Only me Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 There have been rumors all week at the local high school about a shooting that is supposed to take place tomorrow during an assembly. My son goes to that school and is really nervous about going tomorrow. We have received two emails from the principal saying that everything has been checked out and that they are just rumors. Apparently a few parents called the school to tell them that their kids heard kids talking about it. Normally I wouldn't really worry too much about it since it seems like there are always rumors going around. My son's friend had rumors at his school too. I think I am more concerned due to the recent events as well as it being the 21st tomorrow. It seems like a date that someone would pick to do something stupid. My son missed school all last week due to having influenza so my husband doesn't want him to miss anymore. My husband thinks it is just a rumor and that we should send my son. We were supposed to get a snowstorm but unfortunately it seems to have fizzled out a bit so I doubt they would cancel school. Would you send your child in this situation? Fortunately my oldest is college age and my 17 year old is homeschooled. Times like this I wish my son was homeschooled too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KRG Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 I have a lot of friends on fb saying the same things and the majority of them are keeping their children home. I would lean towards keeping him home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reeciecup Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 Isn't tomorrow the last day before Christmas break? If he doesn't have any exams, I would let him skip if he wanted to. I doubt he would miss much learning that day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 Keep him home. It's right before Christmas break, and they aren't going to accomplish anything in their classes tomorrow anyway. I'm sure everything will be fine at the school, but considering the fact that there was a warning, could you ever forgive yourself if you sent him in and something awful happened? It's only one more day off from school. Why take any chances? Let your dh think you're being paranoid. So what? If you've got a niggling feeling that you should keep him home, please listen to that little voice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flowing Brook Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 With all the recent shootings and considering a threat was made I would keep him home. Look at it this way. If he stays home and nothing happens at school it is not a big deal. If he goes to school and something tragic happens you will never get over it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erica in OR Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 Similar rumors in our town here. A few parents called the police with their concerns and any information they heard. There was a definite police presence at the high school today and I would guess tomorrow. I agree with the others—classes on the day before vacation tend to be a wash. I know I used to schedule fun activities that related to the course, but were definitely stand-alone and not required for the course. Erica in OR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenL Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 I would keep him home. Nothing gets done on the day before break anyway. He won't miss a thing. Think of the anxiety he (and most likely you) will be feeling for the 7 hours he's in the building waiting for something to happen (if nothing does). If something happens, life will never be the same for any of you. An extra day off is a small price to pay for peace of mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynn Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 My ds came home a couple of weeks ago on a Monday saying there was threat of a shooting Wednesday. I figured if the kids knew about it the authorities already tracked down where the threat originated. It was a sociall media round of telephone where nothing comes back as the original text. However, 750 students of the 3000 were absent. I let him decide if he was going or not. He decided to go. There was debate whether to let the kids have excused absence or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heatherwith4 Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 I would keep him home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlmiraGulch Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 My ds came home a couple of weeks ago on a Monday saying there was threat of a shooting Wednesday. I figured if the kids knew about it the authorities already tracked down where the threat originated. It was a sociall media round of telephone where nothing comes back as the original text. However, 750 students of the 3000 were absent. I let him decide if he was going or not. He went and nothing happened. There was debate whether to let the kids have excused absence or not. I'm interested to know where you are. The same thing happened at my daughter's school a couple of weeks ago. She wasn't worried and went to class, but there was a huge police presence there that day. Apparently there were about 9 kids that were involved and they decided to post about it on FB and Twitter. The cops went to their homes before the start of school and picked everyone up. Apparently it was all just talk. To the OP, if he's that uncomfortable, and if it's that close to break anyway, I wouldn't make him go. Heck, I let my youngest stay home today just because she's a great student and simply didn't feel like going. What's the harm? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unicorn. Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 Our high school has finals all week, including tomorrow. If your ds doesn't have finals, I would let him stay home. You could compromise, and either take him late (after assembly if it's in the am) or pick him up early (before assembly if it's at the end of the day). :grouphug: I know it's hard sending them in these situations. I have 2 in ps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harriet Vane Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 Chiming in with the others--keep him home. It's the last day before Christmas and nothing will get accomplished anyway. Given the reality of school shootings in this country, I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss the concern. