Connecticut school district on lockdown after shooting report at a Newtown elemen-#2

[Kimster]

Great question! They are called Resource Officers. I know that we had them in Middle and High School, but not in Elementary School. They do NOT have one on duty at my niece's Elementary School (I just learned this). :banghead:

Our school district no longer has a resource officer due to budget cuts. :anguish:

 

[Disguiseduser0308]

I talked to my daughter, who is in the 4th grade, about what happened. She said she knew what to do if someone came to school with a gun because they have already had two practice drills this year for that. My son in middle school said they had them as well.

I don't know if I should feel better knowing that their schools take this kind of thing seriously and informs the kids or feel sadness that my kids have to practice hiding under their desks and being quiet because it could happen,

I so agree with being conflicted on gratefulness versus sadness that our children have to practice for such emergencies. I clearly remember being terrified at every tornado drill. This is just.. too much.

Unrelated to your post above but I've sheltered my children from this news as well (6yr old & 10yr old). Their school was enjoying their winter carnival and holiday festivities today. I'm prepared to answer questions should they ask any. At this point I hope they never learn about this while they're still students. Tornado warnings scared me because of practice drills at school. I never ever want my children to worry that a person will come in and kill them at their school.

I continue to pray for the parents, friends and families of the beautiful souls lost today. lease:

 

[Kat]

IMHO there's no telling what was going through this guys head. Obviously there was some kind of disconnect in his rational, logical thinking.

He may or may not have been mentally ill (as defined by the legal standard). But he did not need to be mentally ill in order to commit these acts.

What I found interesting is that it is being speculated that he had a PD. I'm curious about that but it's not an excuse or reason to commit these acts. I can't even speculate which PD he might or might not have because one doesn't have to have ASPD in order to murder. It could be any number of PD's. JMHO

For me, I can't get inside the mind of someone like this JMHO. It's just impossible for me to fathom why he did this. Because I think logically and rationally (at least I like to think I do) and this guy certainly wasn't when he slaughtered 20 little children and adults too.

 

[JeannaT]

I agree with this to a certain extent. IF a child has heard about this, then I believe a more detailed discussion about the security of their own school is really important. They'll need reassurance that their own schools are safe. Also, I think, IF a child already knows, that it is an important time to tell them how important it is to listen to their teachers instructions and to always do as they tell you. Especially in an emergency situation.

Children are a lot smarter than we think. They pick up on things. So it is important to be honest with them... IF they know what happened.

IF they don't know, then I say shield them too!

I certainly see what you're saying, but if a shooter enters a school, there is virtually nothing a small child can do to help keep himself safe. Small children DO seem incredibly compliant when danger occurs - that photo of that class of children all holding on to each other and running toward the fire station just makes me cry - they were SO WILLING to follow instructions totally. ALL of them are running, ALL of them are holding on to each other with both hands. Children in danger do seem to follow leadership without question.

I saw someone else in this thread grew up in the cold war, as did I, on an air force base. We had monthly drills where we had to "duck and cover" and other raids (with a different siren sound) where we all had to exit the building quickly without trampling each other. A fifth grade teacher was the first to bring it up to the administration that kids who went to that school were thoroughly traumatized after years of this. Even as a child I knew that hiding under a desk if the school were bombed wouldn't save me. Just the monthly reminder that we could be bombed - was awful and traumatizing.

I do see what you're saying that if kids have heard about this they need to know what to do - but in fact, there's nothing at all they CAN do it if it happens. I just think telling them this is rare, won't happen to them, the shooter is now dead, is best.

 

[not_my_kids]

I explained some of it to my kids when they got home from school. It was needed, because my oldest son especially will notice on Monday that the flag is flying half-mast.

