DO YOU AND YOUR CHILD/CHILDREN HAVE A PLAN TO DEAL WITH TRAGEDY AT YOUR SCHOOL??? SHOULD YOU???

I would like to raise a valid question to all parents who have children or grandchildren. Do you and your children or grandchildren have a plan in case tragedy would strike their school such as the shootings which have occured so frequently. DON'T make the mistake and be SO NIEVE that you think it could NEVER happen at your school. This is the mistake ALL these schools have made...

We have plans for escaping fires in our homes, what to do in case of a tornado, ect. I've thought about this a LOT and I know some would say - "It would just make my child more fearful if we did this." Well, actually, if it was done in the right way, it MIGHT make them feel safer. It might make them feel more in control and feel that they are ready for things.

I have talked with my children about these things and I have told them, first off, if there are ANY RUMORS about guns, knives, or bombs by other students, immediately LEAVE... Don't ask, just leave the building... My kids are good kids and don't try to go against the rules but I have instructed them to do this and let them know that I would take the blame and the responsibility for this action. The reason I tell my children to take SUCH drastic steps is because of my knowledge about how things REALLY work in school politics. I know if they were to go to the office and report this, they would be told to go back to their classroom. By the time an investigation was done into this or IF an investigation was done, it might be too late.

Sometimes we hear rumors come home with our children about weapons, drugs, plans for violence and so forth. I have learned something from working with the public school system for years that almost always the rumors have some truth to them. The children know better than we would like to think what is really going on. These rumors are almost always discredited by the schools and said to be "JUST" rumors. I have PERSONALLY witnessed these rumors be hushed up and "brushed under the rug" by school personel. I have even been asked to keep quiet about situations where the school would "look bad" in the public eye if information were to "leak out."

I have talked to other teachers after reporting an incident having to do with important issues such as drugs on a student and feeling nothing was done. Their comments to me what that the school will NOT investigate all these incidents because of "school politics." If they find these things, they must report them and it makes the school look bad." As you can imagine, I was SHOCKED!!! This is when I decided to take action and have a plan with my children about the issue of rumors or violence. I feel the school does NOT take appropriate steps to protect them.

We have talked about many issues, mostly leaving when they hear even a rumor. My children live within a safe walking distance of our home, so they can walk home if necessary. It would depend on where their school was located as to what your plan should be. Giving them a quarter to use a payphone may be a good plan. You as the parent need to use your own judgement as to coming up with the best and safest plan for your child.

I have also talked to them about what they would do if they were suddenly in a situation where someone had a gun. You need to be careful NOT to overdo it and cause undo fear in your child but discuss this in as much of a casual way as possible. Ask them what they would do, DON'T necessarily tell them.

It's a DISGRACE to our society that we should have to talk to our children about this kind of thing, and that they should have to go to school with fear, but it is also a reality these days. I believe the BEST thing we can do ABOVE all things, is to PRAY for our children, our communities, and our schools. Teach our children to be compassionate people and to CARE about others. If we would ALL do this, there might not be a problem...

Love, PAM

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