A letter to my school district

[Survivalcookie]

After I read the following story this morning about our school districts new "strong security measures" I felt compelled to write the superintendent and our local newspaper editor with my concerns. This is the copy of what I sent.

http://www.wane.com/dpp/news/education/ ... y-measures

Mr. Yager,
I am a parent of a SWAC student. As I do every morning I check the local news to see what's going on in my town. Today I read the headline about the new 'strong security measures" at SWAC schools. I was anxious to read what the people in charge of our schools had decided would be the most effective method to protect our children. There is nothing in the world more worthy of our protection than our children. I feel it is very important for schools to be aware of who enters our schools, as you know it is already policy that you have to pass a background check to volunteer at school. I would like to know how exactly requiring parents that have already passed the background check to notify the school 24 hours in advance of their visit will make our children safer?
To quote the story from WANE TV

"While other school districts are looking into arming staff members with concealed weapons. Southwest Allen County Schools will not consider the idea."

"We're not interested in training teachers or school personnel, in handing them weapons"

It is disappointing and extremely terrifying to see this is your position. While other school districts are doing everything they can to protect our children and are considering having personnel trained in the safe handling of weapons to fully protect our children, SWAC schools has decided the best way to protect our children from harm is to require parents give 24 hours notice before coming into school to volunteer. What do you think the odds are that this new "security measure" would have prevented the incident in Connecticut? One thing I know for sure that that people with ill intentions do not follow rules, I can assure you that none of the criminals that commit these heinous acts will take the time to call in advance to let you know they're coming.

In the following story from 2010 a gunman came to a school and was stopped by a trained armed security guard and held till police arrived. I doubt he called in advance to let them know he was coming.

http://www.tricities.com/news/article_3 ... 91713.html



The main reason we moved to this area was for the great schools, their safety, and the opportunity it provides our children. I am now thinking that may not have been the best decision if you are "not interested" in taking every possible precaution when it comes to protecting our children.


Signed a very concerned and disappointed SWAC parent,

You as a parent have a right to visit your child's school anytime of the day with out notice.
You need to go to the school board meeting..i am sure you must call ahead to get your name on the agenda to speak.

 

[tpntch]

Once again, an educator shows how uneducated they are. Sheesh. This whole issue is one of COMMON SENSE people. Why do these nutjobs targets school kids? Because they CAN. Schools offer ZERO resistance. And this moron administrator now wants to make it HARDER for parents to come to the school? Does the district also hire someone to follow him around and slap him regularly, to remind him to breathe?

This moron administrator is PRECISELY why we need to completely overhaul the public school system.

Sorry about the rant. I am a former teacher, and I have seen the insanity that is public education from the INSIDE. I left the profession because of the corruption at the administrative level.

I AGREE WHOLEHEARTEDLY! WE SHOULD NOT LEAVE OUR KIDS SITTING DUCKS.

 

[~Jeff~]

Got a response from one of the school board members tonight about the letter in the paper. Glad he was so professional in his reply, he's really earned my respect

I noticed your letter in this morning's paper. In reference to that letter and your email below, our district is SACS not SWAC. That is the swim team and its club acronym. Second, Superintendent Yager is Dr. Yager, not Mr. Yager. Third, do you desire to have an honest dialogue with rational facts, and relevant information on this topic, or simply continue to escalate your rhetoric on this matter? If it is the former, please call me at my office tomorrow at 427-xxxx, or schedule a time to meet with Dr. Yager. Thank you.


of course he didn't bother to reply until it was in the paper, almost two weeks later.

 

[wtfd661]

Got a response from one of the school board members tonight about the letter in the paper. Glad he was so professional in his reply, he's really earned my respect

I noticed your letter in this morning's paper. In reference to that letter and your email below, our district is SACS not SWAC. That is the swim team and its club acronym. Second, Superintendent Yager is Dr. Yager, not Mr. Yager. Third, do you desire to have an honest dialogue with rational facts, and relevant information on this topic, or simply continue to escalate your rhetoric on this matter? If it is the former, please call me at my office tomorrow at 427-xxxx, or schedule a time to meet with Dr. Yager. Thank you.


of course he didn't bother to reply until it was in the paper, almost two weeks later.

