Thought provoking
I work in a very safe school. The nature of my job is to deal with unpleasant situations and students at times, but I have never been really scared. Today, I crossed that boundary. Interestingly enough the two students who shook me up today are both transfers, so part of the problem is that we don't know much about them. It was definitely a statement to me of how personalizing education is so important. If our kids don't feel connected to someone in the building, they will not feel safe.
First I dealt with a situation of searching a student due to a report of possible illegal substances on him. He was so irate that he could be searched; he was a big guy, and he did not hide his anger at me. It wasn't until the resource officer just happened to come to our office, that this student actually tamed way down. Apparently he has been on parole, etc. etc. That didn't scare me as much as the next incident, but it did set the stage. We also had conversations earlier in the day about security in the building....a never ending battle since last December.
A student who is new and having emotional issues (including hurting self and running away) had a very pointed stick (looked like a knife) that a teacher confiscated from his sweatshirt pocket. The teacher told me that he had come into her room and stood right in front of her saying he hated his sweatshirt. She told him he could take it off, so he did. At some point she saw or found the stick and then took it from him, knowing there were some extenuating circumstances with him. She notified me and the social worker, who was in another building. I had to bring him to my office so the social worker could speak with him on the phone. When he came to my office, he sat in front of me, with both hands fidgeting in his pocket. I asked if he was okay and he said yes, but continued to work at this pocket. I then asked again, are you sure and he pulled out some papers and said, there are only papers in there. I didn't ask what was in there, but he said that anyway. I had to bring him out to his bus and deal with the social worker and incident tomorrow, but a sudden fear latched onto me. I really thought with his hands in his pocket like that, that the stick was already out of there, what more could be in there that he would pull out. Was he angry enough to make a statement, as many of the other people have in the school issues? I can't describe in perfect words the scenario, but if anyone was in it, they would probably have jumped to the thought process I did. I have never felt that kind of fear in my office. I wish schools were safe places and I wonder how they have become the security risks that they are. The answer isn't arming people, it is dealing with mental illness that drives people to do the things they do.
First I dealt with a situation of searching a student due to a report of possible illegal substances on him. He was so irate that he could be searched; he was a big guy, and he did not hide his anger at me. It wasn't until the resource officer just happened to come to our office, that this student actually tamed way down. Apparently he has been on parole, etc. etc. That didn't scare me as much as the next incident, but it did set the stage. We also had conversations earlier in the day about security in the building....a never ending battle since last December.
A student who is new and having emotional issues (including hurting self and running away) had a very pointed stick (looked like a knife) that a teacher confiscated from his sweatshirt pocket. The teacher told me that he had come into her room and stood right in front of her saying he hated his sweatshirt. She told him he could take it off, so he did. At some point she saw or found the stick and then took it from him, knowing there were some extenuating circumstances with him. She notified me and the social worker, who was in another building. I had to bring him to my office so the social worker could speak with him on the phone. When he came to my office, he sat in front of me, with both hands fidgeting in his pocket. I asked if he was okay and he said yes, but continued to work at this pocket. I then asked again, are you sure and he pulled out some papers and said, there are only papers in there. I didn't ask what was in there, but he said that anyway. I had to bring him out to his bus and deal with the social worker and incident tomorrow, but a sudden fear latched onto me. I really thought with his hands in his pocket like that, that the stick was already out of there, what more could be in there that he would pull out. Was he angry enough to make a statement, as many of the other people have in the school issues? I can't describe in perfect words the scenario, but if anyone was in it, they would probably have jumped to the thought process I did. I have never felt that kind of fear in my office. I wish schools were safe places and I wonder how they have become the security risks that they are. The answer isn't arming people, it is dealing with mental illness that drives people to do the things they do.
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