MI - 4 students killed, 6 injured, Oxford High School shooting, 30 Nov 2021 *Arrest incl parents* #3

[x_files]

I agree with you about the board.

I wouldn't want to return either, but unless the school gives them a virtual option, or a parent takes the kid out and puts them in a private school or other school, I'm not sure there is a choice.

Most states have online courses as an option and homeschool.
I hope the parents demand a safer school environment because they severely failed these students.

 

[dotr]

Maybe it would be helpful to have lots of therapy dogs at the school to help provide comfort when everyone returns after the holidays? imo.
Dec 16 2021
Threats follow Michigan school shooting, prompt Oxford High closure: 'They're terrorizing people'
''OAKLAND COUNTY, Mich. -- Michigan's Oakland County area has seen more than 135 threats against different school districts since the deadly shooting at Oxford High School, said Sheriff Michael Bouchard.''

"Well, unfortunately it is not just this district, it is districts all across the state and probably across the country," Bouchard said. "And Oxford happens to be obviously one that is especially numb and especially raw from it. So I think they made the decision to close school until after the holiday break to give people a chance to calm their nerves and to make sure that people have a chance to process this unthinkable tragedy."

''Before Oxford High School decided to close their schools, Bouchard said, his office had 24 canines sweeping every school building in the district to give them that assurance that the buildings had been thoroughly checked. He added that his office was planning to have a "substantial" presence in and around the building to ensure safety.''

 

[happyday]

Wow this school district is worse than I thought. I think they are indeed what I first suspected—more concerned with their reputation as a “good” and “safe” district, which affects everything in the community such as home prices and economic development and success. $$$

What’s worse is the horse has left the barn and it’s like they don’t know that! They’re refusing to accept that the WORST has happened in their school and they did indeed fail on several levels. Just be contrite, accept responsibility and do the best you can to never let it happen again. Change everything. TALK to parents. They can’t just keep on being defiant, not answering questions and acting like they’re the victims here. You had the worst parents and a ticking time bomb of a kid in your school, and you failed.

eta You FAILED because you didn’t want it to get out there was a problem in your perfect school. Minimizing threats (that parents and students brought to your attention!) is what allowed this to happen IMO.

 

[happyday]

Also I read all of your conversations on metal detectors and I just have to say that would never fly in a district like this. Only inner city schools have a weapon problem and need metal detectors, right? Affluent suburbs would never call attention to their school maybe being unsafe. I bet their school taxes are sky high and people will pay top dollar for homes in a district with high test scores and college readiness scores. Problem kids are swept under the rug. Don’t let it get out.
I live in and subbed in a district like this. If a kid was caught with a gun or knife in a South San Antonio school, it would make the local 6 o’clock news. In our suburban school, we literally had a kid bring a backpack FULL of guns once and never a word got out…

Sorry to be a negative nelly today. I’m just appalled at this district’s attitude.

 

[Sundog]

Also I read all of your conversations on metal detectors and I just have to say that would never fly in a district like this. Only inner city schools have a weapon problem and need metal detectors, right? Affluent suburbs would never call attention to their school maybe being unsafe. I bet their school taxes are sky high and people will pay top dollar for homes in a district with high test scores and college readiness scores. Problem kids are swept under the rug. Don’t let it get out.
I live in and subbed in a district like this. If a kid was caught with a gun or knife in a South San Antonio school, it would make the local 6 o’clock news. In our suburban school, we literally had a kid bring a backpack FULL of guns once and never a word got out…

Sorry to be a negative nelly today. I’m just appalled at this district’s attitude.

I don't think we can generalize this district's attitude to all schools with similar demographics in terms of property taxes and test scores. Most parents want the best for their children. It is possible to be a school district in a community with high property taxes and have high test scores AND be responsible and transparent with your students and their families. It isn't an either or, IMO. That this school district failed is on them.

 

[happyday]

I don't think we can generalize this district's attitude to all schools with similar demographics in terms of property taxes and test scores. Most parents want the best for their children. It is possible to be a school district in a community with high property taxes and have high test scores AND be responsible and transparent with your students and their families. It isn't an either or, IMO. That this school district failed is on them.

Yeah totally get that. It’s not because it’s a good district, but because it’s one of those districts that puts reputation above safety. I’m not saying all affluent districts do this, but some do. I said at the beginning I hope this district isn’t one of those (I live in one that tends to minimize problems) that was trying to keep issues on the down low and values it’s good reputation above safety. But alas, I think it is one of those.

