Oh. My. God. Teachers stage fake gunman attack on sixth-graders

[FourScore]

This is UNBELIEVABLE!!! WHO thought this was a good idea???? (Make sure to watch the video.)

Staff members of an elementary school staged a fictitious gun attack on students during a class trip, telling them it was not a drill as the children cried and hid under tables.

SNIP

"The children were in that room in the dark, begging for their lives, because they thought there was someone with a gun after them," said Brandy Cole, whose son went on the trip.

SNIP

During the last night of the trip, staff members convinced the 69 students that there was a gunman on the loose. They were told to lie on the floor or hide underneath tables and stay quiet. A teacher, disguised in a hooded sweat shirt, even pulled on a locked door.

After the lights went out, about 20 kids started to cry, 11-year-old Shay Naylor said.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/EDUCATION/05/13/faked.attack.ap/index.html

[Occulus]

1. One of these days, they're going to pull this in the wrong place,

a student or students will act as if it's not a drill... and one or more of these "actors" will wind up seriously hurt or very dead when the students fight back.

[FourScore]

4. What if they were all packing

like some have suggested they do?

[zbdent]

10. thought the same thing

[Occulus]

25. Exactly!

This is a dangerous mix of circumstances for everyone concerned. Were it up to me, I'd write federal education law banning these frightening, unnecessary and dangerous "demonstrations".

This is not not not what school is for!!

[cascadiance]

6. Or for that matter a student with a heart murmur or the like dies of a heart attack!

or some other ailment that might be aggravated by stress!

Would a school administration want that on their head? It gets back to the big question, who are the *real* "terrorists"? Those in charge that claim that they are fighting it but in fact are promoting terror themselves? Methinks that this school is learning too much from Bushco's examples! Sheesh!

[wtmusic]

11. Or another adult/policeman/security officer not "in on it" happens by

and takes them out.

Fire them all. The poorest of poor judgement.

[Occulus]

27. This is not the only school to do this

I think DU has been spattered with several reports of such incidents over the past few years. This has to stop, but I don't think schools will do it unless it's banned outright.

I wonder if things like this require the school board's approval. Might this be an example of school board member wingnuttery?

[Solo_in_MD]

12. My youngest might actually do that...she has intervened physically a few times when it was unexpecte

[Norquist Nemesis]

17. If a student DID fight back, they'ld probably get disciplinary action

or expulsion.

[Occulus]

26. Yup- chopping the nose to spite the face

The kid who, during the "demonstration", actually has the guts to do something gets punished- and then, if it happens for real, they do nothing for fear of further punishment.

The consequences of one of these things going wrong are so breathtaking in their scope it's a wonder any school has them.

[annabanana]

2. I'm thinking of a Board of Education about to be sued out of existence.

(Any guesses?)

[Buzz Clik]

3. Goddam! What a bunch of assholes.

Perhaps we could start the rumor that their jobs will remain secure despite this hideous stunt.

[seabeyond]

5. pigs. that is just creepy. that is sick. i dont know what i would do

if anyone terroriz3ed my children in that manner. i would be so mad, beyond any mad i have been to this point. it is sick behavior for adults, that they can see the kids in terror and not in humanness do something about it. were they getting a kick, i want to know. i cannot picture any adult ignoring a child in such fear,.... not to mention egging the fear on.

sick sick sick

[cascadiance]

9. Perhaps the kids should organize and ask them collectively when they are getting sent to Guantanamo

... the way that other people who spread terror are sent.

Perhaps have some fake form letters, etc. put together and organize some parents together to stage a "Homeland Security" arrest of the teachers and administrators that were responsible for this mess and see how THEY might feel faced with a similar "orchestration" of terror!

[Rydz777]

7. These kids should be learning something substantive like

math - so that they can compete with the Chinese. Instead the teachers are playing charades. It is beyond absurd; it's depressing.

[berni_mccoy]

8. It was AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL!!!!!!!

These are YOUNG children they scared the hell out of...

I am a parent of children this age and I AM FURIOUS about this type of stunt done to other people's children.

WHAT IN THE HELL were these teachers thinking they were doing????!!!!

[Wickerman]

13. Wow, free psychotherapy for life!

Be a great deal if those poor kids weren't going to actually need it.

:eyes: :argh:

[Arkansas Granny]

14. This is complete lunacy. I can't imagine the fear these kids must

have felt or the anger of the parents. This could very well qualify as a traumatizing experience for them and the stuff that would give you nightmares for a long time. Someone needs to face some strong discipline for this.

[seabeyond]

15. can you imagine. just learning to trust other adults would take care of them overnight

already doing the best they can in an overnight environment away from the familiar, their home. and to throw this at the kids. i dont know. thinking the next trip out of town will be a no way.

i cannot believe ANY thinking adult would in anyway think this would be ok. i can only see the sickest thinking people that would feel the childrens fears and ignore it. i cannot imagine.

[Norquist Nemesis]

16. Good Lord! This is 'preparing them' for what, exactly???

Jesus!! Even fire and tornado drills are pre-announced!!! This type of exercise has no positive benefit whatsoever for these children. I'd venture to say that the level of fear for their lives was nothing if not TORTURE and serious consequences should be enacted...pronto!!!

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

18. What does it prepare them for?

Practical jokes, I'd imagine.

[blondeatlast]

20. And to be good little citizens, too.

Iraq was involved in 9/11; Iran has nukes and they aren't afraid to use them!

Worry, fear, and suspicion are this administration's best buddies.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

21. If there were a lesson involved, wouldn't it be the opposite...

i.e. don't be so gullible?

[Norquist Nemesis]

24. That's where I'm leaning: "Respect Authority"

It's the only answer I can come up with. Respect authority and do what those in charge say in order to stay alive. :shrug:

[blondeatlast]

19. We need to train them early to be good citizens--fearful of remote

possibilities but relatively immune to true threats.

Is it any wonder our children are growing up fearful and suspicious of others?

The chances of such an attack occuring are infintesimally remote (remember duck and cover?). The same tactic is being used to SELL (and I do mean sell) our military involvement overseas.

I'm remembering some of the responses here on DU after the gunman shot up Virginia Tech--we should EXPECT this sort of thing.

I REFUSE to live in a cloud of suspicion and fear. If my child were involved in that, I'd have the principal's head on a platter.

[EstimatedProphet]

22. Where did they go-Jesus Camp?

How can someone entrusted to educating children even get an idea that that would be a good thing to do?

[Initech]

23. What the fuck is wrong with people? And who thought this was a good idea?

[uppityperson]

28. Link to last night's discussion, someone thought it was a good idea even.

What an assinine thing to do.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=879259&mesg_id=879259

[Rex]

29. Ugh! And these are EDUCATORS!?!

America, you suck.

[Lars39]

30. I can't help but wonder about what other mind games this principal

inflicts on the students in that school.
I'm betting he struts around on a power trip most of the time. :(

[global1]

31. And If The Shoe Were On The Other Foot And A Kid Put Out This False Story....

the kid would be suspended or expelled.

This is just unconscionable. They need to fire all the teachers that were in on this.

The parents should take them to court for the emotional distress it caused their kids.