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Safety Put on Back Burner?

Discussion in 'Broadlands Community Issues' started by chattycat, Sep 3, 2009.

  1. chattycat

    chattycat Member

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    Since the Loudoun County school system FY 10 reduction includes a substantial drop in part-time and overtime pay, security personnel at after-school activities at all the high schools is going to be a thing of the past...nothing like moving backwards. Teach your kids to duck....
     
  2. mwb2218

    mwb2218 New Member

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    Fine with me. Why should taxpayers fund security personnel for after school events...
     
  3. chattycat

    chattycat Member

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    Mmmm, dunno. Guess you could ask the mom of the kid that got stabbed in the leg at one of the football practices last week...
     
  4. luftinarr

    luftinarr Member

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    Didn't know about the stabbing incident, but I agree with mwb2218. Why should we pay for security personnel for after school events? Don't we all sign release forms anyway?
     
  5. tyger31

    tyger31 Member

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    In our area?????
     
  6. BigDog

    BigDog Member

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    Re: Safety Put on Back Burner? It was just a stabbing.

    Here is the email we got last week:

    "Good evening, this is Ed Starzenski, the principal at Briar Woods High School.
    A student was injured this afternoon on our campus, and the Sheriff's Office and rescue squad were called. The injury was not serious, and the student was not transported to the hospital.
    I knew those who were on campus this afternoon might have wondered why sheriff's deputies and emergency personnel were at Briar Woods. I just wanted to assure you that our school and everyone on our campus were safe."


    Doesn't sound very bad, does it? Well, we came to find out through our neighbor, who eye-witnessed it to the police, that 2 two guys were fighting in the gym, and one stabbed the other with a knife! In my book a stabbing of any type on school grounds is VERY SERIOUS. During the orientation yesterday, the principal made a big deal about weapons (knives in particular). I wonder if the kid who stabbed the other kid, won't be going to school this year? I am not that assured that the kids are "safe."
     
  7. redon1

    redon1 aka Aphioni

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    you are joking aren't you tyger?? :) Ashburn had a huge drug bust in some teen's basement a few years ago- wasn't there a murder associated with it? drug dealers, pedophiles, sex offenders, gang members could ALL see this area as easy pickins, and by the way- all of those types LIVE in Ashburn.

    don't forget the flasher on the W& OD trail and the Lansdowne murder- anything can happen ANYTIME. I am all for security at any event where large numbers of people gather. without it it's easier for dealers and gang members and ppl simply up to no good to do their thing. talk about underaged drinking getting an easy place to get out of control...

    i wouldn't want my kid at a football game without me if there's no security! what if your daughter is groped, harrassed or threatened- who is she supposed to go to?

    the county doesn't provide this for school events? growing up our county cops always patrolled the events. i'd MUCH rather have my taxes go to protecting my family at a school event than to a gazillion other things.
     
  8. Ozgood

    Ozgood Not a space alien

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    I wonder how many security guards it would have taken to guarantee that two students would not fight and one get stabbed? I wager a lot.

    It sounds like, based the information posted, that the school responded well.

    I don't think that there would be anything the school could do to guarantee complete safety from every other student. Motivated humans will always find a way to hurt other humans.

    Other than a strip search, there is no way a school can prevent a motivated person from smuggling a weapon in to a school. And this ignores the option of a student obtaining a impromptu weapon while at school.

    The school could have 10/50/100 security guards and a motivated kid will still find a way.



    Sadly I don’t think there ever can be any assurance for that these days. I don't know what the schools can do about that.

    It really stinks.
     
  9. redon1

    redon1 aka Aphioni

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    it's not about ELIMINATING incidents which is impossible, it's about reducing RISK. presence of security creates an enviroment that is unfriendly and risky to troublemakers. if you have an agenda to cause trouble, you WANT to get your dirty deed done. so, for example- a bully will wait for a kid after school on the trail to beat him up instead of jumping him during class where he's sure to be caught and stopped by teachers.

    someone asked once about the large security force at Broadlands Live! once and I responded that one of the REASONS we have next to no issues there is because security is in place, alert and a visible force to be reckoned with! we have live music, alcohol allowed, lots of people in attendance- you BET we will always have robust security.

    a high school event- especially sporting events- rivalries, testosterone EVERYWHERE, teens sneaking alcohol and drugs- there BETTER be security.
     
