Cable news, CNN if I recall correctly, ran a story today that the STEM school had received a letter or letters about a month ago supposedly from parents that STEM was about to become the next Columbine due in part to bullying, but also mentioned other factors.
“You know what I hate? All these Christians who hate gays…” - Suspect’s Facebook rant
The suspect’s quote could be interpreted either way. However, anyone can hate gays, yet he singled out Christians. May not be the impetus for the attack, but worth noting in the search for answers.
There was also a posting to the Wikipedia page about the security procedures and ‘We will see’ if they are good about 10 days ago from a server in the area.
Some of the reporting has been just awful for the details.
CNN also reported on the vigil and interviewed students with a parent present.
Even as presented, the letter sounded like sour grapes and shouldn’t have been mentioned before they actually looked into it.
I have no dog in this fight, but here are a couple of clarifications:
Re: the letter …
The Douglas County School District official said all of the concerns were reported to “the Department of Human Services and to the sheriff’s department.” STEM school officials disputed the claims and filed a lawsuit in January against the anonymous parent for what they called “defamatory statements.” CBS News
Re: The vigil that turned political
The event, organized by Team Enough — the student-led initiative of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence — was intended to be an interfaith vigil to honor the STEM School Highlands Ranch shooting survivors and 18-year-old Kendrick Castillo, who died Tuesday after trying to stop one of the shooters. Time, USA Today, Buzz Feed
Re: the Facebook post about hating Christians who hate gays
That was posted in May 2014. WSJ
All three major networks covered the letter. CNN showed & read parts of the letter for their audience & uncovered a 240 page document of complaints compiled by parents & sent to the school. All networks got a copy of the lawsuit for defamation filed by the STEM school against “Jane Doe” who had complained to a board member. Also revealed was a Colorado education official’s response via letter calling for a change of leadership at the Highlands Ranch STEM school.
I really don’t watch the news, but I think it’s good that I don’t know the names of the shooters, while I do know the name of a heroic kid named Kendrick Castillo.
Kendrick Castillo was a wonderfully heroic kid, but I sure wish he could have lived a much longer life and that he didn’t have to be a hero.
I get reminded each time I hear/think about this that what happened is exactly what I tell my kids needs to happen should the shooter end up in our room. The fighters need to attack, quickly and all at once. Most likely the shooter will kill one, maybe two, but he won’t be able to kill everyone. If we do nothing, everyone dies.
My heart goes out to Kendrick. I wish he had survived. He truly gave his life for the others in that room and school. I offer the same kudos to those who went with him to attack. It could have been any of them who didn’t make it and it’s because of all of them that the rest survived (that shooter).
The one piece of advice I also give, but don’t know if Kendrick was able to take advantage of or not (guessing not from reports) is to try to knock his gun arm up or down - get the barrel of that gun out of the hit range first - then go for his groin and/or eyes to disable him. All is fair when your life depends upon it. Once he’s restrained, hide the gun. You don’t want to be caught with it (esp pointing it at someone) when law enforcement arrives because they don’t know who the shooter is. You could get shot by mistake. You also don’t want the shooter retrieving it in the off chance he gets free.
I’m adding this last part in case anyone else ever needs it. I hope not.
@Creekland Is the advice you give sanctioned by your school district?
Although I respect what Kendrick did, if I was his family, I’m sure I’d be wishing he wasn’t a hero and that he was still alive.
I think asking children to be heroes is asking to much. Just my 2 cents.
@doschicos Yes. We teach hiding, running, and fighting - each one pending actual circumstances. Fighting is only recommended as a last resort - such as a shooter in the room. It’s never recommended to chase a shooter down a hallway or anything similar to that.
If students (and the teacher) in the room don’t fight, they will all get shot. We aren’t in a “bank robbery” situation where one is just supposed to cooperate and give up the money. Shooters come to kill and do it quickly.
Isn’t suggesting heroism. She’s suggesting realism. Sitting ducks are not a strategy. The young man may have not survived in either case and perhaps the whole class would have died along with him.
This is once the gunmen get into your class and start firing. Obviously sheltering and blockading and evading are better options if you have the chance.
If it’s a hostage situation let Leo arrive on scene and don’t be a aggressor until you have to be.
It’s a “blank” scenario and few good options. The worst is to just sit and hope they stop. They don’t.
But no good answers here.
@doschicos we don’t know if he would be alive if he hadn’t charged the shooter, he might still have been killed with a bunch more other students.
My understanding was this was a handgun not an AR-15 in this case. That probably minimized the risk/number of deaths and injuries somewhat vs. some other school shootings. Thankfully.
All I’m saying is that other people’s children are still alive. If I was the parent, I’d want my kid to be one of those kids. I bet you would, too.
Implementing some real changes like other countries do might ensure more kids don’t die. But, instead we discuss one such event after another and meaningful change doesn’t happen. Instead we teach our kids survival tactics and ask them to be heroes, even if we couch it as realism/pragmatism.
It’s not “couched” as realism/pragmatism. It IS the real world we live in today. If it were up to us teachers to vote (those I work with), there would be decent gun laws and no one would consider shooting people a solution to a problem, but it’s not up to us.
We live relatively close to where the Amish school shooting happened a few years ago. Cooperating with a gunman in a shooting situation (vs robbery/mugging) has a completely different and horrid ending. There are many variables to consider (very quickly) when one finds themselves in one of these situations. Having kids that have trained with it sure beats having them clueless.
I’m back on the road today, but if anyone is more curious about what our school does, we use Alice Drill training. Here’s the link (that I just googled - but it appears to be the correct program from the source):
https://www.alicetraining.com/
If I’m ever in a situation, I want all kids to survive. Often the teacher is taken out first. Kids need to know what to do if I’m not there. I’m not using them instead of me. I may be target one before anyone realizes what is going on.
Fighting, however, is last resort and only in absolutely needed situations. We are not training kids to act as SWAT members looking for and chasing down the shooters. We’re teaching them self-defense. Hiding or evacuating are our first choices pending how much info we know.
Other peoples children are still alive only because the shooter was attacked. If he had not been, they likely would all be dead. Passively waiting to be shot is not an effective strategy for survival with a shooter in the room. Seems like a good thing to point out to teens, who may be in a position to save themselves. Sad that they have to do so, but good to know how to.
Active shooter protocol is to first run, leaving everything behind, next hide - barricading if possible and silencing phone. Last option when no others exist is to fight. These poor kids were trapped in a classroom with no other recourse.
Still wouldn’t want it to be my child that takes the bullet. Would you?
If it was my child I’d be railing at the universe and our country’s leaders right now.
My comment has nothing to do with that. I was just sharing the information that is out there for best chances of surviving.
We all love our kids. But if my child is trapped in a classroom with someone shooting a gun, I’d say fighting is a good option. And some people react - it’s what they do. Some people freeze up. Some people curl into a ball. A lot of times it’s instinctual. Riley Howell’s family said they knew he’d do nothing else but fight - it was just his nature.
About parents & friends who text because of lockdowns - please don’t.
DO NOT TEXT ANYONE WHO MAY BE IN AN ACTIVE SHOOTER SITUATION!
If they are trying to hide your text or call may give them away.
If they are playing dead it may attract attention.
I know it is hard- you are worried - but deal with the worry without endangering your loved one.