Teachers Stage Fake Gun Attack on Kids

[Guernicaa]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20070513/faked-attack

Teachers Stage Fake Gun Attack on Kids

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Staff members of an elementary school staged a fictitious gun attack on students during a class trip, telling them it was not a drill as the children cried and hid under tables.

The mock attack Thursday night was intended as a learning experience and lasted five minutes during the weeklong trip to a state park, said Scales Elementary School Assistant Principal Don Bartch, who led the trip.

"We got together and discussed what we would have done in a real situation," he said.

But parents of the sixth-grade students were outraged.

"The children were in that room in the dark, begging for their lives, because they thought there was someone with a gun after them," said Brandy Cole, whose son went on the trip.

Some parents said they were upset by the staff's poor judgment in light of the April 16 shootings at Virginia Tech that left 33 students and professors dead, including the gunman.

During the last night of the trip, staff members convinced the 69 students that there was a gunman on the loose. They were told to lie on the floor or hide underneath tables and stay quiet. A teacher, disguised in a hooded sweat shirt, even pulled on locked door.

After the lights went out, about 20 kids started to cry, 11-year-old Shay Naylor said.

"I was like, 'Oh My God,' " she said. "At first I thought I was going to die. We flipped out."

Principal Catherine Stephens declined to say whether the staff members involved would face disciplinary action, but said the situation "involved poor judgment."




I don't think it was a very good idea. It probably scared the shit out of the kids.

[Gaffer]

Seems like a pretty stupid stunt to pull on a bunch of young kids. What were they trying to prove? that kids would panic and be scared? There is no lesson to be learned from something like this.

[avatar4321]

we have fire drills all the time. Why should we not have drills to prepare for this type of a situation?

[LiberalNation]

In fire drill they do tell you it's a drill. We have code red drills which are drill for this type of situation but you don't have teachers dressing up like gunman just to scare you.

[nevadamedic]

If that would have happened at my daughters school heads would have rolled and I would not stop until every teacher and administrator involved we fired. That can cause serious trauma to a child, a drill or not.

[shattered]

we have fire drills all the time. Why should we not have drills to prepare for this type of a situation?

Kids know what a firedrill is - it's explained to them clearly, as well as what they should do, and how they should leave when they hear the alarm.

This was a surprise attack from the very people whos care they're under 5 days a week.

Very different scenario.

[Pale Rider]

I think it's a good idea though. But you have to plan them, just like fire drills are planned. You have to be alerted to what's happening, and then in turn you need to know what you're going to do.

But to just march into a classroom full of unsuspecting kids and make them really think they're under a gun assault, that borders on gross incompetence and negligence. "Hostile environment" comes to mind for a good law suit.

[avatar4321]

I dont ever remember being told when we were having a fire drill..

[Fountainhead]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20070513/faked-attack

Teachers Stage Fake Gun Attack on Kids

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Staff members of an elementary school staged a fictitious gun attack on students during a class trip, telling them it was not a drill as the children cried and hid under tables.

The mock attack Thursday night was intended as a learning experience and lasted five minutes during the weeklong trip to a state park, said Scales Elementary School Assistant Principal Don Bartch, who led the trip.

"We got together and discussed what we would have done in a real situation," he said.

But parents of the sixth-grade students were outraged.

"The children were in that room in the dark, begging for their lives, because they thought there was someone with a gun after them," said Brandy Cole, whose son went on the trip.

Some parents said they were upset by the staff's poor judgment in light of the April 16 shootings at Virginia Tech that left 33 students and professors dead, including the gunman.

During the last night of the trip, staff members convinced the 69 students that there was a gunman on the loose. They were told to lie on the floor or hide underneath tables and stay quiet. A teacher, disguised in a hooded sweat shirt, even pulled on locked door.

After the lights went out, about 20 kids started to cry, 11-year-old Shay Naylor said.

"I was like, 'Oh My God,' " she said. "At first I thought I was going to die. We flipped out."

Principal Catherine Stephens declined to say whether the staff members involved would face disciplinary action, but said the situation "involved poor judgment."

I don't think it was a very good idea. It probably scared the shit out of the kids.

