Columbine Flashbacks
Lancaster High School has been receiving bomb threats this week (here, here, here, and here).
The first two threats were to the junior high school during the week of the 17th.
The first threat to the high school was on Wednesday; John called from his cell, I said “come home”. We received a (recorded) call from the school about 8:15 p.m. stating “Your child was absent from school today; please call to explain.” (i.e. missing school because of a bomb threat is NOT excused). Evidently a search of some sort was conducted (although the fire chief says HIS men didn’t do it) and school resumed around 10:00…..and John was with me all day.
Before I could call on Thursday morning, John called at 7:10…..another bomb threat. I told him to stay there and do exactly as the teachers ordered (I felt I was putting my own child in danger here but didn’t want him to face another unexcused absence.). He was to call me back as soon as he knew anything. Wait, wait wait…….thirty minutes later, I head to the school. A cop has the intersection blocked and is telling parents “There’s been a bomb threat; the search is nearly over. Pull ahead to the right and I’ll let you know when you can go.” I pull ahead………..but just keep going. Hell, I’m headed towards the school; I’m not waiting on someone to tell me when I can check on the safety of my child. John calls as I near the school; “Everything’s okay, we’re headed back into class now”. “Well, I’m here John. So, I’ll go on in and check you out for allergy shots this afternoon and make sure that your absence Wednesday is excused.” Done and done.
Friday…7:15…….you’ve got to be kidding me. Nope, another threat. Stay there, do as the teachers say and call me. 8:30….. :whispering: I’m in class, everything’s okay.
Now, if you’ll notice in the article with the question and answers, one question was: Are students who were not in school Wednesday and Thursday excused from classes? No. The absences are unexcused. (These were the two days that an actual phone call was placed to the school threatening “Your school is going to blow up”.)
If you look about three questions down, you’ll see: Are students excused from school Friday? Yes, Students absent from school Friday will be excused because of the frenzy and panic caused.
Excuse me? A bomb threat is an unexcused absence; but frenzy and panic is excused. But I digress.
I asked John Friday night if he was afraid. “I’m not really afraid of the bomb business, Mom; but the thought of someone walking into school, looking me in the eyes and blowing me away scares the hell out of me.”
It’s so sad that our kids today can’t enjoy the same security and saftey that we felt growing up.
If you do nothing else today, please pray for the children of this strange and insecure world, pray for the ones in school that face things like this……..and please pray for the kids at Lancaster High School……….and for John.