing with you 110% .... A classmate of my older son, he is an art major, was suspended 5 days for turning in a sketching of a gun as an assignment. He followed the rules of the assignment, shading, hard lines, 3-demintional design, detail, texture, highlites, etc.
The sketching was non-threatening, non-violent... non-promotion of gun use, no "gangsta" relations or "colors" to associate with gangs. He showed no obsession with guns. It was just a very tallented sketching, but because it was of a gun he was suspended.
And I wonder on should "everything" be taken to extreme measures?
Today, at my sons' elementary school, one student (jokingly) said of another student having drugs. A teacher over-heard and moments later the authorities were called in along with K-9s to sniff out any drugs.
Apparently the entire school was swept and no drugs turned upin any lockers, or on any students.
This DOES sound extreme...
BUT, what I am thinking, is that it isn't JUST about today's incident... it is impressing the students with how SERIOUS this could be,and how serious it will be dealt with.
When my daughter was in K, there was a vendor servicing a vending machine. Some kid swiped a package of twinkies. Well, they shut the school down. NO one was doing ANYTHING until the twinkies were returned!!
I don't recall exactly how it panned out, but it made a big impression on the kids... theft is theft, regardless of how insignificant it appears.
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