My DDs high school is on lockdown.

[DVC Jen]

My oldest DD (18) is a senior. Every day I pick her up and take her to a local elementary where she interns. Today her hs was having a pep rally so her schedule was changed a bit.

Early this morning she called me saying the pep rally had been cancelled due to a rumor and to pick her up at the normal time.

So I get there - and I wait - and I notice that classes are not switching (no students were walking to or from the portables). So I knew something was up. A former teacher (coach) walked by and I asked him if classes were being detained for something. He said yes - a room to room weapons search was underway - but it was nothing to worry about.

He knew who I was and asked if I wanted him to go get my daughter for me. I told him I would wait - thinking that she may call me and tell me that number 1 - the internship was cancelled for the day - or number 2 she would be out soon.

Well I waited an hour. A few students slowly tricked out and into the building but nothing like they were switching classes.

So I called the school office as I sat there in the back parking lot waiting. They said no student would be released from thier classroom until it had been inspected and the ETI (elementary teaching internship) classroom had not been inspected yet. Then they told me I may as well go home - they would get a message to her or make sure she was taken care of if they did release the students to the elementary schools.

I am trying hard to not worry. It could simply be a silly rumor some kid started to see what would happen. It could that some kid didn't want to take a test and started a rumor to get out of it. OR it could be that some kid really did bring something to school.

*********** Ok as I was typing this my DD called me - her classroom has been inspected and she wanted to know if I was still waiting for her. She doesn't know if anything has been found yet. Her ETI teacher said she could just skip going to the elementary today since I had already gone home - and they would only be there for about 40 minutes before they had to come back anyway.

I feel better knowing SHE is OK. I am so glad the school takes such an active approach when they handle these things - even rumors.

It is just so scary and things like this make you realize it really can and does happen any and everywhere.

I am going to be giving her one HUGE hug when I pick her up at 2:30 today.

 

[Serena]

I"m glad she's ok. and yeah, it can happen anywhere.

 

[ilovejack02]

Ok this is the FREAK OUT momma talking in me lol, I wouldnt let me kid go back to school. . Now the calm rational mom that would eventually come back to her senses prob would let her go back. BUT i know my first reaction would have been SOMEONE BETTER BRING ME MY CHILD NOW!!!
Im glad all is well, hope nothing is found in school.

 

[mickeyboat]

Scary stuff!

Denae

 

[KristiKelly]

That's so scary. I'm glad everything is okay.

One of our local middle schools & two high schools were in lockdown a few months ago. Gang activity has really grown around here. It is so scary to think what our kids are having to deal with - we never had to as kids.

 

[almburr]

Lock downs are scary.

We are in a small rural town our scholl is small 1A (100 and less students) we had a lock down. A student said something to another student( like he was going to do him harm). They put the scool in lock down kids were pulled into classrooms and locked.

Everything turned out okay. But had a long talk with the kids when they got home k, 3rd,and 7th graders on what to do if thing like that ever happened again. look for escape routes.

Glad everthing is okay

 

[almburr]

Lock downs are scary.

We are in a small rural town our scholl is small 1A (100 and less students) we had a lock down. A student said something to another student( like he was going to do him harm). They put the scool in lock down kids were pulled into classrooms and locked.

Everything turned out okay. But had a long talk with the kids when they got home k, 3rd,and 7th graders on what to do if thing like that ever happened again. look for escape routes.

Glad everthing is okay

 

[DVC Jen]

Ok this is the FREAK OUT momma talking in me lol, I wouldnt let me kid go back to school. . Now the calm rational mom that would eventually come back to her senses prob would let her go back. BUT i know my first reaction would have been SOMEONE BETTER BRING ME MY CHILD NOW!!!
Im glad all is well, hope nothing is found in school.

I can totally understand what you mean. I think one of the reasons I wasn't in panic mode is the fact that I was sitting in the parking lot and everything was really pretty quiet.

There have been some major fights at the high school and during those fights the school was surrounded in police cars, ambulances, a helicopter. Nothing like that was going on.

Also I knew there was a rumor (DD had called and told me earlier) and the coach confirmed it when I talked to him. They were just erring on the side of caution and not taking any chances.

Now if I had been sitting here or pulled into the school parking lot and police cars were everywhere - helicopters were circling and I wasn't allowed anywhere near the building - yeah - I would have been scared out of my wits.

Ironic thing is - my DD is going to be an early grad and she only has 3 more weeks of school before she is done. On the other hand - my youngest DD starts school there next fall.

I am just glad they even take rumors seriously. I would much rather they go into lockdown and not find anything - than not go into lockdown over a rumor and have it turn out to be a real incident.

 

[leafette]

Glad she's okay. I can't imagine not being hysterical with worry!

 

[Michigan]

My kids received notification that this month all schools in the US were to conduct mock lock downs. They told my DD in high school that it could go as late as 8:00 at night. Of course I told her they can get a life I can't imagine the busses waiting around until 8:00 to take the kids home.

 

[DVC Jen]

For some reason I usually don't panic when faced with things - it is after something is over - that is when I lose it. Luckily this time - when it was over she was fine - she called me - and that made me feel a thousand times better.

Also I am a preschool teacher in a private church run school - and WE have had to go on lockdown before. So I am familiar with the procedure - and how quickly a school will go into that mode - just as a precaution - without a real known threat.

 

[ilovejack02]

UGGHH.... i know i know its just the world we live in these days.
I swear im going to put my ds4 in a bubble and keep him home forever.

