Freshman Kill Day

[Snick1946]

Just when I thought my son's school was free from this sort of thing- we get a recorded call and an email from the Middle Schol principal telling us that the 8th grade is being let out early on the last day of school and giving the time when the nearby high School is being let out forty five minutes later. We are told to pick up our children and to keep them close for the rest of the day!
My son explained- there is apparently a sick tradition of Freshman Kill day- High School students attack middle school kids walking home from school the last day. He says several students have been attacked in the past few years, some serious injuries. This has apparently been hushed up, never anything in the media.
What on earth are we coming to? Anyone harming my kid is not going to get a talk from the school- he's going to have assult charges filed and his parents sued.

 

[daisy7]

OMG!!! This is just SO wrong!!! I hope you will get the word out in the community about this!! And, if it were me, I would take it up with the school board. I'm sure you are not the only parent that is riled up about this!!

I don't know where you live, but I'm happy to help with specific ideas about this. Just let me know.

It makes me so darn angry that some schools/districts would rather hide the problem than address it - it just makes the problem a gazillion times worse!!! :furious:

 

[Snick1946]

The school district is Millard Public Schools, Omaha Nebraska and here's a snip from the principal's email:

On June 2nd, Middle School will dismiss students for the summer at 11:15 a.m. High School dismisses 45 minutes later at noon that day to help with getting the different ages of school children home safely and without incident. It is highly recommended that you make arrangements to have your children go straight home after dismissal and monitor their activity into the evening. We want everyone to have a safe and happy summer.

Isnt it nice how they avoid telling parents about the actual situation?

 

[raeann]

What kind of information did they give to parents and students at the high school? Did they issue a strict warning to students that such behavior would not be tolerated? Did they hire extra security or request police patrols in the area during the dismissal times? it seems like there is a whole lot of information the schools owed to the parents regarding this issue.

jmoo

 

[LinasK]

My reactions to this situation::sick::sick::sick:

 

[daisy7]

The "pupil services" page of the district's website is just ????

http://pupil-services.mps.schoolfus...38&sessionid=3dd276d4736eefdf02a62aca692e2951

Why is the only information under Pupil Services a link to safety programs. And the only announcements they list on this page are about drug dogs, discipline and crisis response teams???

I have never seen a district student services page like this ever before and I've been to almost every one in FL, plus numerous others nationally as part of my job. Has something big happened in the school district that would make them put the word out that they are focusing on these areas in a CYA way?

Just for comparison, this is the student services page from my school district, which is pretty typical, IMHO.

http://www.santarosa.k12.fl.us/students.html

 

[angelmom]

That is awful! The school - NO, the local news! - should be spreading the word about this.

If it makes you feel any better, it sounds like being an @$$hole to younger kids isn't restricted to where you live. I saw this article today and it reminded me of this thread.

http://www.ajc.com/news/gwinnett/boy-hit-with-balloon-536692.html?cxtype=rss_news_81960

It was the last day of seventh grade Wednesday, and rather than ride the school bus home, he decided to walk with two buddies. As the three walked on the sidewalk along U.S. 29, Miguel said he heard someone mention a water balloon.

Then, he was hit in the face with what Lilburn police said was a balloon filled with bleach.


By late Friday, police had not identified a suspect. It is possible those in the van were high school students, police said.

 

[Snick1946]

That is awful! The school - NO, the local news! - should be spreading the word about this.

If it makes you feel any better, it sounds like being an @$$hole to younger kids isn't restricted to where you live. I saw this article today and it reminded me of this thread.

http://www.ajc.com/news/gwinnett/boy-hit-with-balloon-536692.html?cxtype=rss_news_81960

It was the last day of seventh grade Wednesday, and rather than ride the school bus home, he decided to walk with two buddies. As the three walked on the sidewalk along U.S. 29, Miguel said he heard someone mention a water balloon.

Then, he was hit in the face with what Lilburn police said was a balloon filled with bleach.


By late Friday, police had not identified a suspect. It is possible those in the van were high school students, police said.

First thing I noticed is that the kid and his friends were Hispanic- could this be a mini hate crime?
Many years ago I was hit in the face by a cup full of shredded ice someone threw at me from a moving car while I was jogging. I had minor cuts that healed but could have lost an eye.
This is bullying, pure and simple.