Here is my SIMPLE DRILL. Next time there is a crazed gunman(men) shooting at innocent students ... have the swat team/police/campus police respond QUICKLY and ACTUALLY ENTER the frikken buildings. Please DO NOT WAIT for any of the following if you hear gunshots from inside the building: Hostage negotiator, Chief of Police, Dean of students, local news station, back-up, reinforcements, larger caliber weapons, priest, rabbi, distraught mothers, etc.

DO NOT take valuable time setting up your million-dollar mobile task force vehicle, with sat-links and other high-tech bullshit.

Just get your highly-trained asses into the gawd-dammmmned buildings and start protecting innocent citizens.

Please do not stand around outside the buildings while people bleed to death ... like you did at Columbine ... and take 45 minutes to plan a "strategic entry" to the building.

That way ... we WON'T need to frighten 5th graders with INSANE DRILLS, and prove that we are actually DUMBER than they are.

[Abbey Marie]

That was outrageous. Bet the teachers would freak if some of the kids did the same "fake" attack on them.

[diuretic]

Here is my SIMPLE DRILL. Next time there is a crazed gunman(men) shooting at innocent students ... have the swat team/police/campus police respond QUICKLY and ACTUALLY ENTER the frikken buildings. Please DO NOT WAIT for any of the following if you hear gunshots from inside the building: Hostage negotiator, Chief of Police, Dean of students, local news station, back-up, reinforcements, larger caliber weapons, priest, rabbi, distraught mothers, etc.

DO NOT take valuable time setting up your million-dollar mobile task force vehicle, with sat-links and other high-tech bullshit.

Just get your highly-trained asses into the gawd-dammmmned buildings and start protecting innocent citizens.

Please do not stand around outside the buildings while people bleed to death ... like you did at Columbine ... and take 45 minutes to plan a "strategic entry" to the building.

That way ... we WON'T need to frighten 5th graders with INSANE DRILLS, and prove that we are actually DUMBER than they are.

You know there are good reasons for that response I suppose. One of them is that you don't want cops going into a scene like that at random times and without any coordination at all.

But this action by the teachers is really stupid. As educators they should know that you teach the kids what to do and then you practice it later.

[shattered]

I dont ever remember being told when we were having a fire drill..

You remember standing 2 by 2, rather than running around in a frenzy, yes? Firedrills were explained to you as a very small child. What you were NOT told was the frequency of which you would have them. You merely heard the buzzer, and moved into the position youi'd been taught to move into, and then filed out of the building.

Your first firedrill was NOT along the lines of this "attack".

[Mr. P]

If that would have happened at my daughters school heads would have rolled and I would not stop until every teacher and administrator involved we fired. That can cause serious trauma to a child, a drill or not.

I agree, and I hope all the parents ban together and demand they all be fired and don't stop until they are.

[remie]

That was outrageous. Bet the teachers would freak if some of the kids did the same "fake" attack on them.


Yes and furthermore they should be glad non of the kids were packing. The might have taken a bullet for their foolishness.

[MtnBiker]

Another teacher traumatized a student and is being sued. (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,271935,00.html)

[Hagbard Celine]

Another teacher traumatized a student and is being sued. (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,271935,00.html)

The teacher's an idiot. The kid and her parents are over-reacting. Classic. People like this willing to fight tooth and nail over such trivialities should be made to fight each other in a coliseum and the rest of us should get to watch. "Cat fights" like this are the sort of things that happen only in a society where all of Maslow's hierarchy of needs have been met above and beyond everyone's actual needs.

[Mr. P]

The teacher's an idiot. The kid and her parents are over-reacting. Classic. People like this willing to fight tooth and nail over such trivialities should be made to fight each other in a coliseum and the rest of us should get to watch. "Cat fights" like this are the sort of things that happen only in a society where all of Maslow's hierarchy of needs have been met above and beyond everyone's actual needs.

It's not trivial to show an R-rated movie to underage kids, Hag.
Especially at school!

When my daughter had a friend over I'd always clear ANY movie with the parents just because it was the thing to do. Parent want their children exposed to somethings and not other things. If you were a parent you would understand that, when you ARE a parent you'll really understand that. The movies some people rent to let 7,8, 10 year old kids watch would make ya spin, bud.