I used it as a learning experience as much as possible. There are bad people in the world. Your school, your dad and I, all do everything we can to keep you safe, and we will keep doing it. Your school might even change some things to make you even safer. They didn't ask if any of the kids had died, and I declined to tell them, just figured that explaining it as a bad man that hurt kids because he had an illness in his brain seemed like the best way to handle it. Tried to stress the importance of listening during their lockdown drills and doing what their teachers tell them to at all times, even if things seem a little off or if they are scared. That if they are scared, talk to me, their dad, their teacher. They can call me from the office anytime, and they know I will always pick up.

My son asked me if their parents were sad. I said yes, their parents, friends, teachers and families are all very sad. I don't know any other way to explain it.

 

[Pensfan]

It might be a good idea to take a look at any unsolved cases in this area or where they lived before. This boogie man didn't just turn into one this morning.

All I can think about is 6 good adults and 20 little people who won't get to see Christmas come. I think the worse is yet to come when faces and names are added to this online.

Mass shooters frequently aren't involved in other homicides. They will share other common characteristics like previous school difficulties, mental health issues, substance abuse, recent negative changes in their behavior, and social isolation.

 

[Foxfire]

I'm one of those who believe that evil is alive and well and is among us. This is such a gut-wrenching tragedy. I keep thinking about those children lying there dead most likely with no ID on their person. Without showing the parents a photo (hard to type this) how on earth are they going to ID these innocent little bodies? Photographs, hopefully provided by the school or the parent so that these parents will not have to look upon death photos. My heart is so sad for their tremendous loss.

One resource:

http://www.klaaskids.org/printathon.htm

What Is A Print-A-Thon?

The KlaasKids Print-A-Thon is a high energy child safety event. Utilizing 21st Century technology, the Foundation fingerprints and photographs children, provides their parents with DNA Collection Kits, pro-active child safety information; and a nine-point plan on what to do if children disappear.

 

[LolaMoon08]

Our school district no longer has a resource officer due to budget cuts. :anguish:

Unacceptable!

 

[QueenD]

Lt. Vance on NG right now.

 

[ButForFortune]

I certainly see what you're saying, but if a shooter enters a school, there is virtually nothing a small child can do to help keep himself safe. Small children DO seem incredibly compliant when danger occurs - that photo of that class of children all holding on to each other and running toward the fire station just makes me cry - they were SO WILLING to follow instructions totally. ALL of them are running, ALL of them are holding on to each other with both hands. Children in danger do seem to follow leadership without question.

I saw someone else in this thread grew up in the cold war, as did I, on an air force base. We had monthly drills where we had to "duck and cover" and other raids (with a different siren sound) where we all had to exit the building quickly without trampling each other. A fifth grade teacher was the first to bring it up to the administration that kids who went to that school were thoroughly traumatized after years of this. Even as a child I knew that hiding under a desk if the school were bombed wouldn't save me. Just the monthly reminder that we could be bombed - was awful and traumatizing.

I do see what you're saying that if kids have heard about this they need to know what to do - but in fact, there's nothing at all they CAN do it if it happens. I just think telling them this is rare, won't happen to them, the shooter is now dead, is best.

I remember "duck and cover" too. And the little cartoon song that went with it. And like you, I knew even as a young child that it was illogical to think my little student desk was going to protect me.

 

[yrmfp]

FYI"Sesame street released this helpful handout to help parents explain todays events to younger children....
http://www.sesameworkshop.org/assets/1192/src/HereForEachOther_vEng2012Modified.pdf

**just wanted to repost since this thread is moving way fast.... In case its helpful to anyone.

 

[laura08]

http://abcnews.go.com/US/newtown-te...door-police-fearing-gunmans/story?id=17976299


By LAUREN EFFRON (@LEffron831) and NIKKI BATTISTE (@NikkiBattiste)

Dec. 14, 2012




What an amazing teacher these kids have. This brought tears to my eyes.


There was so much gunfire rocking the Sandy Hook Elementary school that one teacher doubted that she and her young students, locked in a bathroom, were going to survive.

A third grade student said the kids were so scared she thought she was going to throw up. Another said he hid in a closet.

