I can't speak for the other Bound sites, but I don't believe any have. This one hasn't to date, but it's been on my list of things to do (it's a long list, there's a lot to be done to help the community) and it's one I'm working on addressing at the moment. I've spoken privately with a few key individuals and all are interested in meeting. BTW, the Peaceworks Foundation, which runs the Mountain Peace Shelter just won a $600,000+ grant, if I'm not getting the details wrong (that's possible so please don't quote me, I need to follow up with Kathy), to specifically address issues related with school violence. I'll update as I know more.
"Now, more than ever, the illusions of division threaten our very existence. We all know the truth: more connects us than separates us. But in times of crisis the wise build bridges, while the foolish build barriers. We must find a way to look after one another as if we were one single tribe.” -King T'Challa, Black Panther
The truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it. ignorance may deride it, but in the end, there it is. ~Winston Churchill
chickaree wrote: I think kids are reluctant to report stuff as the adults are often dismissive or punitive. We have to find a way that kids feel safe reporting issues and the adults have to actually follow up.
I agree. And I'm not sure what the "follow-up requirements" are for the Safe-2-Tell Program, but it's there for kids who want to report things and remain anonymous.
When I would encourage my kids to speak up they always declined due to the futility. Until the adults face accountability for turning a blind eye I don't see a lot changing. In each of these cases the people around the perpetrators weren't terribly surprised.
chickaree wrote: When I would encourage my kids to speak up they always declined due to the futility. Until the adults face accountability for turning a blind eye I don't see a lot changing. In each of these cases the people around the perpetrators weren't terribly surprised.
I get where you're coming from. In many circumstances, I believe that is, in fact, the case. The kids don't want to say anything because things just seem to get worse for them if they do. And adults often times don't take what's being offered seriously. That has all too often resulted in avoidable tragedies. Of that there can be no doubt. Schools, in this regard, need to step up, acknowledge, and accept their responsibilities in this regard. Of that, too, there can be no doubt. The fact remains that bullying isn't taken seriously enough, period. It happens daily to thousands. There are so many FB pages out there right now dedicated to bullying in school, bullying in the workplace, and cyber bullying, I can't keep track of them all. That's where a "unified" voice might help. That's what the Safe-2-Tell is intended to foster from what I understand.
If someone reports something on Safe-2-Tell, and that organization follows through on the report to proper authorities, and the proper authorities fail to act, I agree there needs to be accountability of some kind. Unfortunately, I don't know enough right now about the Safe-2-Tell Program to offer really definitive answers, but I do consider it a start in the right direction. That doesn't mean it's the final. Rather, it's a start.
Another case of good intentions done wrong in my opinion.
I could just imagine being the greeter at the door and him making his statement. Wonder what kind of look he'd have on his face if I said, "I'll show you mine if you show me yours!" and just grinned. If he produced one, well he'd better be quick about it. (Edit to add: This sentiment can easily be a game changer. Those whom have taken a concealed carry course usually cover such scenarios and the general consensus falls somewhere in between the "fear for your life" ideaology and the "make no mistakes" choice of responsibility.)
Sorry if this sounds cynical, but in my experience, when someone simply says they have a gun, and want to go somewhere else what they're actually doing is 'asking' for control that they don't yet have. Many might comply, others might resist. Again if I were the greeter, he'd never have gotten by me with a statement like that.
BadgerKustoms wrote: Another case of good intentions done wrong in my opinion.
I could just imagine being the greeter at the door and him making his statement. Wonder what kind of look he'd have on his face if I said, "I'll show you mine if you show me yours!" and just grinned. If he produced one, well he'd better be quick about it. (Edit to add: This sentiment can easily be a game changer. Those whom have taken a concealed carry course usually cover such scenarios and the general consensus falls somewhere in between the "fear for your life" ideaology and the "make no mistakes" choice of responsibility.)
Sorry if this sounds cynical, but in my experience, when someone simply says they have a gun, and want to go somewhere else what they're actually doing is 'asking' for control that they don't yet have. Many might comply, others might resist. Again if I were the greeter, he'd never have gotten by me with a statement like that.
Badger
I get where you're coming from, but, according to the article, the greeter froze, and he wasn't arrested until after he left the school entirely. If he'd actually had a gun, and the greeter was an SRO instead of a "greeter", the scenario probably wouldn't even have played out. Again, this would appear to me to be a planning issue. As you said, good intentions done wrong, also in my opinion.
I don't condone a parent doing this type of thing, but he proved a point and shouldn't be fined or jailed for it. The school should be reviewing its policies more closely now, as should every school.
Colorado must reform laws and insurance benefits to give patients and families access to mental illness treatment equal to what as they usually get for medical treatment, panelists at an informal "hearing" said Thursday night.
"The insurance companies are fighting these rules. Why are we waiting for Washington to take care of this for us," said George DelGrosso, head of the Colorado Behavioral Healthcare Council, a coalition of mental health providers.
Denver District Attorney Mitch Morrissey said reviews have shown 30 percent of inmates in Colorado have diagnosed mental health and substance abuse issues. Those coming through Denver courts with good private insurance "have so many more options for treatment", and better chances for avoiding recidivism, Morrissey said. Enforcing a parity rule would decrease criminal activity in the future, he said.