[Hagbard Celine]

It's not trivial to show an R-rated movie to underage kids, Hag.
Especially at school!

When my daughter had a friend over I'd always clear ANY movie with the parents just because it was the thing to do. Parent want their children exposed to somethings and not other things. If you were a parent you would understand that, when you ARE a parent you'll really understand that. The movies some people rent to let 7,8, 10 year old kids watch would make ya spin, bud.

It's not worth a lawsuit Mr. P. It's a stupid issue. The teach thought he'd make a political point so the kids retarded parents figured they'd do the same. It's derisive hateful bullcrap no matter which way you slice it. The parents should've just let the school fire the teacher as I imagine they were going to do anyway and been done with it. That would've been the big thing to do. It would have left all wrong-doing on the teacher's side and everyone could've moved on. Instead they made up some crap about how their precious daughter had been "traumatized" by the episode and filed a ridiculous lawsuit to take it to another level. What a crock. :rolleyes: Some people just like to fight--most of those people end up on the Jerry Springer show. Sometimes their hillbilliness spills over into the real world and we get crap like this.

[Mr. P]

It's not worth a lawsuit Mr. P. It's a stupid issue. The teach thought he'd make a political point so the kids retarded parents figured they'd do the same. It's derisive hateful bullcrap no matter which way you slice it. The parents should've just let the school fire the teacher as I imagine they were going to do anyway and been done with it. That would've been the big thing to do. It would have left all wrong-doing on the teacher's side and everyone could've moved on. Instead they made up some crap about how their precious daughter had been "traumatized" by the episode and filed a ridiculous lawsuit to take it to another level. What a crock. :rolleyes: Some people just like to fight--most of those people end up on the Jerry Springer show. Sometimes their hillbilliness spills over into the real world and we get crap like this.

If they fired the teacher I agree..If they didn't a law suit would be the next move. These folks don't have the freedom to do anything with our kids just because they're with them 6-8 hours a day, despite what they think. It's way past time parents get enraged. If it takes a law suit for them and the NEA to get the point, so be it. IMO.

[LiberalNation]

We watch R-rated movies in history. We're supposed to have a parent note but the teachers will give you time to forge one.

[Gaffer]

If they fired the teacher I agree..If they didn't a law suit would be the next move. These folks don't have the freedom to do anything with our kids just because they're with them 6-8 hours a day, despite what they think. It's way past time parents get enraged. If it takes a law suit for them and the NEA to get the point, so be it. IMO.

Your so right Mr. P. A law suit is really the only thing that can be done at theis point. Personally I would have gone down to the school and looked up the son of a bitch and beat the dog shit out of him. Just another fag recruiter.

[lily]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070515/ap_on_re_us/faked_attack;_ylt=Apq0weN6Coo5R0FJzgEaRGlvzwcF


MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Two school employees who staged a fake gun attack on a
group of students during a field trip have been suspended, school officials
said Monday.

[nevadamedic]

We watch R-rated movies in history. We're supposed to have a parent note but the teachers will give you time to forge one.

Spoken like a true Liberal.

[krisy]

I just saw this on Fox and they said it was a prank and not really meant to be educational. Just to echoe everyone else,I would have their hides. This will traumatise some of these kids. A child should NEVER have to go thru something like this...especially at the hands of their teachers. If I were a parent there,I would seriously question leaving my kids with these wierdos 5 days a week.

What happens next time their is any kind of drill,of some serious incident really happnes? Will the kids listen and do what they are supposed to? How can they trust teachers anymore?

[dan]

What happens next time their is any kind of drill,of some serious incident really happnes? Will the kids listen and do what they are supposed to? How can they trust teachers anymore?

This is what everyone seems to be forgetting. God forbid a real attack ever happened against these students, how will they know it's not another wacky "prank"?

[Doniston]

we have fire drills all the time. Why should we not have drills to prepare for this type of a situation? but with a fire drill, they are not told it is for real. We used to have such drop and cover drills for possible nuke attacks too, but they weren't lied to about it.

[Doniston]

I dont ever remember being told when we were having a fire drill.. But weren't you told ahead of time that there would "BE" fire drills??? If not, how would you know what to do in either the drill or an actual fire???

