U.S. Alerts Schools About Terror Threat

[Khephra]

October 7, 2004, 11:29 AM EDT


WASHINGTON -- The Education Department has alerted school leaders nationwide to watch for people spying on their buildings as a possible sign of a higher terrorist threat.

The warning is based on an analysis by the FBI and the Homeland Security Department of the school siege that killed nearly 340 people, many of them students, in Russia last month.

The review was done to protect schools and not sent "due to any specific information indicating that there is a terrorist threat to any schools or universities in the United States," deputy education secretary Eugene Hickok said in a letter to school leaders.

snip........

In particular, schools have been told to watch for activities that may be legitimate on their own -- but may suggest a heightened terrorist threat if there are many of them.

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sns-ap-schools-warnings,0,444402.story?coll=sns-ap-nation-headlines

[Worst Username Ever]

1. Long overdue!

I was wondering what they would do about Kerry's lead!

[Wickerman]

2. And, the President added, if you see someone getting into a cropduster

that isn't his, you should watch him carefully. :eyes:

[VolcanoJen]

21. Don't forget about exploding pens, and model airplanes, either.

Be Vigilant, America!

[Supersedeas]

28. Polls down? Time for a generic non specific color code change

Just to keep the 'Merican public informed, o'course.

[MisterP]

33. rope burns! sweating people!

[progressivejazz]

3. WTF?

Since when does the Education Department issue terror alerts? I thought we had a Homeland Security Department for that. Is the administration admitting that Homeland Security isn't doing its job, so other Departments have to step in to fill the gap?

And what an alert. WATCH OUT FOR UNSUSPICIOUS ACTIVITIES.


It is interesting, however, to see just how low this gang of thugs will go to get the idiot elected. This just looks like the bottom of the barrel. I'm sure it'll get even lower.

[neomonkey]

4. Gee, maybe if Idiot King and his crew

didn't spend ever last penny fighting the "evil-doers" and scrounging for WMD's in foreign lands, there might be something left over to secure our homeland.

Watch out for the security moms, they are being drawn in by the Republican brain-wash campaign.

[Demeter]

5. The SKY IS Falling! The SKY IS Falling!

Those are the leaves and acorns, you nut! It's Autumn, after all.

[UpInArms]

6. it probably has to do with the following article

Approval Rating For Bush Below 50%, Poll Finds (Florida)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x888967

[demnan]

7. But in Virginia

if you see suspicious people carrying guns around schools remember it is part of their states rights to do so.

[MADem]

8. Well, that is just friken FABULOUS

What are the schools supposed to do about this? Post the janitor at the front door wielding a broom? Tell small towns with four or five cops to put all their assets at the schools while homes are burglarized and banks robbed?

You gotta admire the outright balls of this administration. I'm of the mindset that if you identify a problem, it had damn well better be accompanied by a methodology to FIX the problem. Telling everyone to BE VERY AFRAID just does not cut it. Where's the funding for increased school security? OK, homeowners, cough up some more cash because weecowboy told you to...but we won't touch your FEDERAL tax cut.

Seeing as many schools are also used as polling places, I would not be surprised if this very dire threat becomes more specific, and targets democratic districts, on or about NOV 2. Call me a cynic!

[WillyT]

9. They're Goin After The Parents Here. Turning Soccer Moms Into...

Security Moms with this stupid stunt! Hopefully, everyone can see through this by now.

:grr::nuke::mad:

[skypilot]

10. I see. Let's freak out the schoolchildren...

...and galvanize the "security moms".

[Hard Attack]

11. No Chance These Spies Crossed the Mexican Border

Not to mock this, but personally This blows another hole in Bush's rhetoric, when he says 'only hard working Family Value Mexicans' cross the border.

When Bush said that during his Goebbels Style interview with O'REally, I believe Bush lost major support from his faltering base.

All of those video's we see of those 'Terrorists' Training in the deserts of AFghanistan, no chance of them coming to North America via Mexico and taking a journey into America by Crossing the Mexican Border and Attacking small town USA, no chance of that according to 'Team Bush' and our Great Leader himself, 'Bush'.

Its all over for Bush, and if something does happen, its all Bush and the REpublican Led House and Senate for not securing this country, they are the ones in Charge.

[Ezlivin]

12. No Child Left Beheaded

There are no safe places left on this planet.

And guess whose policies contribute heavily to this state of affairs?

Hmmm.....

[RedEarth]

13. This is pathetic........strictly directed at the "security moms"

george you want to protect our country...how about spending money here in our country to beef up security.....instead of invading countries that aren't a threat.....freaking idiot.

[Eugene]

14. ...not sent due to any specific information...

Dear Lord! These guidelines see terror
suspects on every corner.
You can be targeted for staring or
looking away; loitering or passing by.
Everyone is a spy. Nobody is innocent.

Paranoia for the children's sake.

[Maeve]

15. America is safer..no, it;s not...be afraid....

And they DARE accuse Kerry of mexed missages! :eyes:

[goodboy]

16. I think they are floating this out to prepare for a surprise at polling

locations which also happen to be mostly at schools. I predict chaos at the polls on November 2nd.

[anarchy1999]

17. FEAR, FEAR, FEAR and more FEAR!

I heard this this morning within my first 15 minutes of being awake. All I could do was swear, SOB's, M'fs, this is wrong, so wrong. I made the remark to my husband they are using what happened in Russia to help Bush. Good God, what a bunch of criminals are driving this country straight into the ground and the ignorance and greed supporting them know no bounds.

