Small town life has it's drawbacks...

VaBusa

oRg Gal
Staff member
Administrator
Do you guys know how much I've dreaded having a kid in school?  I just know I'm going to be "one of those Moms" that gets ticked over everything, and thus far, I'm right on target with that "fear"...I've become "one of those Moms"  
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This year with Sam in Kindergarten hasn't been a great one.  He's doing great in school and loves his teacher.  He's got a wonderful teacher...couldn't ask for better!  But, he's been dropped 1/4 of a mile from his afternoon bus stop in a winter storm and I didn't get any help from the principal in finding out just what went wrong (thank God my child found his way to the afternoon sitter's house).  Let me tell you, not knowing where you child is for 15 minutes when you entrust the school system/bus coordinators is not fun.  The complete lack of concern over what happened is even more upsetting...the classes are overcrowded (as in most schools), there are teachers there (not my son's thank goodness) that have been caught screaming and yelling at 5 year olds, threatening them with having to go to the gym and run laps...the principal is a figure head there and does very little to address concerns of parents and since the incident with the ill-fated bus ride back in December, I fired off a very nasty email to that principal telling her off.  I'm not a happy Mom right now...

This latest deal though has got me scratching my head and pretty worried...my son's Elementary school AND the area High School are on some sort of secret "high alert"...seems the Sheriff of our little town has kids in those schools and there have been rumors of threats against his kids.  The rumors began two weeks ago and I've heard so many other parents inquire about what's going on, we're all slowly beginning to realize that they must be true...in fact, I just had confirmation this morning that they indeed are true...no idea what the threats are or the nature of what's being done, but I do know that the schools now have cops on duty, undercover guys walking the halls...parents are being patronized with talk of "oh, it's like this in every school...guards are in other area schools and we're just following suit...blah blah blah)

I have a neighbor who's child is in class with one of the Sheriff's kids.  She did what any Mom would do and asked the principal "is it safe for the kids to attend the afterschool activities scheduled for this Friday night?"  She was directed to call the Sheriff because "that's for him to discuss".  My neighbor then called the Sheriff (perk of a small town, you actually get through to the Sherrif!) and was immediately told  by him "yeah, I've heard your name all week".  He then proceeded to chew her a new one for 25 minutes over the phone, making reference to "it's Moms like you that will blow the cover on this operation!" and "if parents ruin the undercover work going on, everything's been ruined!"  She expressed concern as a parent of a child sitting very near the Sheriff's child, noting that if the roles were reversed and it were her child that were endangered, other parents, including the Sheriff, would want answers...

She was blown off and didn't get answers...I've since found out that the rumors began when his own teenage children at the high school let the cat out of the bag (allegedly).  So, for two weeks now, I've put my 5 year old on the bus, wondering what else I could be doing, what I have a right to know...worried about him being there should something go wrong (I know it's over-dramatizing things, but when those children were all taken hostage last year at the hands of terrorists in Russia, I honestly wonder just how safe OUR own schools really are...moreover, I wonder just how easy it would be for something like that to happen here in the States, how devastating it would be)...
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I can see the reason behind secrecy given the circumstances on one hand (yeah, yeah, the Sheriff's kids are targets), yet I wonder just how the Sheriff expects the parents of hundreds of children to just sit back and wonder what's going on, wonder if their kids are in danger or if there's something they could do to prevent harm to any child...I'm pretty much lost over the subject at this point...small town politics, that's what I keep telling myself...if word started spreading in a big city, I don't think you could hold back the wave of calls and complaints of worried parents, and I can't help but wonder just how much help ANY of the other kids/parents would have should the tables be turned for some reason...

Opinions appreciated on just how much I'm over-reacting, or would any parent feel this way?  I am trying so hard to NOT get pissed, but I am...I'm real close to calling him myself and telling him that his demeanor in handling the concerns of parents given these circumstances lacks compassion. Undercover mission or not, these are OUR CHILDREN...feels like his ego is getting in the way, as if it's JUST HIS KIDS that are at risk when in fact all kids are...