[Yurt]

But weren't you told ahead of time that there would "BE" fire drills??? If not, how would you know what to do in either the drill or an actual fire???

So if I tell you that I will "BE" killing you, but to prepare ahead of time, practice now, that makes it ok?



My problem with this is, there needs to be a line drawn. Not every bad thing that can/will happen to us needs a "drill." I got beat up in the fifth grade by some fool named billy. There was no drill. I went home cried to my dad and he said:

you want me to go beat him up?

Uh, no, noooooo.

Ok, want me to call his dad?

No, no, no.

Ok, then buck up and take it or kick his ass in return.


I practiced my stealth 5th grade wrestling moves for 2 whole months (seemed like years at that age) and then beat him in a "fair and square" wrestling match.

Ah, the simple days.

But still, should there be a drill for getting beat up? It happens far more often than Vtech.

[Doniston]

So if I tell you that I will "BE" killing you, but to prepare ahead of time, practice now, that makes it ok?



My problem with this is, there needs to be a line drawn. Not every bad thing that can/will happen to us needs a "drill." I got beat up in the fifth grade by some fool named billy. There was no drill. I went home cried to my dad and he said:

you want me to go beat him up?

Uh, no, noooooo.

Ok, want me to call his dad?

No, no, no.

Ok, then buck up and take it or kick his ass in return.


I practiced my stealth 5th grade wrestling moves for 2 whole months (seemed like years at that age) and then beat him in a "fair and square" wrestling match.

Ah, the simple days.

But still, should there be a drill for getting beat up? It happens far more often than Vtech. I don't think it is the same thing, but perhaps there should be a waring that those things happen, and how to handle them.

[Monkeybone]

i don't remember ever being told if it was a fire drill or not. the alarm went off and you did what you were taught. in high school we didn't have 'drills' but were told what to do if we had an attacker.

in a way the idea of preparing kids for something like this i think is a good idea. i mena we also have cops at our high schools. but the way that they did this was totally wrong i think

[krisy]

Having a drill is fine,but I have heard several times on the news now that this was nothing but a prank on the kids. Adults thought this was funny. I wouldn't have even thought it was funny if the joke was on other adults.

[shattered]

Having a drill is fine,but I have heard several times on the news now that this was nothing but a prank on the kids. Adults thought this was funny. I wouldn't have even thought it was funny if the joke was on other adults.

If that's the case, this is one time I'd be for bullshit lawsuits claiming "severe mental stress".

You don't pull that kind of shit on adults, much less children.

[Mr. P]

If that's the case, this is one time I'd be for bullshit lawsuits claiming "severe mental stress".

You don't pull that kind of shit on adults, much less children.

Ahhhh but if true, which I've heard too, it wouldn't be a bullshit lawsuit claiming "severe mental stress", would it?

[shattered]

Ahhhh but if true, which I've heard too, it wouldn't be a bullshit lawsuit claiming "severe mental stress", would it?

No, it wouldn't.. But, I can't typically see going thru the headache, expense, and bullshit if it were just me..

...kids, on the other hand... Traumatized by the very people responsible for their care, and teaching during the day...

Nuke'm.

[lily]

but with a fire drill, they are not told it is for real. We used to have such drop and cover drills for possible nuke attacks too, but they weren't lied to about it.

Well actually we were lied to about the drop and cover drills. We were told that would keep us safe.:laugh2:

[Mr. P]

Well actually we were lied to about the drop and cover drills. We were told that would keep us safe.:laugh2:

It all depends, it could have.

[lily]

It all depends, it could have.

Tucking your head down to your knees and sitting under a desk is going to protect you from a nuclear attack? If you survived the blast, you wouldn't last long in the fallout.

[shattered]

Tucking your head down to your knees and sitting under a desk is going to protect you from a nuclear attack? If you survived the blast, you wouldn't last long in the fallout.

Maybe it was just the Libkids that had to crouch under a desk..