  10. mwb2218

    mwb2218 New Member

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    Why not just attend the event as a parent then if you are concerned about your kid's security?
    The high school track team could be on a group run and a random incident could occur outside of school boundaries. Shouldn't we have security personnel accompany them also then? I don't see how a "body" w/ a security badge would be efficient when you have the comings and goings of the teenagers during after school activities. Its not like they are all inside the school during the daytime. There are too many variations of these after school activities to really provide a deterrent-
     
  11. redon1

    redon1 aka Aphioni

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    because 1) i don't want to go to everything my kid wants to go to 2) he needs to be independent. but letting your kid be independent doesn't mean allowing them to go places where you aren't confident in the overall safety of. I'm not his bouncer- MY responsibility is to let him attend events with a risk factor i can accept. ozzfest- NO. broadlands live? sure.


    i can't imagine someone would think a high school football or basketball game or dance wouldn't warrant security. a play? not so much. you go you sit, yo uwatch a play, you leave. sporting events and dances- you go , you socialize, you mill around, you watch the game/actually DANCE- more free time to roam. more opportunity for mischief. more need for security. not SWAT with guns blazing, just- security.

    this isn't an all or nothing- there are degrees. i let my kid ride his bike to DD with his friend, but not to Robeks. Why? b/c he has to cross Claiborne to get to Robeks and has NO major streets to cross to get to DD.
     
  12. Villager

    Villager Ashburn Village Resident

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    Is this documented somewhere that I can read the related details?
     
  13. Charlotte

    Charlotte New Member

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    I'm glad you posted that, Villager, as I, too, a'm curious what "security personnel" currently employed by LCPS have been or would be cut.
     
  14. RobVT3

    RobVT3 New Member

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    Seriously folks, this is Loudoun County, not Compton.
     
  15. redon1

    redon1 aka Aphioni

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    Meaning what, we' re insulated from crime? Naive and ridiculous. There are guns, drugs and crime here like anyplace else. Different degree, sure. But to a victim, it doesn't matter if the assault on them is one of hundred or one of one. Just ask the Bennets if they care how random the attack on them was.
    Cxrime isn't just for poor black neigborhoods. read the loco crime blotter. Middle class white neighborhoods have it too. Just because we aren't ducking stray bullets and plagued by drivebys you think that means we don't need security presence? Geez.
     
  16. T8erman

    T8erman Well-Known Member

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    redon - I agree with RobVT. Thankfully, security is mostly a luxury, not a necessity in Loudoun at most schools. The rare, isolated incident will probably happen with or without security present. Could a security presence stop a potential attack, sure, but at what cost? A security detail at EVERY event? Metal detectors at the doors? Mandatory locker searches? This all costs $$$ and THAT is the true reality.

    I shudder to think about how much more Dr. Hatrick would ask for if some parents wanted mandatory security.
     
  17. redon1

    redon1 aka Aphioni

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    As I said b4, its not all or nothing. U dont agreee that certain types of high school events should have security presence? We don't need armed guards roaming the halls but a football game needs security. I amazed at the reactive attitude here over creating and maintaining a saafer environment in high risk situations.
    U might feel different when t8eretot is able to do things without u. Nothing like ur kid gaining some independence to make u wish cops roamed the streets at all times! Lol maybe I'm sensitve since my kid is taking his 1st steps into independence from my apron.
     
  18. redon1

    redon1 aka Aphioni

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    i agree- those are over the top ridiculous wastes of resources. though a random locker search aint a bad idea... what makes people think kids here DONT make bad decisons? to bring a weapon to school because a bullying situation has gotten out of control? to steal moms oxycodone and distribute at school?

    it happens in neighborhoods like THIS ALL THE TIME. good parents still have kids that make POOR CHOICES.
     
  19. T8erman

    T8erman Well-Known Member

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    There are police and EMT services at all HS football games already and have been for years. The event that started this thread was supposedly at a football "practice", last I knew, large crowds do not attend practices. Do you want security at all practices for all sports? How about security for golf team or glee club, that is a gathering of students? ;)

    As for T8ertot, he will earn freedom(s) by showing sound judgement and responsible behaviour (for the appropriate age).
     
  20. redon1

    redon1 aka Aphioni

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    bold statment1- my work here is done- that's all i wanted! football games need security. I think we can agree that glee club and golf events are low risk, and need no armored protection. :) someone said the unfortunate incident at the practice could happen with or without security around- that's absolutely true.

    in my scenaros our kid's safety isn't just about how we RAISE them and how mature/responsible they are, it's the environments that we allow them to go to WITHOUT us that i am referring to. if i ever felt that attending school events were unsafe, either he would go with me or not at all. that's my only point. i am not extreme or unreasonable... you know me t8!!!
     

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