I Has A School Sad

[k9ophile]

OK, I'm in this service club. We go to schools to teach kids about brain safety like wearing helmets, buckling seat belts, don't touch guns, etc. Since I've been doing this, the schools all are locked. I ring the bell, identify myself, and go to the office to sign in. I usually get a sticker identifying me as a visitor. Today, I had to give the school secretary my driver's license. Then I got a visitor sticker with my picture on it.

OK, after Sandy Hook (and even before) schools were locked. I get it, but that doesn't mean I like it. Or is this just a things kids have to live with? Is locking the schools the equivalent of the "duck and cover" drills we had in school? We'd go out into the hall and get on our knees and cover our heads. And at the end of the day, we left and never gave the threat of a bomb a second thought. I hope the kids today can be as resilient.

 

[southernlady]

OK, I'm in this service club. We go to schools to teach kids about brain safety like wearing helmets, buckling seat belts, don't touch guns, etc. Since I've been doing this, the schools all are locked. I ring the bell, identify myself, and go to the office to sign in. I usually get a sticker identifying me as a visitor. Today, I had to give the school secretary my driver's license. Then I got a visitor sticker with my picture on it.

OK, after Sandy Hook (and even before) schools were locked. I get it, but that doesn't mean I like it. Or is this just a things kids have to live with? Is locking the schools the equivalent of the "duck and cover" drills we had in school? We'd go out into the hall and get on our knees and cover our heads. And at the end of the day, we left and never gave the threat of a bomb a second thought. I hope the kids today can be as resilient.

It doesn't help there was a shooting in CA today. http://www.krcrtv.com/news/local/te...-elementary-school-in-rancho-tehama/656286015

 

[k9ophile]

Heartbreaking. In our annual education at the last hospital I worked in, one of the topics was violence in the work place. We did have a woman whose time it was. Nothing could be done medically. Her husband threatened hospital personnel that he was going to make sure some us felt as bad as he did. We also had threats from a domestic dispute. Fortunately, the local police had a cruiser that could be spared and it was parked out front for about two weeks each time. Even as an adult it was difficult, yet what must this do to children?!

 

[Jbandmmomma]

I worry every damn day because there is at least 1 unsecured door at my daughters' school at all times. I literally lose sleep over this. My husband (a first responder/firefighter/EMT) can't even talk about it if I begin to bring up the subject. It is supposedly being fixed, but none too soon for this mother.

 

[k9ophile]

I can't "like" your post @Jbandmmomma because there is nothing to like about the need to secure our schools. I don't think I'm imagining things by thinking today's children are exposed to far more than we ever were. It's not all bad as I am amazed at how much smarter they are than I was at the same age.

 

[Jbandmmomma]

Agreed. It is sad. I choose to focus on helping my small humans learn to be kind, give them opportunities to practice kindness, and teach them to protect themselves. no matter how I feel about it, this is the world we are in now.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

I worry every damn day because there is at least 1 unsecured door at my daughters' school at all times. I literally lose sleep over this. My husband (a first responder/firefighter/EMT) can't even talk about it if I begin to bring up the subject. It is supposedly being fixed, but none too soon for this mother.

Public School? I would WRITE to one or more board members along the lines of...

"As you know, this is putting our kids at risk. We need a human guard at that door until it is fixed. Most importantly, we don't need a disaster here. And none of our board members will want to explain, post-disaster, why they knew there was a problem and did not immediately fix that problem."

Once it's in writing, it's a threat.


We ALWAYS made our pleasure and displeasure known. I was at EVERY school board meeting. I mostly got along with all of them (not sure if they liked me or feared me) and we mostly went out together for coffee** after the meetings. But...one September, Mr Sue had me draw a map of the district office. I did. He marched into the office, past the receptionist, past the private secretary and stood at the Super's desk to complain about a screwed up bus situation.* Super said, "Mr Sue! This is only the third week of school and we are still working out the schedule." Mr Sue, silver-tongued devil that he is, said, "Yes! This is the third week of September. And I suspect that as far back as last January you knew we would have yet another September. Time's up. Fix it now."

She did.


*Some genius decided to schedule the busses such that the primary students grades 1-3, on our "poor side of own," were unsupervised for almost an hour waiting for a school bus. No teacher, no teacher's aid, no PTA mom, no anal 5th grader...no supervision at all...kids 6-8 years old capable of wandering off with the first guy who said he lost his puppy. There was a major road between the school and our homes, and the kids needed the busses to get safely to our area.


**Not all of our board members were geniuses. Board meetings were on Wednesdays. We'd go to the same coffee shop. One member always wanted a cup of soup. She'd ask what kind of soup. They's say "navy bean." One night, in total exasperation she whined, "Bean soup, bean soup, why do they always have bean soup?" I said, "Because we're always here on a Wednesday." She just stared at me...amazed at my brilliance...lol.

 

[JackieOnLine]

LOL, I am amazed at your brilliance frequently.

it's so sad schools are now needing all this security. my elementary school memories seem unreal, looking back.

we all walked back and forth unescorted from kindergarten on up; only the kids from way out in the country rode buses and nobody was driven by their parents.

 

[Jbandmmomma]

We have asked, in writing. They are dragging feet with a remedy.

You are frequently brilliant!

 

[Spiky Bugger]

We have asked, in writing. They are dragging feet with a remedy.

You are frequently brilliant!

Oh...Not sure in this digital age, but local newspaper (and the reporter that covered school stuff knew me because we were both at all the meetings) would be my next stop. Do you belong to a Next Door* type group online? You could play dumb and ask neighbors (or a reporter) what you should do next? Is there a local tv guy/gal who helps folks fix problems by virtue of negative publicity? THERE SHOULD BE SOME KIND OF WARNING TO THE BOARD...like, "Geeze,
I bet if Minnie Mouth's (tv chick/reporter pretend name) kids were here, this would already be fixed." And if they aren't smart enough to hear the threat in that, they DESERVE to lose their seats in the next election.

Also, at almost all school board meetings, there is an opportunity to address the board...and what you say becomes part of the record. CAVEAT...sometimes you must "register" in advance to let them know you are going to talk and there may be time limits.

Btw...as unpopular as all this made me...when MiniSue was in 8th grade, I became concerned about our sketchy HS. I wanted to check it out myself. But, I needed to work, at least part time. Damned fools HIRED ME. Again, I don't know if they thought maybe they could shut me up if my paycheck came from them or if they thought I could actually do a decent job.

*we advise each other about lost pets, suspicious cars, people stealing packages off porches, stuff we want to give away, yard sales, etc.

 

[k9ophile]

I like it when people like me. Under the right circumstances, I like it when they fear me. I'd rather be thought of as a bitch than a push over.