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaAkins Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 If he is uncomfortable going, I would keep him home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TammyinTN Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 If he's uncomfortable...I'm uncomfortable. He would stay home or I would be a basket case all day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunnyDays Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 I would be uncomfortable enough to keep him home. It's probably nothing, but you know what? You just never know anymore. If he has finals, compromise and pull him out for an "appointment" during assembly. Otherwise, I wouldn't send him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 I would make the decision with my DH and son and contact the principal personally if I had any doubts about whether the threat was credible. I think the pressure in this thread to keep him home because "you'd feel horrible if anything happened" is essentially fear-mongering and shouldn't be the basis of your decision. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 I would make the decision with my DH and son and contact the principal personally if I had any doubts about whether the threat was credible. I think the pressure in this thread to keep him home because "you'd feel horrible if anything happened" is essentially fear-mongering and shouldn't be the basis of your decision. Oh, please. :rolleyes: It's not fear-mongering. A mom is concerned that there could be a problem at her kid's school tomorrow, so she's thinking of keeping him home as a precaution. It's the last day of school before Christmas break, so very little real schoolwork is going to be done, anyway, so why shouldn't she keep him home if it makes her feel more comfortable? I don't think this situation requires a call to the principal, when it's so easy to just let the kid stay home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happi duck Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 Given all the end of the world stuff...we're being careful about people doing stupid things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Rat Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 A rumor like this went around my high school in 1989. Then, it was two rival gangs who were going to use our school as "neutral turf". Many people stayed home from school either because their parents wanted them to or they themselves were afraid. I went to school that day. We had sharp shooters on the roof. It was eerie. But, nothing happened. My parents weren't concerned, but this was pre-Columbine. Pre-Newtown. Now? I wouldn't let my kids go to school with those rumors. And if I were a student now knowing things that had transpired in the last several years, I wouldn't go at all either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CyndiLJ Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 It's one stinking day, even if he had been off with the flu. What is one more day for peace of mind? Who even cares if the threat is real or not. What is important is that your son feel heard in his concerns and supported. After all, we are living in a world in which this sort of threat may be unfounded, but it has happened often enough that there is solid reason to be cautious. And yea, it is probably rumor mill working overtime. But your son needs to know that concerns brought to you by him are taken "for real". It's not a month out of school, it's a day. I just realized as I was typing this just how anti-establishment I have become since starting homeschooling! There was a time when i would say the school knew best. No way, not anymore...and that school doesn't own your child. Whew! I am becoming a little rebel in my older age! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeneralMom Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 A friend in Missouri posted that after rumours like this, her local school district decided to cancel all classes in all schools just to be safe. So every student has tomorrow off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksr5377 Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 If my child were nervous about going to school in this situation I wouldn't send them. It's just not worth it, especially it being the last day before break. ETA that my reasoning isn't fear mongering but not believing this is something worth making my child anxious about. I would feel badly thinking about my child being at school all day and being nervous/anxious/afraid and not about a test or exam but about the possiblity of being harmed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elizabeth in MN Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 If this is in Idaho then LOADS of people are keeping their kids home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest inoubliable Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 There's a whole buncha schools in Michigan that cancelled classes because of similar concerns. I think that if your child is concerned enough that they aren't going to be able to enjoy or concentrate that last day of school, it's not going to hurt to keep him home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 This happened at DS's school last year with a date posted on the bathroom wall and rumors going around the school. The principal call went around to families saying everything was going to be fine but I kept DS home anyway. I figured better to be safe than sorry. I would never have been able to forgive myself if I'd made him go and something did happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 Well, I'd be scared because of what is happening here. In our county, we have three school districts that have been closed down for the entire week due to "rumors" that turned out to be true. Law enforcement is tight lipped, but we do know that five teens from the county - different districts and not working together - decided to do "end of the world" damage to punish teachers that had crossed them. Originally, school authorities thought it was all talk, but thankfully reported it anyway. All five young men are being held without bond and had been either "armed for Iwo Jima", as one school principal phrased it, or had built bombs with info from the net. Two neighboring counties have closed COUNTY WIDE for credible threats. One district closed because students planned very boistrous protests in the school parking lots because they've complained for two years about the lack of security at their buildings and had "had enough". Fears were that the protesting would get out of control and someone would be hurt. The problem out here is HUGE right now, but because these are rural schools, rural communities, non-suburban nor inner city schools, there hasn't been any national press. I honestly thought the Detroit Free Press would send a reporter, but nah...not even a blip. So, since we've got mayhem from credible threats all over my area, it colors my thinking on school safety everywhere at present. It's hard to be rational when a teen two miles down the road plotted to murder a teacher. Therefore, my child would absolutely NOT be in school. Faith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.