School Safety

[xoprincessmomxo]

Yes, you are a rule Nazi and I LOVE you. Keep at it!

My son was killed on a field trip. Trust me, if rule following is ignored on school property, they are unlikely to suddnely be sticklers when off school grounds.

That's awful. So sorry for your loss.

 

[Tinkermom76]

Yes, you are a rule Nazi and I LOVE you. Keep at it!

My son was killed on a field trip. Trust me, if rule following is ignored on school property, they are unlikely to suddnely be sticklers when off school grounds.

OMG I'm so sorry for your loss and Thank You

 

[Tinkermom76]

Sometimes it's helpful to pick your battles.

I do try to pick my battles but lately it just seems there are more and more even some that I haven't mentioned, and it's getting concerning

I think it is very important to be observant as a parent about your school's safefty. Sometimes, we are so willing to say "Oh, it's a school, they'll take care of them" that we become complacent when in fact, there could be a dangerous situation. While I don't think that your situations are extreme, they are a cause for concern. I've had a lot of problems with our school, to the point I have thought of homeschooling, and even they wear name badges to identify themselves, as well as any guest entering the building has to have an office approved name tag given to them and returned when they leave.

I would ask the staff about the lockdown thing. It could have been a drill or for a variety of reasons. Our elementary school had two gun incidents (loaded in lockers) and a knife brought to school and the only thing we as parents got was a note sent home the next day.

I did speak to the principal and the Board Trustee and it was a real incident but the police didn't block the driveway (confused because there are 3 schools there) and half the staff was gone for lunch. We did some talking and now they practice lockdowns on occasion with half the staff so they are prepared if it happens again.

I don't think the school is completely unreasonable but when I see incidents happen more than once I have to wonder if the rules are being enforced by anyone. No teacher should be on duty and touching kids without her(or his) ID on. It's a good way to get in trouble.

 

[xoprincessmomxo]

I did speak to the principal and the Board Trustee and it was a real incident but the police didn't block the driveway (confused because there are 3 schools there) and half the staff was gone for lunch. We did some talking and now they practice lockdowns on occasion with half the staff so they are prepared if it happens again.
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In that case, I would be angry. You'd think that after all the incidents in schools in the last few years that they would get their acts together and realize that it could happen anywhere. I don't mean to be nosy, but do you live in a small town? We do, and that is part of the reason for the lack of safety. I really think that our school thinks because we are so small that nothing will happen.

 

[Tinkermom76]

I don't mean to be nosy, but do you live in a small town? We do, and that is part of the reason for the lack of safety. I really think that our school thinks because we are so small that nothing will happen.

No, actually my town has almost half a million people. It's a catholic school so maybe they are more trusting but I am not. I am a little overprotective but I have worked in security and I see the stuff that happens when parents don't keep an eye on their children

 

[sbell111]

No, actually my town has almost half a million people. It's a catholic school so maybe they are more trusting but I am not. I am a little overprotective but I have worked in security and I see the stuff that happens when parents don't keep an eye on their children

While I suspect that you are being overly paranoid, my feelings on the matter are unimportant.

If the private school that you send your child to is not adequately maintaining her safety to your standards, put her in a different school.

 

[Tinkermom76]

While I suspect that you are being overly paranoid, my feelings on the matter are unimportant.

If the private school that you send your child to is not adequately maintaining her safety to your standards, put her in a different school.

I have always been a rule follower but working in the security field I think made me worse.

It's not a private school. I am in Canada and the government funds catholic schools and public schools so I just pay my taxes not a tuition.

And I don't think your feelings are unimportant.. I asked for opinions and not everyone will agree with me (lol.. I could hope )

 

[dicar123]

OMG-was it the teacher's fault?

One teacher decided to add a little extra stop to the field trip after district planning materials and permission slips had been approved. The other teacher didn't know about the side trip until the very last minute.

The students, high school, were dropped off at a McDonalds located at a very busy intersection and allowed to go where ever they wanted unsupervised.

Neither teacher got off the bus, only one chaperone did and he was teacher number one's college aged son (the other chaperone was teacher number one's wife).

My son, with other students right behind him, tried to cross the street in the middle (not in the crosswalk) while the light for cross traffic was red.

The driver who hit him was found to have marijuana in his system.

ALL of them screwed up, ALL of them are responsible.

Adding insult to injury, it took 40 days for the school to explain how our son ended up dead in front of a McDonalds 3 blocks away from the museum where they were supposed to be.

None of you ever want to be involved in a situation like this. Please take the extra time to be careful.

Thank you all so much for your kind words. I hate to be a downer, but sometimes we need to be reminded why rules are put in place.

 

[KAMLEM]

I think you are being a little over protective. They are outside and I don't think the fumes from the paving are going to hurt them for the short amount of time they are out there. As far as the guy smoking, unless he's blowing the smoke right in their faces I can't see how it's going to hurt them anymore than when you smoked around them. He's standing next to the playground, they are running around playing, not standing right next to him.

 

[Tinkermom76]

dicar123 that must have been terrible for you. Thank you for sharing your story

 

[Tinkermom76]

I think you are being a little over protective. They are outside and I don't think the fumes from the paving are going to hurt them for the short amount of time they are out there. As far as the guy smoking, unless he's blowing the smoke right in their faces I can't see how it's going to hurt them anymore than when you smoked around them. He's standing next to the playground, they are running around playing, not standing right next to him.

