School is more than a place for reading and writing.
It’s also a place where students have to feel safe.
Okotoks Junior High School was shut down on Thursday after a student was overheard the day before making a violent threat to take place at the education facility.
At first blush, closing a school seemed an over-reaction for a comment made by a junior high school student. Hey, just suspend the kid, talk to the parents and let’s get back to math class.
However, ever since the Columbine tragedy in peaceful Littleton, Colorado in April 1999 and then at Alberta’s own W.R. Myers High School in Taber just weeks later, school administrators need to be extra diligent.
Saying the OJHS threat involved a gun is pure speculation, but the heavy weight of the threat remains the same.
Had OJHS principal Leah Kingston and Foothills school division administration left the school open with just a hint of danger, they would have beyond irresponsible, they would have been morally negligent.
There are lessons that can be learned from last week’s incident.
Let’s remember this is a junior high school and young people make mistakes.
The individuals didn’t make a bad choice, that’s too soft. They said something stupid – and hopefully they will learn from it.
Bravo to the young student who reported the conversation. He or she may have prevented a huge tragedy.
There will be other lessons.
The school division and RCMP worked well together, although there were concerns posted on social media by some parents about lack of communication. (Let’s be honest, the Western Wheel was woefully late in breaking the story on March 8). All parties will likely do a post-analysis to learn from the incident.
The things the students learned on Thursday when the school was closed, were more significant than if they were in the classroom.
School is more than a place for reading and writing.
It’s also a place where students have to feel safe.
Okotoks Junior High School was shut down on Thursday after a student was overheard the day before making a violent threat to take place at the education facility.
At first blush, closing a school seemed an over-reaction for a comment made by a junior high school student. Hey, just suspend the kid, talk to the parents and let’s get back to math class.
However, ever since the Columbine tragedy in peaceful Littleton, Colorado in April 1999 and then at Alberta’s own W.R. Myers High School in Taber just weeks later, school administrators need to be extra diligent.
Saying the OJHS threat involved a gun is pure speculation, but the heavy weight of the threat remains the same.
Had OJHS principal Leah Kingston and Foothills school division administration left the school open with just a hint of danger, they would have beyond irresponsible, they would have been morally negligent.
There are lessons that can be learned from last week’s incident.
Let’s remember this is a junior high school and young people make mistakes.
The individuals didn’t make a bad choice, that’s too soft. They said something stupid – and hopefully they will learn from it.
Bravo to the young student who reported the conversation. He or she may have prevented a huge tragedy.
There will be other lessons.
The school division and RCMP worked well together, although there were concerns posted on social media by some parents about lack of communication. (Let’s be honest, the Western Wheel was woefully late in breaking the story on March 8). All parties will likely do a post-analysis to learn from the incident.
The things the students learned on Thursday when the school was closed, were more significant than if they were in the classroom.