Sick, tired and fed up in Dallas!

[highnooner]

18. They should be more woored about the kids themselves

Columbine ring a bell?

Last month, a teenager was caufght with some serious pipebombs in his car in NC. And he was just an "average" student.

[BurnedNotBeaten]

36. We are all guilty of using FEAR, FEAR and FEAR!

They use terra fear, we use supreme court justice fear. They use gun ban fear then we use lynching fear. I don't know when it started but it needs to stop as soon as possible.

[grandg]

19. Shock me Shock me Shock me

Surprise. This kid was framed!!!!!!!!!!!

[theoceansnerves]

20. be especially wary

of people voting in your school's gym on election day!

[samtob]

22. They are hyping this story

No threat seen to district; children are safe, police say
By Kelly Thornton
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
September 30, 2004

A man arrested by U.S. authorities in Iraq had a computer disk in his possession containing a public report downloaded from a U.S. Department of Education Web site on crisis planning in school districts, including San Diego Unified.

The man was described as an Iraqi national with connections to terrorism and the insurgency that is fighting U.S. forces in Iraq. Officials in San Diego said the man's intentions were unknown.

full story here

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/world/iraq/20040930-9999-7m30disk.html

[Bluebear]

23. Beware of students carrying ALMANACS! nt

[american_mutt]

24. 1st step of dumbaya's debate stragey...

[bluedog]

25. political move by *

from the post: yesterdays bush speech:

The strongly worded speech, which indicted Kerry as a "tax-and-spend liberal," was timed to deflect criticism of Bush's Iraq policy from such key sources as former Iraq administrator L. Paul Bremer, the U.S. weapons inspector and the State Department.


A Bush adviser said the president hopes to change the dynamics of the race with more biting attacks on Kerry's record and trustworthiness and on what Bush charges is Kerry's reluctance to use U.S. military force to defeat terrorism.

(this is it)...........proves * will do anything)

The strategy is aimed at stoking public fears about terrorism, raising new concerns about Kerry's ability to protect Americans and reinforcing Bush's image as the steady anti-terrorism candidate, aides said.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A10573-2004Oct6?language=printer

[Amigust]

35. I, too, think he will/would do anything,

(this is it)...........proves * will do anything)

but that this stuff so far doesn't even *begin* to touch what he is capable of.

I believe, after all, that he and others in our government were behind 911, either 1) by direct planning and execution, or 2) by putting the word in the appropriate ear so as to see that those who were already eager to try it got the proper encouragement, direction, and financial support -- or 3) by even some combination of both.

Everything about this gang's ruthlessness and brazenness, the inconsistencies of that time and since, and the cover-ups, support my belief that it *defies logic* to conclude otherwise.

[Joanne98]

26. Security mom terra... Save us Mr. Bush... Dumb bitches.........

[Child_Of_Isis]

27. Clinching the vote of the security moms! n/t

[AspenRose]

29. Wait a second

Aren't many election polls nationwide held AT SCHOOLS?

Are they implying what I think they may be implying?

(And yes, this terror threat is overdue, by a week)

:tinfoilhat:

[Texas_Dem]

30. They are not implying it. They are flat out saying it.

Don't vote because you may get killed.

If you do vote, vote for Bush because he is tough on terruh.

[Jokerman]

31. Watch out for "Shoe Shiners"

I think the last time I saw a shoe shiner was an episode of "Underdog".

[noamnety]

32. One more sign they are out of touch

Dear Mr. Hickok,

If you'd been in a school lately, you'd understand that after all our layoffs, we don't have enough staff to watch our own students, let alone keep track of what people outside the school are doing.

Do you not get that teachers are already giving up their own lunches without pay to try to keep some low level of supervision in the lunch rooms? Do you not get that even our principals are being cut to part time to try to squeeze every dollar out of a system that hasn't raised per pupil funding in 3 years, while all other expenses have increased?

Last year the staff I work with was all cut to part time, every single teacher. Yet we continued to work full time, without full time pay, so we could provide the best education we could to our kids. Teachers volunteered to serve lunches, because our cafeteria staff was cut. Last week, we had more layoffs. My hours are cut even more this year.

If Bush's impressive plan to fight terrorism depends upon teachers now taking on the job of providing national security services as an "additional duty" while continuing to absorb paycuts, it is time for a new plan.

love and kisses,
lwfern, public school teacher

[Amigust]

34. AWOL's approval ratings up an average of 3 points after each terror alert.

I picked this up somewhere yesterday, who knows where (maybe INN Daily News). Think how many points if he engineered another attack. I'd like to see voters galvanizing like they did in Spain.

Frigntening children and their parents this way is entirely despicable.

[Comadreja]

37. Arm all pupils!!

Yessir, isn't that what the GOP Congress wants to do in DC? Eliminate all gun laws? Those total friggin' morons! The biggest danger to students is other students with guns. I guess it doesn't count if an American kid massacres his classmates. We have to be on watch for the swarthy strangers in kaffiyehs scoping out our schools from a tree with binoculars. It half tempts me to put a dummy in a tree that "looks" like a terrists just to rattle the silly geese.

[NVMojo]

38. these scumbags need to be

taken out of their own misery.