LHS What Is Going On.

Jim O'Bryan · Post by **Jim O'Bryan** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 7:58 am

This morning I have heard many versions of the trouble at Lakewood High, from bomb threat to bad kids.

From a person that knows. A kid who is in Cleveland Clinic with a bad heart was in a fight with someone last year who punched him in the chest. When this student was told that the other is in the Clinic dying, made a couple racial comments and said I want to be on the phone with the clinic when he dies. I want to hear him flat line.

A friend of the sick student punched the lid a couple times, and the other student mentioned bringing a gun to school.

Today they are making all students walk through two doors where everyone will be searched.

Yet again another example of how poorly those in charged handle this. It seems to me from all I heard all students involved should have been kept at home and the one making the threats should be talking to the police all day, under house arrest, at best.

At worst they could have notified all students to stay home today, come in late, whatever. At least parents would have known, and students would have known. Instead I have received at least twenty calls from parents hysterical, uniformed, and left out and feeling upset.

With over 12 hours this could have been handled much better!

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Grace O'Malley · Post by **Grace O'Malley** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 8:11 am

It was a mess there this morning. Lines of students waiting in the rain to get in and be searched.

I am assuming nothing got done in any first period class because half of the students weren't even in yet.

The kids know the story and I believe the school knows exactly which kids are involved. As you said, focus on those kids, please.

Also keep in mind, a lot of this can be attributed to high school "drama." These kids text message each other all day long, stories get embellished and some kids get hysterical. A lot of kids thrive on the "excitement" of all the BS that goes around.

I was not afraid to drop off my kids today, FWIW, although I agree that the last minute search thing was poorly done.

I'll also mention that up until today, there are no backpack searches or metal detectors at the high school. Anyone could take whatever they wanted into the building in their backpack. I'm torn about the use of metal detectors, but at least they aren't invasive.

Oh, and let me add: although the PARENTS were not aware that there would be a search today, the KIDS definitely knew. They were all calling each other early this AM about the search.

Justine Cooper · Post by **Justine Cooper** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 8:23 am

Without knowing all the details, I find the handling of this extremely embarrassing and outrageous. If it is true that this kid made a threat yesterday, he better have been arrested yesterday!!! Where is he right now!!! My son came home because of the line of students out in this mess being individually checked! I may send him back but this is ridiculous! Dr. Phil had the Cleveland shooting and other shootings highlighted last week on his show and what was incredulous to him was that in almost every shooting, the shooter says before hand "I am going to shoot up the school or whoever". Therefore, in light of the several school shootings in this country, that should be immediate grounds for arresting anyone who makes a threat. Is this the case or not the case here? Was he arrested JOB and can you find out?

I just heard that my son's friends were held up at gunpoint on Alameida a couple days ago FOR AN IPOD and his friend's friends were held up this past week at gunpoint FOR BIKES. Can you verify any of this!!! In schools, today, kids have more rights than teachers. Especially if they are on an IEP and can only be suspended 10 days out of the year. Some of them work this and continue doing things, knowing they can't get into trouble. And if a child threatens a teacher, she is expected to keep showing up for work, but the student gets due process. Once again, in light of all the shootings, some of these laws need to be changed.

Stephen Eisel · Post by **Stephen Eisel** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 8:39 am

I find the handling of this extremely embarrassing and outrageous.

Better safe than sorry..

Justine Cooper · Post by **Justine Cooper** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 8:40 am

Here is another scenario that truly does have to be looked at. If the shooter was crazy or conduct disorder, like all the shooters seem to be, all he had to do was show up at the school today and start shooting at the crowd. That is exactly what these people who threaten individuals or schools do!!! If he was not arrested yesterday, in my opinion, all the students were placed at risk. It is always innocent bystanders who get killed in school shootings. What is the emergency response system in place for this city? Please Jim, or anyone, find out. We are lucky this is playing out this way but to me it is a sign we need to get better systems in place so none of our children or teachers have to be unsafe or dead. It is all too common now, in every type of community.

Katrina Holmes · Post by **Katrina Holmes** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 8:41 am

For what it is worth, I called the school, House I to be exact and she said that she didn't think they would let them (the staff and students) come to school if there was a problem.