And why am I not surprised with this response

But again I wish you luck in dealing with and trying to reason with him. You'll be ok as long as you remember he is so much smarter than you and knows everything and that you are blessed that he is taking the time to speak to the little people.

 

[futureofwar]

You have the right to stay with your child all day if you want to, its your child. If they say no just take your child and leave. If they try and stop you call the police and say your child has been kidnapped by the school. If nothing else it will bring attention in the news media. Children do not belong to the state nor do their educations. If you want to stop in randomly and see what is really being taught in the schools you should be able to. 24 hour notice would really make a tin hatter like me wonder if they were just trying to cover up something (liberal doctrine) since I'm pretty sure there has never been a school shooting by a school volunteer. We do get background checks and all that good stuff. I used to spend 3 hours a day in my daughters preschool and was never once asked to call in first. They were always more than happy to have me. I honestly would not volunteer at all if I had to call in 24 hours prior. Its not a job you just do it when you have time.

 

[TaunTaun]

24 hr notice my ***. What are they gonna do? Arrest you for picking up your kids at school? Suspend/Expel your student? They try arresting anyone for not giving 24 hours notice, or refuse to cough up your kid, I see a hefty lawsuit coming their way.


What happens when your kid is sick and throwing up, and they expect you to come get them?

I'm sorry, you didn't schedule this pickup with 24 hours notice. They'll just have to take the scheduled bus home at the end of the day.

 

[ArmedProgrammer]

Got a response from one of the school board members tonight about the letter in the paper. Glad he was so professional in his reply, he's really earned my respect

I noticed your letter in this morning's paper. In reference to that letter and your email below, our district is SACS not SWAC. That is the swim team and its club acronym. Second, Superintendent Yager is Dr. Yager, not Mr. Yager. Third, do you desire to have an honest dialogue with rational facts, and relevant information on this topic, or simply continue to escalate your rhetoric on this matter? If it is the former, please call me at my office tomorrow at 427-xxxx, or schedule a time to meet with Dr. Yager. Thank you.


of course he didn't bother to reply until it was in the paper, almost two weeks later.

Suggestion: Call the school board member and ask for an "on the record" honest conversation. Record it. Be completely civil and polite. Keep your calm and apologize for mistaking Dr. Yager's title. Then publish it. Along with the petty retort above.

If you know of a pro-gun attorney it would be extra fun to have them with you - they are skilled in speaking - they do it for a living. Somebody like Guy Relford would be awesome. The School Board member would require a doctor with a flashlight to find his/her arguments after that encounter. I for one would help contribute to pay for some of Guy's time in exchange for a transcript of the conversation.

Somehow I'm not sure that the School Board member would be so quick to go for that meeting...

 

[Hotdoger]

Got a response from one of the school board members tonight about the letter in the paper. Glad he was so professional in his reply, he's really earned my respect

I noticed your letter in this morning's paper. In reference to that letter and your email below, our district is SACS not SWAC. That is the swim team and its club acronym. Second, Superintendent Yager is Dr. Yager, not Mr. Yager. Third, do you desire to have an honest dialogue with rational facts, and relevant information on this topic, or simply continue to escalate your rhetoric on this matter? If it is the former, please call me at my office tomorrow at 427-xxxx, or schedule a time to meet with Dr. Yager. Thank you.


of course he didn't bother to reply until it was in the paper, almost two weeks later.

The public does not have to call him Dr. since he is not a Dr. of medicine.
"Superintendent Yeager" is a completely accectable salutation.

Post it with the letter seems it is his assisisant that is replying.

 

[~Jeff~]

The guy who sent me that email is John Blum, president of the school board. Real professional response isn't it.

This is what I replied back to him.

