Today, one of our ED students was getting very angry, which he often does. In the hall, in front of several teachers and even a couple of other students, he loudly says "I'm going to kill everyone in the school." (If those weren't the exact words, they were close-maybe he said someone instead of everyone)
Now, in these times, what should be done? Keep in mind that this was a THIRD GRADER!
I didn't see him the rest of the day, but I sure hope a phone call was made to the police. With that being said, I also have a strange feeling that he will be back in school tomorrow. He has said similar things in the past and we just kind of blew them off. That attitude has to stop. For whatever reason, this time seemed different. I bet that if he was holding a gun, something pretty bad would have happened. He has some serious issues dealing with his anger. Just days after the V.Tech situation, this happens. It's not something we can ignore anymore, regardless of the age of the student. I'd hate to be the person in charge if this student came back to school and did something. It's better to error on the side of caution than to think back - I should have known.
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I reported one of my students for saying threatening things to other students this year. It was apparently happening in my classroom, and he was whispering it to the student on either side of him. He's the kind of kid who is super smart but has a 504 plan because he has difficulty organizing his life. Whatever. He has a morbid imagination, and who knows how mentally stable he is. At the time, I kind of felt like maybe I was blowing things out of proportion--and I reported it to the dean rather than to his counselor (who actually counsels him) or the program coordinator. I WANTED the message sent that it is not okay for him to behave in such a way.
As a courtesy I called his father to let him know that his son was in trouble and the dean would probably be calling him shortly. The parent said, "Who said that he said that? What proof?" I don't know. Maybe the students in my class who didn't want to be irritated by your creepy kid anymore. Maybe the students who don't want to have to worry if your creepy kid might take their lives for his own simple joy. You know if the tables had been turned that father would have been down my throat wondering why his son is being threatened in my class without me doing anything. That's a nice perspective to keep in mind.
And with an elementary school child, it's hard to not want to blow it off, but kids these days are violent,too. They see it on the tv, in movies, and in their own homes. We just don't want to think that such a young child isn't innocent anymore.
It's important not to brush things off because of his age. A threat is a threat and if it's not dealt with now then who knows what it will become when he is older and can actually do something about it.
Awesoome blog you have here