Recent gun tragedies perpetrated by people with apparent mental health issues should lend a new urgency to the fight for treatment parity, Kennedy said. He also encouraged states to rethink their involuntary mental health commitment rules, as Colorado has already announced it will do.
"Now, more than ever, the illusions of division threaten our very existence. We all know the truth: more connects us than separates us. But in times of crisis the wise build bridges, while the foolish build barriers. We must find a way to look after one another as if we were one single tribe.” -King T'Challa, Black Panther
The truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it. ignorance may deride it, but in the end, there it is. ~Winston Churchill
I was at our company dinner last night and a co-worker's girlfriend sat next to each other at dinner. She teaches 5th grade in the Denver metro area and is really disgusted with how her school (or the district...I do not know which) is dealing with school shootings.
She said they have drills a lot, get out of the building, get out of the classroom, stay in the classroom...and pretty much all it is doing is hindering her ability to teach the kids what they need to know. The school locked all the outside doors after 4 pm, when school is let out, but a lot of the teachers escort their classes to the busses and then the teachers couldn't get back inside the building. She complained about this, and the school relented and leaves the doors unlocked for a little bit after school is out. She pointed out that once all the kids are gone is not really the time someone is going to lay seige to the school.
I asked her if cameras had been installed and she said only on the first floor of the school...there aren't any in the stairwells or the second story and there aren't any on the outside of the building. She said there was a plate glass window in her classroom and it is on the first floor...easy way to get in. All of the outside doors have glass in them...not a very go way to prevent someone from getting into the building.
I also asked her if she or any of her fellow teachers or faculty members had been asked if they had any ideas about making the school safer and she just rolled her eyes and said no, all of the decisions were made by someone else or some other group of people and didn't involve faculty, students, or parents.
Then I asked her if she would be willing to give input, should the powers-that-be decide to ask, and she said absolutely.
I just asked my son, who was enrolled in high school here in Fairplay when the PCHS shooting happened if all of the safety changes at his school were done without asking for input...I was asked through a survey sent home to me, but no one ever followed up on my comments or suggestions...my son was not asked. They did no drills for escaping at all. They locked the outside doors to the school in between the bells and anyone coming to the school had to be buzzed in...that's fine, except the majority of the outside doors were glass. Glass doesn't stop bullets (unless it is bullet-proof and that is very expensive) nor will it stop bricks or rocks or any other object that can break it.
I, too, gave my boys permission to question authority figures should they hear or be told to do something they thought was incorrect or wrong. And they did...it got one of my sons suspended for three days and got my name in lights when I complained, but it also got me respect. And my boys wouldn't not stand for anyone to bully another child...my eldest just told me that he used mental games on the bullies and stood up to them and they got angry but they backed down and earned their respect 'cuz, as he put it, he didn't take their crap.
It isn't only the school children that are bullies...some of the faculty and staff could be, too, as well as some parents in schools my kids were in.
I agree, too, with the communication or should I say lack of communication coming from the schools. When PCHS happened, I was at work...the school didn't call me, my eldest son who was home sick called me to say they wouldn't let my youngest son come home 'cuz the school was on lockdown...prior to his phone call I had no idea anything was happening. I believe, though it has been some years, that finally my youngest son called me begging for me to tell the administration to let him walk home...we live two blocks from the school and they relented only 'cuz he was pitching a fit and I promised he would call them when he got home.
The school quit teaching immediately when it became known there was a problem at PCHS and just held the students inside the building in limbo, not telling them anything but not keeping them busy...and it was real frustrating for a lot of the students to be at school and not doing anything and not knowing anything.
When I asked why parents hadn't been contacted, I was told there weren't enough people to do the contacting. Having a plan in place, where each student goes to their home room and the home room teacher makes contact with the parents to explain what is happening (or something like that) would work. It is easier for one person to call no more than 30 parents than it is for the administration to try to call 123 or so parents.
OK, enough for now. I believe asking teachers and faculty, to include janitors and cafeteria workers and bus drivers to be part of this discussion is vital.
Science Chic wrote: I can't speak for the other Bound sites, but I don't believe any have. This one hasn't to date, but it's been on my list of things to do (it's a long list, there's a lot to be done to help the community) and it's one I'm working on addressing at the moment. I've spoken privately with a few key individuals and all are interested in meeting. BTW, the Peaceworks Foundation, which runs the Mountain Peace Shelter just won a $600,000+ grant, if I'm not getting the details wrong (that's possible so please don't quote me, I need to follow up with Kathy), to specifically address issues related with school violence. I'll update as I know more.
Thanks, SC. Looks like we're starting to generate at least a little bit more interest. In the meantime, tell friends and family to visit here and/or the other Bound sites. I registered with EvergreenBound, SmokeyHillBound, and CastleRockBound. Haven't heard back from HighlandsRanchBound, and FortCollinsBound (hope I spelled that right) comes up as url not found. Almost all my posts in those sites are the same, but am hoping to see comments, ideas, and suggestions like what we're starting to see here.
If he produced one, well he'd better be quick about it. (Edit to add: This sentiment can easily be a game changer. Those whom have taken a concealed carry course usually cover such scenarios and the general consensus falls somewhere in between the "fear for your life" ideaology and the "make no mistakes" choice of responsibility.)
