I am so angry!!!!!!!!!!

[cheyronni]

 On Monday my daughter goes to school and I went to work and my daughter calls me crying from school and wants to go home, her reason was that another girl in her class threatened to stab her !!!!!!!! I called the school and reported this to the pricipal and he assured me that he would take care of it. I never heard back from the principal so I called back and he said that the girl was taking a test and he wanted to let her finish before he talked to her !!!!!!!!!!! In the mean time I talked to my daughter and found out that this other girl had a box knife and was flashing it around while in class. By now I am scared and my blood is boiling, so I called and spoke with sheriff Hanks who stated that he would call the school and report the weapon and find out what was going on and get involved. Sheriff Hanks did send an officer to my house and took my girls' statements that day. The pricipal never called me back or the sheriff!!!! I have found out from other students that the girl had pepper spray and the box cutter in her pocession. So today I went to the school to talk to the principal and he had this girl in his office and we joined in. The girl set and laughed during our meeting and the principal sent the girls back to class!!!!!!! I was informed by the principal that pepper spray and a box cutter were NOT weapons!!!!! I ask him if he thought that the thousand of victims of 9-11 would agree with his theory of what is considered a weapon?? He then pulled out of an UNLOCKED cabinet in his office knifes and other things that he has confinscated from students and said that none of these things were considered weapons either? HUH then why did he have them??? HUH where was the box cutter and pepper spray...well he gave them back to the girl!!!!!!!!!!!! HOLLY COW!!!!!!!!! This girl lives in Independence and goes to Elk Valley and he did not suspend her even though the handbook says that they will suspend any child who brings a weapon to the school. I am very angry and have been on the phone with School board members and three of them acted concerned and said that they would talk to the pricipal. I am just blown away by the ignorance of our principal and very disappointed and angry. What do all of you think of this situation and what would you do if the life of your child was threatened and the person that is supposed to inforce the rules did nothing to protect your child??? Some one please help me and give me some ideas and opinions!!

[W. Gray]

Perhaps you could contact a newspaper.

[Wilma]

You are right to be angry.  And the girl was even threatening your daughter or at least your daughter felt threatened.  The more people that hear about this the better.  It needs to become an issue before someone gets hurt.  Just why is this girl living in Independence and going to school at Longton?  Won't the Independence schools have her?

Our airlines define a box cutter as a weapon and I don't think pepper spray is allowed on planes either.  I really don't know what can be done, but I would keep pushing the issue and making a noise.

[Roma Jean Turner]

  I certainly don't blame you for being angry.  Frankly, I am astounded that he gave the girl back the weapons.  To condone her attitude it would seem to me, shows a real lack of any maturity on his part.  Is looking cool to the girl more important to him than behaving like a responsible administrator?   Makes one wonder who this girl is related to and as you say, why is she is going to your school.  Good luck.

[Ole Granny]

Just the threat alone should be enough to enrage the school administrator.  Include the weapons and some heads should roll. Returning the weapons to the student is outrageous.  Continue with the school board.  Talking with the principal will be fruitless.  If the school board does not make the appropriate decision quickly, spread the word throughout the community. Talk to teachers and parents.   Do not let this drop. The children are the treasures and must be protected.  Even the boxcutter child needs to be protected from herself.

[Lookatmeknow!!]

I would be outraged too!!  They have put the school on lock down here at West Elk for a verbal threat to the school, that included Severy and Moline.  I think they did the right thing there, but I would keep pushing the issue.  You need to be heard and it seems that you aren't being heard.  I think also Longton has an open door policy, I think.  That means that they can't turn away kids, or something like that.  I would also get a copy of the handbook and see where it states about the bullying.  West Elk district has enforce a policy on bullying.  And you can't even bring water guns to school!!  I sure would be raising some heads to the situation. 

Just the threat alone should be enough to enrage the school administrator.  Include the weapons and some heads should roll. Returning the weapons to the student is outrageous.  Continue with the school board.  Talking with the principal will be fruitless.  If the school board does not make the appropriate decision quickly, spread the word throughout the community. Talk to teachers and parents.   Do not let this drop. The children are the treasures and must be protected.  Even the boxcutter child needs to be protected from herself.

I agree totally!!  DO NOT STOP UNTIL SOME ACTION IS TAKING!!!  Keep us posted!!

[DanCookson]

That is appalling!

So is the fact that the principle still has a job. 

In my estimation, making sure kids have a safe and secure environment to learn in is a principle's sole duty.

It appears you are going about this the right way, get the ignorance out in the open so it can get fixed.

[patyrn]

I am also appalled!!!  When I taught in the Bartlesville School System (in the 90s) there was already a policy in place then  which stated any student in the possession of a gun, knife, or any other type of weapon faced automatic suspension.  I now substitute in the Edmond/OKC districts which have the same type of policies.  It does not matter whether it is a first grader or a senior in high school--it is a "no tolerance" policy.  You have a right to be angry, and besides the weapon situation, it is a legal issue for a student to be bullied by another student.  Do not let this drop.........................all kids deserve a safe environment in their school.  I cannot believe this is tolerated in any school district ANYWHERE!!!!! 

[cheyronni]

Just a quick update. I spoke with the pricipal today and ask him where the box cutter and pepper spray were because they were not in his box of "weapons" and he told me that they were off campus. I ask them if the rumor was true that he give them back to the girl and he would not answer me!! He is acting all concerned about my daughters safety now and I told him that if anything happens to my daughter I will hold him personally responsible for it. I agreed to let the school couselor speak with my daughter and the other girls mother refuses for the couselor to speak with her daughter. This girl used to live in Longton and her parents moved to Independence and she drives back and forth to school. That is another thing that makes me angry. She has an option of going to another school and my daughter does not have that option. I would love to pull my kids and send the to West Elk but i can't afford to pay for the gas for them to make that trip everyday.

[cheyronni]

I am also appalled!!!  When I taught in the Bartlesville School System (in the 90s) there was already a policy in place then  which stated any student in the possession of a gun, knife, or any other type of weapon faced automatic suspension.  I now substitute in the Edmond/OKC districts which have the same type of policies.  It does not matter whether it is a first grader or a senior in high school--it is a "no tolerance" policy.  You have a right to be angry, and besides the weapon situation, it is a legal issue for a student to be bullied by another student.  Do not let this drop.........................all kids deserve a safe environment in their school.  I cannot believe this is tolerated in any school district ANYWHERE!!!!! 

I will not let this drop I don't know what I can do but I plan on fighting this to the fullest extent. We do have a policy for weapons and according to the policy she should have been suspended, but that did not happen.