Justine Cooper · Post by **Justine Cooper** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 8:44 am

Stephen Eisel wrote:
I find the handling of this extremely embarrassing and outrageous.
Better safe than sorry..

They did NOT ensure my child or others were safe by lining them up outside UNLESS this kid was in jail already which I am still waiting to hear! Please do NOT minimize my concern over this handling. We entrust our children when they go to school and if nothing else, this should be a learning experience for the whole district to yes put metal detectors up and yes have an emergency response better than this, and yes arrest any and all that make a threat.

My husband works at an alternative school where a kid not only made a threat to shoot up teachers and students, but they fortunately found out that he stole a gun from a friend a few months ago. Immediately they called the police, called transportation to not pick him up, expelled him from their school. Now if they did not have the fortune to find out that he did have a gun. What if they didn't and what if they didn't take the threat seriously and he did come in and shoot up the school? My kids could be without a father and that reality hits me every single day with every single threat in schools. EVERY THREAT NEEDS TO BE IMMEDIATELY TAKEN SERIOUSLY. I am hoping to God I hear he was arrested yesterday.

Grace O'Malley · Post by **Grace O'Malley** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 8:54 am

Justine

They did have about 5 police cars at the school yesterday at 3PM or so and there were some kids in one of the cars.

I knew about the threats yesterday, as all the kids were talking about it, and I still sent the kids today because I trusted that the school would close if the threat were either serious enough or if they could not insure safety.

BTW, one of my kids just texted me and said that there are very few kids left at school today. Apparently, a lot of parents got their kids. The bad thing is that they are doing NOTHING in school now. I'm tempted to go get the kids just because its a wasted day. That's a shame.

Justine Cooper · Post by **Justine Cooper** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 8:59 am

Thanks Grace. I didn't know if I should send mine or not. I really hope we can get more clarification to differentiate between rumors and fact with this threat. If the rumors are true, the kid that made the threat is a white racist student and the object of his hate was a black student. So in making the threat to the ill student's friends it could have incited some of the friends to be prepared to retaliate with violence and weapons. This is how things get escalated. That is why I am still wondering if the student was arrested yesterday. If five cop cars were there, they were there because of the threat.

Katrina Holmes · Post by **Katrina Holmes** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 9:00 am

I just talked to my daughter and she said that the student had a heart transplant, but it did not take and he died yesterday and there were a lot of people upset about it, crying. Including her math teacher who had him as a student. She said she was suppose to go see him yesterday.

On a lighter note Ms. Hankins brought orange juice and donuts, so the kids that left are missing out.

Justine Cooper · Post by **Justine Cooper** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 9:05 am

And the kid that made the threat to bring in a gun was against the kid whose friend was dying. That could escalate into god know what, threating kids who are also now in grief. orange juice and doughnuts I have at home and one day of my child missing won't matter ten years from now. At least he is safe. Maybe everyone is safe at school but I would rather know mine is home today. Parental choice.

Stephen Eisel · Post by **Stephen Eisel** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 9:06 am

They did NOT ensure my child or others were safe by lining them up outside UNLESS this kid was in jail already which I am still waiting to hear! Please do NOT minimize my concern over this handling. We entrust our children when they go to school and if nothing else, this should be a learning experience for the whole district to yes put metal detectors up and yes have an emergency response better than this, and yes arrest any and all that make a threat.

I am sure that the Lakewood Police have more common sense then you give them credit for.

Justine Cooper · Post by **Justine Cooper** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 9:07 am

My son's friend just got a text message saying the kid was caught in school with a gun today. PLEASE TELL ME THIS IS A RUMOR. AND IT IS A RUMOR TILL VERIFIED!!!!!

Justine Cooper · Post by **Justine Cooper** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 9:08 am

sorry repeat

Stephen Eisel · Post by **Stephen Eisel** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 9:11 am

Justine Cooper wrote:My son's friend just got a text message saying a kid was caught in school with a gun today. PLEASE TELL ME THIS IS A RUMOR. AND IT IS A RUMOR TILL VERIFIED!!!!!

http://www.wtam.com/cc-common/news/sections/newsarticle.html?feed=&article=2842969

As of 9:00, nothing had been found and school was underway.

Parents who want to pick up their kids may do so and it will be considered an excused absence.