School Safety

[Tinkermom76]

I wanted to see how some other parents view their children's safety at school. In the last couple of year there have been a couple of issues I haven't like at my 2 girls school. when one was in kindergarten (afternoons starting at 1pm) there was a lockdown at lunch time and even though they locked down the school they permitted my mother to come on the property with my DD. If there is a crazy person running around with a knife maybe someone should have let them know????

Last year they were paving the teachers parking lot and the kindergarten play area is a fenced in area that is attached to the lot. They were paving at the times when the kids were out there playing inhaling all the tar and fumes, I also caught one of the pavers smoking right beside the play area. I used to smoke but not in my kids face.

At the end of the school year last year a teacher came out to supervise the kinders in the play area. When the teacher comes out the parents are supposed to leave. Well I didn't know this teacher and she was not wearing her safety vest (which they all wear on duty outside) or her school board credentials. I went to the office (my DD being watched by my friend) and they said they would talk to the teacher and when I got back my DD's teacher was there to take in the class.

Today was the 1st day of school and again there was a teacher on duty with no vest or credentials. I went to my DD's teacher and explained to her that this was upsetting and that I would not be leaving my child with someone I don't know and that from now on if there was someone inside the fence without proper ID I would go to the principal.

I know I am being a little extreme (and long winded) but if I am not going to look out for my childrens safety who will. All my friends (at the school) are calling me the Rule Nazi, but I am the 1st person they run to when they have a concern. Also I have been asked to join the parent council

I guess my question is... am I really a Rule Nazi???

[mickeyboat]

Honestly - I think you are being a little paranoid.

My DD's school has rules but it also uses some discretion and needs some flexibility. I trust them to keep my children safe.

[SaraJayne]

You're being paranoid.

[Rora]

As a teacher, you are not a rule Nazi. I am shocked that your teachers aren't required to wear a vest, name tag, anything and I don't blame you for being concerned about the well-being of your children.

I think if this continues to occur, you and other parents who are upset should march right on into the Principle's office and insist that teacher wear at least some form of identifying clothing or a name tag.

This type of thing is taken very seriously at my school and it always surprises me when I hear about lax rules in other schools.

Good luck OP!

[FSUDisneyGirl]

If you know it is a teacher on duty...I would leave it at that. If your student is with a bunch of other kids, on school property, with a teacher, I would think that he/she is good.

[Tinkermom76]

It's a fenced in area just for the kinders and I didn't know the teacher (which is why I looked for the ID) The back of the school backs on to 2 other schools and a public park so that is part of where my concern comes from.

I guess someone has to be the one that speaks up for all the people who are affraid to

I guess I am a Rule Nazi but what would the world do without me??? lol

[heimlichfan]

Originally Posted by Rora

As a teacher, you are not a rule Nazi. I am shocked that your teachers aren't required to wear a vest, name tag, anything and I don't blame you for being concerned about the well-being of your children.
Good luck OP!

I agree... there's a reason school professionals have to wear badges while on school grounds - safety!

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by heimlichfan

I agree... there's a reason school professionals have to wear badges while on school grounds - safety!

The badges certainly give a false sense of security to anyone watching from a distance on a playground. Many, many employers around here have the same type of ID badge that the teachers have. Anyone could make one pretty easily.

OP, I think you are being a bit paranoid. I have never seen a teacher wearing a safety vest on the playground.

[heimlichfan]

All of our district badges are color-coded - they are pretty easy to read. I see what you're saying about a false sense of security though...

I guess my point is that school procedures are in place for a reason. Teachers should be the first ones following those procedures when it comes to the safety of the kids.

[Mickey'snewestfan]

I think you're overreacting.

As far as the lockdown -- do you know the situation? We've done lockdown for lots of reasons. One kind of lockdown we do is a "lockdown response" which is what we use for things such as an ambulance coming on school property. It means that the children are contained, and halls are clear, but there's no immediate safety threat, we don't keep kids away from windows or lights off etc . . . We also do "shelter in place" which means the threat is outside the building, kids can go to the bathroom etc . . . but can't leave the building. In both of those cases it would be entirely appropriate for a staff member to invite someone in.

As for the situation, I can't imagine a school big enough that parents wouldn't know all the K teachers by sight. If there are that many K classes, I can't imagine leaving my kid with only one teacher on the playground. We don't do safety vests, and don't wear our ID tags every day, but then we have 3 K classes, and would never have a group of kids outside with only one teacher.

To me the only thing that stands out in your post as unsafe is the ratio on the playground, but maybe I'm not picturing what's really going on.

[allison443]

Originally Posted by Tinkermom76

when one was in kindergarten (afternoons starting at 1pm) there was a lockdown at lunch time and even though they locked down the school they permitted my mother to come on the property with my DD. If there is a crazy person running around with a knife maybe someone should have let them know????

Okay I have to ask: WAS there a crazy person running around with a knife at the school, causing them to go on lockdown? Or was there another reason it was on lockdown like maybe a drill?
If there was no crazy person with a knife, then I don't think they had to warn your mom about it.

[kidzmom3]

they probably asked you to be on the parent council, because they knew you would have issues. This is their way of keeping you closer.

[turkeymama]

Sorry, I don't think you're overreacting or being a rule Nazi. Obviously someone felt the rule was important enough or it wouldn't be rule, right? And if the teachers are given flexibility and leeway with the rules, are we going to let the kids have the same benefit? Probably not. The teachers should be leading by example. As to the lockdown, I'm not sure about that one. I thought a lockdown was a lockdown. Maybe there were other circumstances that we don't know about.

As to the construction workers, I would hate for the kids to be out there breathing all those fumes, but I remember sitting in my 1st grade class with the windows wide open while the roof was being resurfaced. Our classroom was hot (the AC was out) and it smelled awful. Probably not the healthiest thing, but I don't think it is the worst thing either.

[Eeyores Butterfly]

At my school at least htere are different types of "lockdowns." A lockdown can mean that there is an ambulance coming, a situation in the hallway with a student that we don't want other kids interfering with, or a potential crime in the neighborhood. It does not always mean that there is a psycho on school grounds.

[kirbsam]

to op, yes.