 

[MeMom]

I am a teacher (out of school today for a snow day, yay!) and we have lockdown drills periodically. We simply lock doors, pull shades, and continue to teach, but no one can enter or leave the room. As sad as it is that we have to have them, it does pay off when the lockdown is real. Our school is in an area that has had some bank robberies, police chases, etc., so we have had a few real ones. The teachers are a little scared to some degree, because we know the real ones from the drills, but the kids don't know the difference, so it's really good for them. They never think a thing about it. To ilovejack02, the more you know about what goes on out in the world, the better those bubbles sound. It's amazing the changes that have taken place since my oldest one walked into kindergarten. I never thought of so many of the things that go on these days, and now that I have a granddaughter, I will really worry about them with her. We do have to let them live, of course, and go out into the world to some degree, but there are a lot of things I want to protect her from, too. DVCJen, glad it all worked out well for your daughter.

 

[6_Time_Momma]

I am a teacher (out of school today for a snow day, yay!) and we have lockdown drills periodically. We simply lock doors, pull shades, and continue to teach, but no one can enter or leave the room. As sad as it is that we have to have them, it does pay off when the lockdown is real. Our school is in an area that has had some bank robberies, police chases, etc., so we have had a few real ones. The teachers are a little scared to some degree, because we know the real ones from the drills, but the kids don't know the difference, so it's really good for them. They never think a thing about it. To ilovejack02, the more you know about what goes on out in the world, the better those bubbles sound. It's amazing the changes that have taken place since my oldest one walked into kindergarten. I never thought of so many of the things that go on these days, and now that I have a granddaughter, I will really worry about them with her. We do have to let them live, of course, and go out into the world to some degree, but there are a lot of things I want to protect her from, too. DVCJen, glad it all worked out well for your daughter.

My daughter's (age 11) had a lockdown drill and she was upset because they told the kids that if they were out in the bathroom or in the hallway, etc when a lockdown happened that they would not be let back in the classroom. They would be on their own and should try to find a place to hide. What a good way to scare kids out of going to the br when they need to.

 

[DVC Jen]

My daughter's (age 11) had a lockdown drill and she was upset because they told the kids that if they were out in the bathroom or in the hallway, etc when a lockdown happened that they would not be let back in the classroom. They would be on their own and should try to find a place to hide. What a good way to scare kids out of going to the br when they need to.

I agree - both of my DDs have been told the same thing. They were told to find a restroom and stand on top of a toilet so their feet aren't seen.

While I agree that it is not an ideal situation - I can also see the reasoning behind it.

you never know if a person with a weapon is standing just out of sight and using that student as a tool to gain access to a classroom... and letting that child in could possibly be endangering dozens more.

I so do not like it - especially if it were my child - but I do understand it.

 

[ilovejack02]

I agree - both of my DDs have been told the same thing. They were told to find a restroom and stand on top of a toilet so their feet aren't seen.

While I agree that it is not an ideal situation - I can also see the reasoning behind it.

you never know if a person with a weapon is standing just out of sight and using that student as a tool to gain access to a classroom... and letting that child in could possibly be endangering dozens more.

I so do not like it - especially if it were my child - but I do understand it.

OMG, ok i just have to stop reading this thread.
I swear im gonna homeschool him .... actually I dont know if that would be any safer for Jack to be at home with me 24 hrs a day either lol.

 

[MeMom]

That would be scary! Our rules are that the nearest teachers check the restrooms and herd everyone into their rooms quickly. I happen to be the room right by the restrooms, so I always check them, both boys and girls. I wouldn't be able to just shut my door with the thought that there could be a child fearfully hiding in the bathroom or a corner somewhere. I guess it could be different for us because we are Pre-K through 4th, so maybe they think older kids can fend for themselves better?!?! Even with high schoolers, I wouldn't want my high school child hiding somewhere in fear for their lives. It just brings back memories of Columbine, and that was horrible. I'm glad it's not that way at our school. I guess I could see the reasoning, too, for just immediately locking up, but speaking for myself, I will always be one who checks out for others. I don't know what I'd tell your daughter, other than to run to the nearest room, no matter whose it was.

 

[jan/cape]

6 Time Momma, I worked in an elementary school for 8 years and they told the kids the same thing and they would need to get a certain room if they could. I hated that!!! They told the adults that we were not allowed to open doors for anyone!!! YIKES!
The school and local police held a staff meeting the day before our very first drill. We were given procedures to follow. We had tons of questions, but they would only answer a few of them. They said they wanted to see how things played out and we would go over things after. They wanted us all to learn from mistakes that would be made. Needless to say we were ripped! Though after the drill we did all agree that it was the right approach and we did many things right and many things that needed to be addressed, but we all learned A LOT!

During this first mock drill a teacher had followed all procudures until she moved (crunched close to the floor) to close a door to an ajoining classroom. As the police walked by her room one of the officers saw her do it. He made his thumb and forefinger into gun and pretended to shoot her! She said that his action rattle her so much that she will never forget it. But she was glad he did what he did.

 

[mickeyboat]

My first graders have done lockdown drills at school. It scared me more than it scared them, to tell you the truth.

I guess I will just have to live in denial.

Denae

 

[MommyPoppins]

Several Elementary schools were on lock down several months ago. There was a armed robbery and they shot someone in the process and then 1 of them got away. All schools in the area were locked down, scary. Course, even worse was I lived less than a mile from where he went missing and hours and hours later found, and I had no idea it was going on. A little warning to the people living in the area would have been nice. Made me thankful my boys are homeschooled. I couldn't handle being told you can't have your child back from school. I have enough anxiety as it is.