It takes a special kind of stupid...

[Cave Diver]

Or maybe she should pick up the phone and call the principal and voice her concerns directly to him, have a discussion like rational adults. Or does she need to hire a lawyer because her babies have been violated and permanently scarred for life?

Try and pay attention. Her concerns are over the fact that staff members were told that they didn't want news of this incident getting out and she has a meeting scheduled to talk with the principal today about her concerns.

She's pretty much ok with whatever discipline is decided on by him, but she thinks that parents who entrust the safety of their children to the care of a school should be notified when there is an incident.

I guess you think that's too much to ask for?

 

[gypsyjim]

knives heck.

it was very typical for kids to have hunting rifles/shotguns in their cars at school. I know some guys who would go duck hunting or deer hunting before school several days a week, or after school.

that wouldn't fly today. I think most schools now days have rules that allow searching of your car if it's on school property.

You are right. Gun racks in the pickup trucks in our high school parking lot were routine, especially in late fall and early winter.

Guns inside the school were another story, even in the rural area I was in, but I do recall reading back then, that there were some schools that actually had 22 cal rifles, and sanctioned shooting clubs.

When I was in college there were still a few of us who secretly had firearms locked away so we could get away and hunt, but by then we were definitely flirting with disaster, as the rules were already starting to change into the Big Brother is Watching mode we now enjoy routinely.

 

[Cave Diver]

On a semi-related note, a student at another nearby school is arrested for making a bomb threat there.

A 16-year-old student from Lake Charles has been charged with making a bomb threat after a note was placed under a teacher's door at LaGrange High School.

The teen admitted to writing and placing the note under the classroom door, after he was arrested.

He was transported and booked into the juvenile detention center.

 

[Ayisha]

She's pretty much ok with whatever discipline is decided on by him, but she thinks that parents who entrust the safety of their children to the care of a school should be notified when there is an incident.

Apart from the police, is there any kind of Serious Occurrence Reporting or something similar required by the daycare or school where you live?

In daycares here, we have to file a Serious Occurrence Report within 24 hours for numerous things that could happen. This is one small section:

Any disaster on the premises where a service is provided, that interferes with daily routines, e.g., fire, flood, power outage, gas
leak, carbon monoxide, infectious disease (where public health officials are involved), lockdown, etc.

It doesn't say bomb threat or evacuation, but also:

Any complaint made by or about a client, or any other serious occurrence involving a client that is considered by the service
provider to be of a serious nature, e.g.:
• Police involvement with a client (client charged by police)

And here's where it would apply for sure if you have a similar Serious Occurrence Reporting requirement:

2) Enhanced Serious Occurrence Reporting procedures should be followed when emergency services (i.e. police, fire and/or ambulance) are used in response to a significant incident involving a client of a program funded by the Ministry of Community and Social Services or the Ministry of Children and Youth Services, and/or the incident is likely to result in significant public or media attention.

3) Within three hours of becoming aware that an Enhanced Serious Occurrence has occurred, the service provider’s Designated Authority will report the incident.

bold added

 

[mike_s]

Apart from the police, is there any kind of Serious Occurrence Reporting or something similar required by the daycare or school where you live?

In daycares here, we have to file a Serious Occurrence Report within 24 hours for numerous things that could happen.

I don't know about the state of Texas, but the state I live in, Church ran daycares and church run private schools don't fall under the state certification rules for DayCare & schools. So they don't have to follow reporting rules.

The private school my kid goes to, we have to sign a notarized statement each year at the start of school acknowledging that they do not have to be state certified.

(You would think that you would want state rules to apply, but in reality, in our case this private school is much better than the public school options. We've also never had issues with school management over this and there is a waiting list to get into this school even. )

 

[Cave Diver]

Apart from the police, is there any kind of Serious Occurrence Reporting or something similar required by the daycare or school where you live?

The school has a handbook which outlines their procedure for the handling of emergencies/incidents. I didn't read it for myself, but based on what my sister told me the school did not follow the policy they outlined. But if she chaperones a field trip or school activity, she is required to wear a dress, per their handbook rules.

The response from the principal at the meeting yesterday was along the lines of "No one was notified because I didn't think anyone would be concerned since it was only a joke." His only comment about the staff member was that they were on suspension, but would not say for how long and whether it was with, or without pay.

 

[ScubaSteve]

I can only speak for myself, but if the principal handled an incident like this with my son involved, the entire school (parents) would know about it. There is absolutely no good reason for the parent's NOT to know what happened to their children.

I commend your sister on how she has handled it until now. However now is when I would open up and make sure every parent knew.

 

[mike_s]

The school has a handbook which outlines their procedure for the handling of emergencies/incidents. I didn't read it for myself, but based on what my sister told me the school did not follow the policy they outlined. But if she chaperones a field trip or school activity, she is required to wear a dress, per their handbook rules.

The response from the principal at the meeting yesterday was along the lines of "No one was notified because I didn't think anyone would be concerned since it was only a joke." His only comment about the staff member was that they were on suspension, but would not say for how long and whether it was with, or without pay.

I can only speak for myself, but if the principal handled an incident like this with my son involved, the entire school (parents) would know about it. There is absolutely no good reason for the parent's NOT to know what happened to their children.

I commend your sister in how she has handled it until now. However now is when I would open up and make sure every parent knew.

I agree Steve.

Time to hand out flyers notifying all the parents during pick up/drop off saying what was done and how poorly it was handled. Include a copy of the state law reference.

Getting the news media involved might stir some up also. (not sure if that's needed yet though).

but sounds like to me that it's time to replace the principal.

Sounds like

 

[Cave Diver]

I can only speak for myself, but if the principal handled an incident like this with my son involved, the entire school (parents) would know about it. There is absolutely no good reason for the parent's NOT to know what happened to their children.

I commend your sister on how she has handled it until now. However now is when I would open up and make sure every parent knew.

She's talked to other parents and encouraged them to go talk to the principal. The secretary told her that several other parents are upset as well, but apparently none of the others have gone to him about it. Now that she's talked to him she'll probably give it til Monday to see if a memo is sent out to parents, or if he makes an announcement during services on Sunday. Of course the only issue with the latter option is that not all students/families are members of the church.

 

[adurso]

Should the employee's specific consquences be advertised the school stands a substantial chance of losing a tort action.

Human resource decisions are confidential. Generally the only safe response for requests by parents is along the lines of "the situation was addressed according to HR guidelines".

Welcome to 21st century America......