It's not a park it's a small fenced in area and he was leaning on the fence. I didn't smoke around my kids. There is no smoking on school property and when I politely told him that he blew the smoke in my face and laughed.

but that is situation I was least concerned about.

The same teacher was on duty again today and she came to me and said I am wearing the vest and I said yes but you still don't have your school ID and she said but I have a vest and I said that just proves you can go get a vest not that you are a teacher and she said she doesn't want to wear her ID because if she loses it then someone could have access to the school... really

I did speak to the Vice Principal today and she said she would remind all the teachers that they are to wear their ID when they are on duty and that if it happened again to come see her. I dont think she was too impressed with the teachers response

 

[chicagodisneyfan]

I feel horrible about Derrick's death. That is truly a tragedy. But how was it the school's fault?

A teenager crossed the road and was hit by a driver under the influence. Sounds like an accident.

 

[Tinkermom76]

But how was it the school's fault?

A teenager crossed the road and was hit by a driver under the influence. Sounds like an accident.

The school should not be making stops that were not on the itinerary that the parents apporoved.

Also even if it had been approved it sounds like the kids were not supervised and if there is going to be a stop for food they should stop in the parking lot of the restaurant and the kids should not be crossing the road.

Sorry to answer for you dicar123 but I see so many rules that were broken

 

[dicar123]

I feel horrible about Derrick's death. That is truly a tragedy. But how was it the school's fault?

A teenager crossed the road and was hit by a driver under the influence. Sounds like an accident.

They took my minor child to a dangerous place, without my permission or the permission of the school district, and then failed to supervise him. In doing so, they violated at least 2 written school policies. Had they simply followed the plan that was approved by the district and the parents, none of the kids would have been anywhere near that street.

Please know that in discussing this case I am always careful to include Derrick's actions along with those of other parties. I do not excuse what he did. I have never said that the teachers or the driver were 100% responsible. All of them, Derrick included, took rules and responsibilities much too lightly. All of them are partly responsible.

I can't make teenaged boys stop being foolish, but I hope I can make some teachers think.

 

[dicar123]

Sorry to answer for you dicar123 but I see so many rules that were broken

No problem! But to bring this back on topic...

Either my husband or I, and often both of us, have attended every field trip our younger son has been involved with for the last three years. People who huff and puff about small safety issues are often lax about bigger ones. But I have never seen anyone who is a stickler for following small rules be lax about bigger ones.

 

[daisyduck123]

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

Yes.
And btw...I'm a 1st grade teacher who does not ALWAYS wear her ID badge for one reason or another.

 

[allison443]

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The same teacher was on duty again today and she came to me and said I am wearing the vest and I said yes but you still don't have your school ID and she said but I have a vest and I said that just proves you can go get a vest not that you are a teacher

But you know she is a teacher, right? She's not a stranger who snuck onto school grounds wearing a vest? Then at this point your complaint is not about "safety" since you know they are supervised by a teacher. Your complaint has become one about the teachers not following the rule of wearing an id badge. You are certainly entitled to complain about that, they should follow the rules, but personally I would let the principal worry about that and I would only concern myself with real safety issues. Pick your battles, as the saying goes.

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

Yes.
And btw...I'm a 1st grade teacher who does not ALWAYS wear her ID badge for one reason or another.

Yes, sometimes mine comes off as well. I have a particular student who gets aggressive. When this happens, he has been known to pull on my lanyard which hurts my neck a lot. I will remove my ID when he grabs it, and have on occasion forgotten to put it back on. It is not out of disregard for the rules, but in and of itself is a safety issue. (If I can see it coming, I will simply tuck it in to my shirt.)

ETA: I have a tough room this year. I have already been bitten twice so hard it broke skin (and have been bitten several other times.) I have had things thrown at my head, been kicked, had my face clawed, been spit in the face, hit, etc. When this is going on, my ID badge is the last thing I will worry about. My priorities are the safety of the other students in the room, the student who is having problems, and myself.

 

[allison443]

They took my minor child to a dangerous place, without my permission or the permission of the school district, and then failed to supervise him. In doing so, they violated at least 2 written school policies. Had they simply followed the plan that was approved by the district and the parents, none of the kids would have been anywhere near that street.

Please know that in discussing this case I am always careful to include Derrick's actions along with those of other parties. I do not excuse what he did. I have never said that the teachers or the driver were 100% responsible. All of them, Derrick included, took rules and responsibilities much too lightly. All of them are partly responsible.

I can't make teenaged boys stop being foolish, but I hope I can make some teachers think.

I'm so sorry for your loss. Thank you for sharing your experiences, I think you are right, it can make us all think, teachers and parents as well.

 

[mickaholic4077]

Yes, sometimes mine comes off as well. I have a particular student who gets aggressive. When this happens, he has been known to pull on my lanyard which hurts my neck a lot. I will remove my ID when he grabs it, and have on occasion forgotten to put it back on. It is not out of disregard for the rules, but in and of itself is a safety issue. (If I can see it coming, I will simply tuck it in to my shirt.)

ETA: I have a tough room this year. I have already been bitten twice so hard it broke skin (and have been bitten several other times.) I have had things thrown at my head, been kicked, had my face clawed, been spit in the face, hit, etc. When this is going on, my ID badge is the last thing I will worry about. My priorities are the safety of the other students in the room, the student who is having problems, and myself.

E.B.,your situation is understandable if you don't have your tag on. I don't know that I would still be in your classroom if I was the teacher and ran into that kind of situation.