Schools and guns

[Ky Kim]

Worries you to death to send your child to school anymore.  You hear about it on the news.  Last year we had one pretty close to here.  Today it was at my boys school.  No one was hurt, and he was caught.  But the thing that really bothers me, I didn't know nothing of it until I got home from work.  My neighbor heard it on the radio.  The school was not put on lock down.  Although nothing happened (THANK GOD), still doesn't make one feel any better about the situation.  I wish I would have known about it.

My boys don't want to return to school.  I told them both, look.  I know it has kind of freaked you out.  Its just the way things are now.  You don't know who's packing and who's not.  You may go into Walmart, a resturant, even church and sit next to someone that has a gun.  If its your time to go, no matter where you are at....If God has chosen you to come home, then its just your time.  You can't live scared to go out of your house.  I wish it was the way it was when I was in school, but its not.  Your school will be extra cautious now that something has happened like this, try not to worry about it and go on.  I know its going to stay in your mind, but the more you think about it the more scared you will be.

The news said parents were not notified because there was no danger.  WHAT???  a gun is not dangerous.  It was a 22 caliper, loaded.  Any gun can be dangerous.

Here is what the school sent home

Simply sent a letter home that says:

December 2, 2008

Dear Parents and Guardians:

This letter is to inform you of an incident that occurred at our school today.  I want to make sure that you have accurate information and dispel any rumors you may hear about the incident.

Just before 9am several students reported to staff that a student may be in possession of a weapon.  Staff immediately apprehended the youngster.  He refused to cooperate and ran off campus with our School Resource Officer following him.  Our SRO and Louisille Metro Police arrested the student approximately a 1/2 mile from the school.  They did confiscate a weapon.  We take this matter very very serious, and we approach safety issues as a top priority and deal with them immediately.  The student is being dealt with according to JCPS board policy and the law.

I want to assure you that no threat was made at any time to students or staff.  Our school was fully secured with all exterior doors locked as is our normal operations.  As a parent, I know I would want to know any facts about such an issue.  We believe in keeping parents and students informed so there are no rumors and everyone has access to the same information.

It is a shame that one student can make a very poor decision that may affect them for life and might even reflect on 1,000 great students at Valley.  If there is good news about such an event, it's that it was students who reported the situation and our staff who did a fantastic job of addressing the issue and following up on the intian report immediately.  We often speak of safety issues and our students are great partners with us.  I want to assure you that we will continue to speak to your son or daughter about school safety and want to encourage you to continue to do so as well.

Sincerely,

Gary Hurt, Principal

[mascot]

If you remember the Santana High School shooting years ago where a kid claimed he was being bullied and then got his Uncle's (?) gun and started shooting other kids on campus...that was a few miles down the road from me....which followed the Granite Hills shooting a few miles in the other direction from me. 

Something I wrote after that incident:

Children's Voices...
Can we hear the children's voices
As they're telling us what's wrong?
Can we see the pain within their eyes
When they feel they don't belong?

Some of them are frightened
And they don't know where to turn
So we ship them off to school each day
But it seems we never learn

From Columbine to Granite Hills,
And Santana, where will it end?
It's become the shot heard 'round the world
Now broken lives are left to mend

We can try to blame the children
Who find our guns upon the shelves
You can't really blame the media
But we can surely blame ourselves

Can we try to solve these issues
Before the problem gets much bigger?
Can we hear the children's voices
Before another one pulls the trigger?
© 2001

[Ky Kim]

 :'(

[landey1230]

It's a touchy subject.  I once heard a student mention bringing a gun.  He was angry over a girl.  I immediately sent him to the office and wrote him up.  He was suspended for a few days.  There are those quiet individuals, but there are ways to get them to talk.  There needs to be communication between students, parents, and teachers.  Students must feel comfortable talking to an adult about their problems.  There will always be bullies, but they can be contained if the school staff is involved. 

[Ky Kim]

The news said he had intentions of selling the gun to another student.  I'm just glad no one was hurt, and hopefully the child will get the help he needs.

Kim

[Sandye]

Kim, I'm sorry your children (and the other students) were scared.  I think you handled the situation very well with your boys.  I also think the school (with the letter sent to you) and the police handled the situation very well.  I'm so sorry you had this scare, but it does go to show that the schools and the police are being very cautious about such things and not just "blowing it off." 

Again, I'm so sorry you had such a scare.  Isn't it such a PITA that such things have to happen.   

[Roark]

My wife is a teacher, and fortunately for her she's in a good district with a bunch of good students.  But even she will admit she misses the days when "Duck And Cover" was something you did in preparation for nuclear war... not because the kid down the hall is brandishing a gun.

We lost something, somewhere.  I think it was our innocence.

Roark

[Joyce]

My solution to the gun carrying student is to expell them: no ifs, ands or buts.
Any student who is caught carrying a gun is not mentally sound to ever attend class in that school again.
That way, all other students will learn from example.

[bunny56lbc]

 Kim ,
I too think you handled the situation very well with your boys . I'm sorry they had to go through something like this .

bonnie

Nice poem , blindtoo ! Sad but true..... :'(

bonnie

[Sunbeam56]

I hope I don't sound TOO redneck - but guns are just part of the normal household around here. They belong in the house, too - not in the schools.
Just about any parent will blister the bottom of a kid who touches the armaments without permission.

So... where are the parents of these kids that are bringing guns to school?
What if there was a HEFTY fine for the parents that are careless about letting their kids have access to the armaments?

One way to help kids cope with impossible situations, is to work with them on a plan. You HAVE to do this with your kids.
If there is a fire - the kids need to have YOUR permission to get out.
If there is a break in - the kids need to be taught to sneak out the back and run to the neighbor's house.
If there is a gun at school - the kids need to learn to go out the window, under the desk, take evasive action - because its NOT cowardly, its smart.
Have this talk with your kids. It will improve their confidence, because then they have a plan.

[miguynmkoi]

So... where are the parents of these kids that are bringing guns to school?

Makes me wonder too.

Kim, if all the parents spoke to their children like you do there would be a lot less problems in this world.  Understanding and patience is all these troubled kids need and had there been any parenting they wouldn't be problem kids.  If a person cannot teach their child what is right or wrong then that person doesn't deserve to raise a child.

That's how I feel. 

[marla]

Guns in schools is a very scary thought, times have changed so dramaticly over the years...I would never have thought that anyone would bring a gun to school when I was young.  Even if guns are redily available in the home, there is something wrong with society that children think the answer to a problem/greivence is to shoot someone.