I appreciate you taking the time to reply to me after seeing my letter in the Journal Gazette. As you know I also emailed you almost two weeks ago about this matter without response from yourself or Dr. Yager In reference to my letter and your reply it is disappointing that you chose to attempt to belittle me by correcting simple mistakes such as using the wrong acronym or title instead of addressing the actual content of my email and letter. I find it difficult to believe that I can have honest dialogue with someone who reacts in this way and instead refers to my opinion as "rhetoric". I will instead communicate through other board members who didn't find it necessary to insult me or attempt to talk down to me.

 

[greyhound47]

The guy who sent me that email is John Blum, president of the school board. Real professional response isn't it.

This is what I replied back to him.

I appreciate you taking the time to reply to me after seeing my letter in the Journal Gazette. As you know I also emailed you almost two weeks ago about this matter without response from yourself or Dr. Yager In reference to my letter and your reply it is disappointing that you chose to attempt to belittle me by correcting simple mistakes such as using the wrong acronym or title instead of addressing the actual content of my email and letter. I find it difficult to believe that I can have honest dialogue with someone who reacts in this way and instead refers to my opinion as "rhetoric". I will instead communicate through other board members who didn't find it necessary to insult me or attempt to talk down to me.

I live is SACS area and am real pleased with this letter. Nicely done, Jeff! Get 'em!

 

[verredart]

Got a response from one of the school board members tonight about the letter in the paper. Glad he was so professional in his reply, he's really earned my respect

I noticed your letter in this morning's paper. In reference to that letter and your email below, our district is SACS not SWAC. That is the swim team and its club acronym. Second, Superintendent Yager is Dr. Yager, not Mr. Yager. Third, do you desire to have an honest dialogue with rational facts, and relevant information on this topic, or simply continue to escalate your rhetoric on this matter? If it is the former, please call me at my office tomorrow at 427-xxxx, or schedule a time to meet with Dr. Yager. Thank you.


of course he didn't bother to reply until it was in the paper, almost two weeks later.

Well now, if that is not one of the most pedantic, condescending responses. This is obviously an individual who is so sure of the superiority and correctness of their intellect and opinions, that they must attempt to belittle and belligerize anyone who dares to disagree with them. These are the very people who needs to be confronted on the facts, in a public venue - such as in the public school board meeting, on the record and in front of the press.

Officious worm.
















well

 

[jwh20]

Once again, an educator shows how uneducated they are. Sheesh. This whole issue is one of COMMON SENSE people. Why do these nutjobs targets school kids? Because they CAN. Schools offer ZERO resistance.

Indeed! And this was EXACTLY the sort of "passive response" mind-set that allowed Mohammed Atta and his co-conspirators to hijack 4 airliners with box cutters. They KNEW that std. operating procedure was "comply with demands and let the authorities deal with it on the ground."

What this SOP did not anticipate was that hijackers would not be interested in living past that day and were intending to crash the planes. No guns were used! We are NOT safer due to the TSA grabbing pocket knives or razor blades at checkpoints. We are safer because potential hijackers know that plan will NEVER work again. What happened on Flight 93 would happen anywhere today, they would not get away with it. I'm sure SOP has changed in the airline business as well.

It's the same stupid thinking that runs rampant in Washington and most school administrations.

Ok, so this "lockdown" business is EXACTLY the stupid thinking that helped the 9/11 hijackers. A bad-guy, knowing EXACTLY what the school's response to an incident will be, will be able to exploit that for his purposes! For example, he gets in, we don't know how but I am confident someone will find a weakness. He does something to trigger the lockdown. Now he's "safe" in a gun-free zone and even LEO arriving will be delayed by the lockdown.

It's senseless "everybody just be nice" thinking like this that will get MORE kids killed!

 

[adws943]

We had an armed guard 28 years ago in high school. It was not big deal. We did not think about his gun at all. He was just Sgt. Dunkin. No doughnut jokes please. Bad guys will expoilt weakness. Bad guys do not follow rules. School superintendants think like educators not criminals.
You must think like a criminal to protect yourself from a criminal.
Good luck.