FWIW I lived in a nearby town in MI and my kids went to a middle school and high school in Oakland county for a while. I saw this attitude there in a lot of the suburban towns. It was kind of like, “Bad things happen in Detroit—NOT here.” So things are minimized and not taken as seriously as they should. But it is like that in alot of places, not just MI. JMO

 

[Kristin Esq.]

Wow this school district is worse than I thought. I think they are indeed what I first suspected—more concerned with their reputation as a “good” and “safe” district, which affects everything in the community such as home prices and economic development and success. $$$

What’s worse is the horse has left the barn and it’s like they don’t know that! They’re refusing to accept that the WORST has happened in their school and they did indeed fail on several levels. Just be contrite, accept responsibility and do the best you can to never let it happen again. Change everything. TALK to parents. They can’t just keep on being defiant, not answering questions and acting like they’re the victims here. You had the worst parents and a ticking time bomb of a kid in your school, and you failed.

eta You FAILED because you didn’t want it to get out there was a problem in your perfect school. Minimizing threats (that parents and students brought to your attention!) is what allowed this to happen IMO.

I agree with you. The school district failed miserably.

However, they aren't going to "accept responsibility" because now there are lawsuits. Due to that, there are probably things that they cannot say.

 

[happyday]

I agree with you. The school district failed miserably.

However, they aren't going to "accept responsibility" because now there are lawsuits. Due to that, there are probably things that they cannot say.

Good point.

 

[x_files]

I agree with you about the board.

I wouldn't want to return either, but unless the school gives them a virtual option, or a parent takes the kid out and puts them in a private school or other school, I'm not sure there is a choice.

Most states have online courses as an option and homeschool.
I hope the parents demand a safer school environment because they severely failed these students.

Wow this school district is worse than I thought. I think they are indeed what I first suspected—more concerned with their reputation as a “good” and “safe” district, which affects everything in the community such as home prices and economic development and success. $$$

What’s worse is the horse has left the barn and it’s like they don’t know that! They’re refusing to accept that the WORST has happened in their school and they did indeed fail on several levels. Just be contrite, accept responsibility and do the best you can to never let it happen again. Change everything. TALK to parents. They can’t just keep on being defiant, not answering questions and acting like they’re the victims here. You had the worst parents and a ticking time bomb of a kid in your school, and you failed.

eta You FAILED because you didn’t want it to get out there was a problem in your perfect school. Minimizing threats (that parents and students brought to your attention!) is what allowed this to happen IMO.

The school is now listed as the site of a school shooting, their reputation is mud. Too late. If they wanted a sterling rep they should have taken the gun threat more seriously. They are in CYA mode and it's far too late now.

 

[Kristin Esq.]

So I don't know if any of you heard anything, but my mom works in a school district. She just got an email that her school will have increased police presence tomorrow. This is due to the fact that there is a TikTok challenge in which students around the nation are encouraged to make threats against their schools tomorrow, Dec. 17. It's in the news as well.

Nationwide TikTok challenge causes several school districts to take heightened precautions

'We are aware of this': DMV officials respond to TikTok-based school shooting threat

 

[x_files]

So I don't know if any of you heard anything, but my mom works in a school district. She just got an email that her school will have increased police presence tomorrow. This is due to the fact that there is a TikTok challenge in which students around the nation are encouraged to make threats against their schools tomorrow, Dec. 17. It's in the news as well.

Nationwide TikTok challenge causes several school districts to take heightened precautions

'We are aware of this': DMV officials respond to TikTok-based school shooting threat

I hope no one carries out any violence tomorrow.
It's the last day before Christmas vacation correct?

 

[ChatteringBirds]

So what will be the next TikTok "challenge?" TikTok can't stop this kind of thing on their platform, and it just gets worse and worse; is this where we are?

 

[jenn83]

I already hate TikTok and now wish it would get banned for allowing this.

 

[happyday]

So I don't know if any of you heard anything, but my mom works in a school district. She just got an email that her school will have increased police presence tomorrow. This is due to the fact that there is a TikTok challenge in which students around the nation are encouraged to make threats against their schools tomorrow, Dec. 17. It's in the news as well.

Nationwide TikTok challenge causes several school districts to take heightened precautions

'We are aware of this': DMV officials respond to TikTok-based school shooting threat

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

I hope no one carries out any violence tomorrow.
It's the last day before Christmas vacation correct?

Most local school districts will close at the end of the day tomorrow with some students having a half day. School resumes January 3 or 4, 2022.

 

[Mominmi]

We live in a messed up world. I’m so glad my last one finished college last year and none of mine chose to be educators. Now my prayers will continue in earnest that my children will homeschool their children. I don’t know that it’s the best answer but I can’t stand the thought of my sweet granddaughter going off to kindergarten in four years to be under this kind of threat day after miserable day.