The gunfire erupted during first grade teacher Kaitlin Roig's morning meeting with her 14 students, what she called "a happy, amazing part of the day."

That day quickly turned into a nightmare.

"Suddenly, I heard rapid fire... like an assault weapon. I knew something was wrong," Roig, 29, told "World News" anchor Diane Sawyer.

"It was horrific," she said. "I didn't think we were going to live."

 

[Kat]

Meredith Artley, managing editor of CNN.com, described interviewing a woman who was at the school about 9:30 or 9:35 a.m. The woman was in a meeting with the principal, vice principal and school psychologist when they heard shots from the hall. The three school officials went into the hallway, and the vice principal came crawling back, shot in the foot, Artley said.

The witness, who was not identified but has a 7-year-old at the school, told Artley that she later passed the principal and the psychologist lying in the hallway, surrounded by pools of blood.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/polit...4570-461e-11e2-8e70-e1993528222d_story_2.html

 

[LolaMoon08]

I certainly see what you're saying, but if a shooter enters a school, there is virtually nothing a small child can do to help keep himself safe. Small children DO seem incredibly compliant when danger occurs - that photo of that class of children all holding on to each other and running toward the fire station just makes me cry - they were SO WILLING to follow instructions totally. ALL of them are running, ALL of them are holding on to each other with both hands. Children in danger do seem to follow leadership without question.

I saw someone else in this thread grew up in the cold war, as did I, on an air force base. We had monthly drills where we had to "duck and cover" and other raids (with a different siren sound) where we all had to exit the building quickly without trampling each other. A fifth grade teacher was the first to bring it up to the administration that kids who went to that school were thoroughly traumatized after years of this. Even as a child I knew that hiding under a desk if the school were bombed wouldn't save me. Just the monthly reminder that we could be bombed - was awful and traumatizing.

I do see what you're saying that if kids have heard about this they need to know what to do - but in fact, there's nothing at all they CAN do it if it happens. I just think telling them this is rare, won't happen to them, the shooter is now dead, is best.

Solid points made all the way around. There really is nothing else to say but this post really opened my eyes. Thank you.

 

[Ricki]

https://www.facebook.com/SandyHookChildren?ref=stream

R.I.P Sandy Hook Elementary School Children

 

[wfgodot]

.....

Matthew Keys ‏@TheMatthewKeys
[Just in] Wall Street Journal reporting shooting suspect's mother may not have been teacher at CT school - http://on.wsj.com/UYBc9G

The Associated Press ‏@AP
As Conn. school shooting unfolded, a custodian ran through the halls warning of a gunman, says teacher: http://apne.ws/U1hLNM -SS

Beth Israel ‏@bethiz
My daughter went to school w/adam lanza. We lived 6 houses away. He was troubled for sure for a long time. RIP nancy #NewtownSchoolShooting

 

[nursebeeme]

:-(

terrible.. and horrible... I don't know what else to say

 

[Pensfan]

I remember "duck and cover" too. And the little cartoon song that went with it. And like you, I knew even as a young child that it was illogical to think my little student desk was going to protect me.

I grew up with a Russian accent in a town with an army base. My dad, an Army officer, was also the Russian interpreter for General Brown. Whenever we had air raids/duck and cover drills, everyone stared suspiciously at me. (It's funny now. It wasn't then.)

 

[Kat]

First child confirmed.

http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/ne...ing-leaves-6-year-old-puerto-rican-girl-dead/

was a 6-year-old girl related to a mayor in Puerto Rico.

Ana Grace Márquez was among the kids who died in the shooting, her great uncle told El Nuevo Dia in San Juan.

Her picture at link. :cry:

 

[Beyond Belief]

I remember "duck and cover" too. And the little cartoon song that went with it. And like you, I knew even as a young child that it was illogical to think my little student desk was going to protect me.

i remember it too. In 2nd grade we argued with the teacher it wouldn't save us. It all made little kids grow up real quick.
Duck and cover film is on youtube.