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Intruder in my School Yesterday

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posted on Feb, 9 2013 @ 09:08 AM
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Greetings, ATS!

Yesterday we had an intruder in our school, and I wanted to share with you what happened.

First, some background info. I teach in a very rough neighborhood. Although our school is in a rural area, it feels more like inner city with gang violence and crime rates.

Part and parcel with teaching in this area are the very real threats against the school, the students, and the teachers. We have lots of custody disputes, with parents threatening violence towards their significant other or their children...this happens far more often than you would think. I've even had my life threatened by an irate father when I reported him to social services. Apparently he didn't think that smacking his daughter with a bristle brush so hard that it left tiny holes in her legs was inappropriate. That entire year I had to be escorted to my car by our custodian.

So my school is in a rough area, and we take the potential for danger seriously. That's why every classroom door is always locked and closed.

Anyway, with the recent upswing in school violence, our central office staff decided to "test" how schools would respond to an intruder.

Yesterday, the "intruder" came to my school. Bad move.

She stormed in the school and went straight past the office, not bothering to sign in ( a requirement). She then went down the hallway, trying to get in different classrooms and screaming about finding her nephew.

We had no idea this was a drill; not even our principal knew about it. Which is the entire point, of course. Anyway, the custodian and the school secretary immediately gave chase.

They tackled her right outside my room. I heard the thud as she hit the floor, then the cries of "Don't hurt me! I'm from Central Office!"

Our secretary sat on her until we verified her credentials....then we called the ambulance.

One broken arm and several contusions later.....our school has been officially recognized as the only school in our district that a)stopped the intruder and b)the intruder was unable to enter a single classroom.

I'm sure it would have been different if she'd been carrying a gun...but its still nice to know that my school takes these things seriously.

Next week, in writing center, my students will make her get well cards. I hear she's out of the hospital and expected to make a full recovery.




posted on Feb, 9 2013 @ 09:40 AM
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reply to post by smyleegrl
 


It's good the school employees were able to stop her but what if this had been a 6'6" 300 pound man? I don't think tackling people needs to be the final resolve to this problem.

We can see she was harmed physically which with anyone else could have turned into a major lawsuit regardless how she entered the school. As warped as the system is she would probably win too.

I just don't like how anyone can just walk into these schools. I can at my child's school and knowing how much bigger I am than any of the administration I doubt any of them could slam me to the ground like your school did.

I would feel better if they had someone at the door before you entered the school checking ID's and such. After they get in it can be too late.

Besides these points I'm glad to see someone stopped her. Breaking her arm was a bit much but they should have thought this out before sending her in. Maybe a little training on how to apply an arm bar or some other restraint technique could have taken her into submission without breaking anything.



posted on Feb, 9 2013 @ 09:44 AM
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reply to post by TheLieWeLive
 


Everything you say is absolutely true.

Our school building is over 100 years old. Hence, lots of floor to ceiling windows, few doors, a real security nightmare.

The police department has been going through schools and making recommendations on how to improve security. And the new schools being built in our county have, in the past ten years or so, been designed so that people entering the building have to go through the office before they can even access other parts of the school. Then the office staff has to "buzz" them through, kind of like at a doctor's office. That's a start.

But the reality of the situation is this....if someone is determined to get in and do damage, they will.

As for breaking her arm, apparently it happened when they tackled her. Not excessive force, I don't think.
edit on 9-2-2013 by smyleegrl because: (no reason given)



posted on Feb, 9 2013 @ 09:47 AM
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Wow... I don't know how wise it was to do this without the staff's consent... If someone had been armed, she could have been killed, right? As it was she had injuries.

But yeah, it's good to know your school stood up to her.



posted on Feb, 9 2013 @ 09:49 AM
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Well if each teacher carried a gun it seems like this wouldn't be such a threat.

Wouldn't really matter how big the intruder was then.



posted on Feb, 9 2013 @ 09:56 AM
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reply to post by Hopechest
 


What are the laws on the school administration carrying tasers? How about the ones law enforcement carry that you have to sign for using your social security number before the cartridges are activated? If you use it then it can be traced back to you. Just so it's not misused.

Although you have to get close enough to use it I don't know of to many people that can shake off a taser hit.
edit on 9-2-2013 by TheLieWeLive because: (no reason given)



posted on Feb, 9 2013 @ 09:58 AM
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Originally posted by Benevolent Heretic
Wow... I don't know how wise it was to do this without the staff's consent... If someone had been armed, she could have been killed, right? As it was she had injuries.

But yeah, it's good to know your school stood up to her.


Not a good idea, imo. They should have at least warned the principal. But I guess that would have defeated the purpose of a dry run.



posted on Feb, 9 2013 @ 10:00 AM
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Originally posted by Hopechest
Well if each teacher carried a gun it seems like this wouldn't be such a threat.

Wouldn't really matter how big the intruder was then.


I don't want to carry a gun. Teaching, dealing with irate parents, all that is enough stress. Adding a gun into the mix is bad news, at least for me.

I wonder, if teachers were all armed, how long it would be before an overstressed teacher shot a parent or even a student. Or how long until a student took the gun away from the teacher.



posted on Feb, 9 2013 @ 10:00 AM
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reply to post by TheLieWeLive
 


That's certainly a great option also.

I was mainly addressing the fact that having to chase and tackle someone probably isn't the best way to keep an intruder from harming the children.

Like many here have posted, its really not hard to get into a school so we need to accept the fact that it will happen if someone wants to and figure out the best options from that point.




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