Sorry this is so long...I needed to vent about this and get some feedback to keep me calm or force my hand to be "that Mom" again today...
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Ummm....Dayum
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Just keep being "that Mom". Don't stop until you get answers as to what is actually going on. If the Sherrif will not help put your mind at ease, as well as the other concerned parents, then it may be time to contact someone of a higher authority. I honestly do not know who a sherrif works for...I would think it would be the Mayor, or the District Attorney, or the Police commissioner. I know it's a smaller town, so it may not be the same as a bigger city.

Locally, we do have police officers patrolling the schools and the surrounding grounds. They are in both plain clothes, and modified uniforms. They are there to help with truancy, drugs, and conflicts. They are open to why they are there though, and aren't as secretive as yours are.

Good Luck Michelle
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First off, if the parents know about any "undercover" operations, all of the students know. It had to be a student that originaly leaked the info. If not, it came from the local LEO's.

Worrying about it won't do you or the munchkin any good. Just puts too much stress on you, and that trickels down to everyone in the family. In reality there isn't much you could personaly do to prevent, or correct anything that might happen.

Right now you are also looking at high school vs. grade school also. Unless they are in the same building, you should be OK.
 
I don't think you are wrong in expecting your child to be safe while attending school. It's a given in any district, large or small. Your little guy being dropped off a 1/4 mile from home during inclement weather and MIA for 15 minutes? Dayum girl you showed restraint there. I'd have had someones job for that... at the least. I know you don't want to be "one of those parents", but sometimes it needs to be done.
I also don't think you are wrong in expecting info. if the school is in any way being targeted for violence, regardless of whether or not it is specific to one student.
If there are other parents who feel the same, you aren't off base at all. I don't know how your district works, but even if school board is inter-twined with politics, they need votes to keep jobs. Here the Sheriff is elected too.
I don't know how any agency can do undercover work in a school without parents involvement, or at least letting them know what going on. Kids are going to talk (especially the female ones). To me (as a parent) it would be ludicrous to try to keep a community in the dark about the safety of thier children.
I don't know Michelle. I'd talk to other parents and see how they feel. There is strength in numbers. Especially when politics/jobs are involved.
Good luck. If all else fails, pull out the zapper!



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The sheriff needs to reminded that he's a public servant, especially on election day. I don't suppose his child would ever divulge his daddy's plans for a "secret op"!
 
First off, if the parents know about any "undercover" operations, all of the students know.  It had to be a student that originaly leaked the info.  If not, it came from the local LEO's.

Worrying about it won't do you or the munchkin any good.  Just puts too much stress on you, and that trickels down to everyone in the family.  In reality there isn't much you could personaly do to prevent, or correct anything that might happen.

Right now you are also looking at high school vs. grade school also.  Unless they are in the same building, you should be OK.
Actually, he's got kids in BOTH schools...one of 'em is just down the hall from my son...

I'm trying to NOT worry about it...been mulling it over for two weeks now, but after finding out this morning that he berated a concerned Mom? Let's just say he's damn lucky I wasn't the one on the other end of that phone...he'd have to lock me up...
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Thanks for the feedback...I know it's painful to read all of that!
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I am attending a School Board meeting next Monday in the hopes that the subject will be brought up. I'll actually be there to back other parents that are vying for new teachers to help the already overcrowded classrooms, but I understand some OTHER questionable things are up for discussion, and I'm curious to see if this comes up.

I'm good friends with a Board member and when the rumors first came up, I was at a gathering with friends and she was there...she said she hadn't heard a thing about it, but that she wasn't surprised because "the Board's always last to know"...that's just how small town politics work...think I'll call her and see what she knows now...

Tree - that's what I thought was so stupid about his comments to this mother...the cat's out of the bag...can't blame concerned parents that have been hearing rumors for two weeks...sounds like he has probably gotten flack already and he just took it out on her...I don't know...

Oh, I won't be voting for this clown next election either...many other parents feel the same way...this could be his last term, thank goodness...

Restraint on the issue with my son missing for 15 minutes? Ha! I nearly lost my mind...once the dust settled and I got help from a member in the school board office, I wrote one nasty email to that principal for her lack of concern. She never would call me back while I was just trying to investigate what had happened...still hasn't...can't wait to see her face to face sometime soon...
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I don't mind telling people how I feel...

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