The rest of us went to the basement where the heavy duty shelters were. :D

[Doniston]

It all depends, it could have. At least Safe"ER"

[Doniston]

Tucking your head down to your knees and sitting under a desk is going to protect you from a nuclear attack? If you survived the blast, you wouldn't last long in the fallout. It was also for storms, and attack

[lily]

It was also for storms, and attack

We didn't do it for storms, only attacks......must have been a "Catholic School thing".:laugh2:

[Mr. P]

Tucking your head down to your knees and sitting under a desk is going to protect you from a nuclear attack? If you survived the blast, you wouldn't last long in the fallout.

And you know this for sure right?

[lily]

And you know this for sure right?

Well yeah of course.........you people keep telling us that you want to turn things into glass parking lots!

Seriously, Mr. P all we have to do is remember what happened after Hiroshima and Nagasaki unlike global warming that we can argue about if it's real or not, the radiocatvite poisoning and rain that happens after is real....not to mention the cancers and the deformaties that happened for generations afterwards.

[Mr. P]

Tucking your head down to your knees and sitting under a desk is going to protect you from a nuclear attack? If you survived the blast, you wouldn't last long in the fallout.


Well yeah of course.........you people keep telling us that you want to turn things into glass parking lots!

Seriously, Mr. P all we have to do is remember what happened after Hiroshima and Nagasaki unlike global warming that we can argue about if it's real or not, the radiocatvite poisoning and rain that happens after is real....not to mention the cancers and the deformaties that happened for generations afterwards.

I was addressing the bold sentence above.

I doubt anyone would deny the immediate or long term destruction of a nuclear detonation.

While on active duty one of my additional duties was the unit CBR (Chemical, Biological, Radiological) officer. I studied the effects of the bomb dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in detail.

Without going into great detail I'll tell you fallout is predictable and can be avoided. Also simply by chance many will not be exposed to fallout at all.
There are multiple variables involved in the survival of a blast. So a blanket statement that "If you survived the blast, you wouldn't last long in the fallout." is simply not 100% true.

[lily]

I was addressing the bold sentence above.

I doubt anyone would deny the immediate or long term destruction of a nuclear detonation.

While on active duty one of my additional duties was the unit CBR (Chemical, Biological, Radiological) officer. I studied the effects of the bomb dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in detail.

Without going into great detail I'll tell you fallout is predictable and can be avoided. Also simply by chance many will not be exposed to fallout at all.
There are multiple variables involved in the survival of a blast. So a blanket statement that "If you survived the blast, you wouldn't last long in the fallout." is simply not 100% true.

Well, if you worked in the field, then I guess I'm going to have to take that over book learning that you are denying. So let's just skip over that and go to the after effects of nuclear fallout......what about the soil, the plants, the animals?

[nevadamedic]

Tucking your head down to your knees and sitting under a desk is going to protect you from a nuclear attack? If you survived the blast, you wouldn't last long in the fallout.

They taught that so you could put youor head between your legs and kiss your ass goodbye.

[Abbey Marie]

Well, if you worked in the field, then I guess I'm going to have to take that over book learning that you are denying. So let's just skip over that and go to the after effects of nuclear fallout......what about the soil, the plants, the animals?

I hear you, Lily. I'd hate to live in a place where the plants and animals were destroyed.

[Mr. P]

Well, if you worked in the field, then I guess I'm going to have to take that over book learning that you are denying. So let's just skip over that and go to the after effects of nuclear fallout......what about the soil, the plants, the animals?

It depends on the yield of the bomb, soil, structure composition and weather/atmospheric conditions at the time of explosion.

Exposure to fallout will vary depending on the items above. Certainly within X distance and Y vector from ground-zero exposer will be highest. X distance and Y vector are again a variable for each event.

Yes, life will end for some due to fallout...but not all. Radiation dose is key.

[lily]

It depends on the yield of the bomb, soil, structure composition and weather/atmospheric conditions at the time of explosion.

Exposure to fallout will vary depending on the items above. Certainly within X distance and Y vector from ground-zero exposer will be highest. X distance and Y vector are again a variable for each event.

Yes, life will end for some due to fallout...but not all. Radiation dose is key.


Well then I would surmise that it would also change life as we know it?

[Mr. P]

Well then I would surmise that it would also change life as we know it?

Depends, if you live in Iran or North Korea it's very possible it may change life as you know it.