 

[Vask]

Sounds like a sick and twisted form of hazing.

Whatever happened to the days where new freshmen get woke up, dressed like a clown, and taken to Denny's for breakfast at 5am before school- big red nose, white face paint, and all!. >.>

Or was that just my school? LOL

And yes, they did walk around the rest of the school day like that, also wearing signs saying "FRESH MEAT" and the like lol.

 

[Cyan]

Sounds like a sick and twisted form of hazing.

Whatever happened to the days where new freshmen get woke up, dressed like a clown, and taken to Denny's for breakfast at 5am before school- big red nose, white face paint, and all!. >.>

Or was that just my school? LOL

And yes, they did walk around the rest of the school day like that, also wearing signs saying "FRESH MEAT" and the like lol.

At my first high school, they had a "Freshman Pick-On Day" as well. I can remember the worst happening was a boy getting put into a new garbage can, stuffed in a trunk, and taken for a ride around the town square (mind you, you can drive through that town in two minutes, there's only two stop lights). The boy found it kind of funny, but this is probably because it was his friend, a senior, who had done it.

At my second high school, that type of behavior was practically non-existent. There was very very little gossip, and what little there gossip happened was typically attributed to one or two particular boys.

But .. my god.. bleach? ice? worse?

Just.. UGH!

 

[KeenEyes]

B/SBM

...There was very very little gossip, and what little there gossip happened was typically attributed to one or two particular boys.
...

Sounds delightful! I abhor gossip. I read once that one should envision gossiping about someone as thrusting a knife into them. Having felt the poison barb of it, it didn't require too much imagination on my part; still I try to keep the image in mind when others are digging for fodder for the gossip vine. Taking a stance against gossip, even ever so politely, isn't always received well. No matter; the ones so eager to share it with you are just as generous with their tales about you. I don't value their opinion and prefer the company of those of honorable character.

 

[not_my_kids]

Interesting job the district seems to be doing of telling parents to read between the lines. The email might as well have just said, "Your child could be in danger of physical harm, death or permamnent disfigurement, but we think that letting them out early and telling you to keep an eye on them, should solve the problem. We are admitting defeat, so please don't call us for help with this situation."

Sorry, but it just seems that there is a little, okay, a lot more that the school and the media and the other parents could do to address this.

 

[BeavisMom62]

No kidding, nmk! This is just unbelievable. Hard to believe that the school district doesn't take any responsibility at all, just dumps it in the parents lap and backs away! Just the typical "not my problem" mentality.

 

[Ghostwheel]

"Your child could be in danger of physical harm, death or permanent disfigurement, but we think that letting them out early and telling you to keep an eye on them, should solve the problem. We are admitting defeat, so please don't call us for help with this situation."

Excellent translation! You know, in our neighborhood, when they send out the generic read-between-the-lines emails, someone translates it like above, then sends it out to the entire Parent association. The first time was a little surprising, but I appreciate blunt emails better than nebulous ones.

 

[Gozgals]

Just when I thought my son's school was free from this sort of thing- we get a recorded call and an email from the Middle Schol principal telling us that the 8th grade is being let out early on the last day of school and giving the time when the nearby high School is being let out forty five minutes later. We are told to pick up our children and to keep them close for the rest of the day!
My son explained- there is apparently a sick tradition of Freshman Kill day- High School students attack middle school kids walking home from school the last day. He says several students have been attacked in the past few years, some serious injuries. This has apparently been hushed up, never anything in the media.
What on earth are we coming to? Anyone harming my kid is not going to get a talk from the school- he's going to have assult charges filed and his parents sued.

I can't believe this Snick. It is like giving kids a pass to have bad behavior. They actually have a day like this. How very dangerous.

I would for sure take this up with the school board immediately and call a town meeting. I think this kind of behavior is insane. The media should be notified about this situation too.

I don't understand what the world is coming to either. Freshman Kill Day!! It sounds dangerous indeed. You do mention there have been injuries. It should be stopped before someone is seriously harmed or even killed. These kids are still very young and vulnerable.

Thanks for alerting me that this type of activity goes on. Please give us a follow up if anything changes.

Goz