 

[Facinatingtimes]

So I don't know if any of you heard anything, but my mom works in a school district. She just got an email that her school will have increased police presence tomorrow. This is due to the fact that there is a TikTok challenge in which students around the nation are encouraged to make threats against their schools tomorrow, Dec. 17. It's in the news as well.

Nationwide TikTok challenge causes several school districts to take heightened precautions

'We are aware of this': DMV officials respond to TikTok-based school shooting threat

Just got the email myself about our school district. We still have school next week so it’s not our last day before break. I spoke to my kids about it and they are scared. I didn’t totally expect their reaction, and I’m sad/angry.

 

[kaen]

On the leadership of this district, the full video (thanks @BetteDavisEyes) posted gave a sense of just how dysfunctional the leadership of the programs are. They had severed deer heads, things that appeared to be blood, items left in the boy's bathroom, kids whose family (one spoke at the meeting) about the social media posts. They had parents talking to the principal. And, after all of that, the only people involved in the conversations with the soon-to-be alleged murderer and his parents was a dean and a counselor. They didn't spitball this with the resource officer. And, then hold a meeting where they say we talk/you listen, you talk/we listen and won't respond, and, further, we might not ever really respond. They have people throwing everything they can at a security risk that doesn't now exist while they put nothing into play when they had a known risk (given the history of how to handle this kind of situation). These leaders are a mess and out of their depth. I get that they want the community to heal and grieve (a good thing) but they don't get to have that luxury (if you can call it that) because they have to lead. Mr. Gibson, the one who spoke so eloquently, got the biggest amount of applause when he referred to the fact that these folks don't have his trust anymore---they can't just ask for it, they have to do things to earn it. They are in a gigantic hole, especially given how they have responded to the vaping and non-masking by students which seems like was always handled in an aggressive way from the school while their zero tolerance policy missed this alleged murderer totally---although he did need to seek counseling within 48 hours (non-sensical) because he needed it but not right now.

The other testimony that is worth listening to on this video is the mother (a social worker by training) with twin athlete seniors. Her kids were scared. She called the principal. With the deer head, she was condescended by the folks in attendance she talked to when her son wanted to come home that day. She encountered all kinds of non-action, non-plussed responses. It is hubris for these leaders to think they just have to put the most restrictive security plan in place and they are good to go with this community.

I can't wait to read the report on how this meeting with the alleged murderer went down but I fear it will all be redacted because it seems that that is how they roll....

 

[nisha]

I work as a special education teacher but in Europe, not in the USA. This case of school shooting made me baffled when I read about the school's actions. I have only 7 years of job experience but in these years I have met many children with disabilities and with various mental health issues. Some of them changed schools several times until they got help they need. Many come from troubled families. This school for children with diagnoses of special needs has detailed procedures how staff should react in difficult situations, such as agressive or autoagressive behavior, a student who seems to be on drugs, bringing dangerous items to school, etc.

If a student is agressive or autoagressive, they must be taken from the classroom to another room where they stay with school psychologist. In the meantime, the principal, the nurse and parents are informed and if there is a risk of self-harm or harm to other students, parents are requested to take their child home. If parents cannot take the child home, like the Crumbleys told at school, the child in a bad mental state stays in a separate room with an adult. The principal may also decide to call the ambulance or the police if the situation demands it. All of the teachers are obliged to learn these procedures. We even had an active shooter drill though there has not been any school shootings in my country so far.

It is so difficult to understand for me that Ethan was sent back to the classroom as if nothing happened. A kid writes that he does not want to live anymore and two hours later no one cares. OK, Oxford High School is not a small special education school. But given the number of school shootings in the USA, the school should have done much better.

 

[Kristin Esq.]

We live in a messed up world. I’m so glad my last one finished college last year and none of mine chose to be educators. Now my prayers will continue in earnest that my children will homeschool their children. I don’t know that it’s the best answer but I can’t stand the thought of my sweet granddaughter going off to kindergarten in four years to be under this kind of threat day after miserable day.

My son just started Kindergarten and he came home one day and told me they had a drill where they had to lock the door, hide and be quiet. It was an active shooter drill but they didn't use that name with them. I was heartbroken. I know it's a necessity but my poor, innocent boy shouldn't have to have them. Schools should be a safe place! I was also angry because they didn't even let the parents know it was happening. I know in real life if it were to happen we wouldn't know, but for those of us that have kids that have anxiety, I like to talk to my child about things happening.

The high school where he is supposed to go when he gets that age, had a scare this week. Told the kids that if they left school it would be counted against them as an absence. Disgraceful.