Tennessee Teachers Stage Fake Gunman Attack

[tamor]

Tennessee teachers stage fake gunman attack
Staged assault on 6th-graders unfolds on school trip; parents not amused

Tennessee teachers stage fake gunman attack
Parents Upset Over Teacher's 'Prank'


MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Staff members of an elementary school staged a fictitious gun attack on students during a class trip, telling them it was not a drill as the children cried and hid under tables.

The mock attack Thursday night was intended as a learning experience and lasted five minutes during the weeklong trip to a state park, said Scales Elementary School Assistant Principal Don Bartch, who led the trip.

“We got together and discussed what we would have done in a real situation,” he said.

But parents of the sixth-grade students were outraged.

“The children were in that room in the dark, begging for their lives, because they thought there was someone with a gun after them,” said Brandy Cole, whose son went on the trip.

Some parents said they were upset by the staff’s poor judgment in light of the April 16 shootings at Virginia Tech that left 33 students and professors dead, including the gunman.

During the last night of the trip, staff members convinced the 69 students that there was a gunman on the loose. They were told to lie on the floor or hide underneath tables and stay quiet. A teacher, disguised in a hooded sweat shirt, even pulled on a locked door.

After the lights went out, about 20 kids started to cry, 11-year-old Shay Naylor said.

“I was like, ‘Oh My God,’ “ she said. “At first I thought I was going to die. We flipped out.”

Principal Catherine Stephens declined to say whether the staff members involved would face disciplinary action, but said the situation “involved poor judgment.”

[tamor]

Yeah, as a parent, I would be upset!!

CC, have you seen this?

[CC1]

Tamor, I just saw a teaseer for it advertising the evening news but did not see the actual newscasts.

I can't believe they could be that dumb. Kids are seeing students killed in the news then they do something like this and actually tell the kids it is not a drill.

I back teachers and principals 98% of the time because I get so sick of horrible parents with spoiled kids not giving them support. However a little common sense should have prevailed here.

[tamor]

Originally Posted by CC1

Tamor, I just saw a teaseer for it advertising the evening news but did not see the actual newscasts.

I can't believe they could be that dumb. Kids are seeing students killed in the news then they do something like this and actually tell the kids it is not a drill.

I back teachers and principals 98% of the time because I get so sick of horrible parents with spoiled kids not giving them support. However a little common sense should have prevailed here.

I totally agree with you. And doing something like this as a drill is one thing. But these kids, and they are kids - elementary school, were told THIS IS NOT A DRILL. They thought they were dying.

Yeah, I would be upset. This is over the top as far as I'm concerned.

[SDG]

Shades of the nuclear drills in schools during the height of the Cold War.

[tamor]

Originally Posted by Daniel Alicea

Shades of the nuclear drills in schools during the height of the Cold War.

But did they say, "This is NOT a drill????"

There's a difference in not telling them and point blank saying, "This is not a drill." I've been through plenty of fire drills, tornado drills, earthquake drills, bomb drills, etc and we didn't know if it was a drill or the real deal but these kids were told that it was NOT.

[SDG]

Originally Posted by tamor

But did they say, "This is NOT a drill????"

There's a difference in not telling them and point blank saying, "This is not a drill." I've been through plenty of fire drills, tornado drills, earthquake drills, bomb drills, etc and we didn't know if it was a drill or the real deal but these kids were told that it was NOT.

Heads will roll ... I'm sure.

[LadyCoonskinner]

Originally Posted by Daniel Alicea

Heads will roll ... I'm sure.

They would if my child attended there!!!!! John Robert would have freaked out completely and though Colton thinks he's the toughest dude walking, he probably would have had a total cow.

I would have had nightmares for weeks after something like that, my goodness gracious, what are people really thinking these days?