Son nearly arrested while trying to meet with a rep!

Parent Cafe
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<p>OK that sounds more dramatic than it is, but I completely forgot to post this story that happened a few weeks ago.</p>

<p>S is interested in College X (an LAC, which he had visited). He had checked the website to see when the rep might be in our area. Turns out she wasn’t going to be in any school near ours, but was going to be visiting a high school about 30 minutes away that is located in what I’d call a fairly mixed urban neighborhood, with some beautiful old homes and yet some troubled parts as well. So, he made the arrangements to leave his school and drive to the other hs. This encompassed getting permission from his dean and permission from the other hs’ dean, as well as having me sign a paper saying that I was aware he was going to leave campus during the school day, blah blah blah.</p>

<p>Since this was an unfamiliar neighborhood, we drove together and I dropped him off, intending to head to a coffee shop and then pick him up once he texted me.</p>

<p>Since we weren’t familiar with the school, as it turns out, the door where he got dropped off was a side door. He walked in, heading towards the main area, and was stopped by a security guard, who demanded to know what was going on. He replied that he was here to see the rep from College X, etc. and that he had permission from dean so-and-so. The security guard checked and his name wasn’t on the list, so he growled at S that he was going to be arrested for trespassing and made motions to call the police. </p>

<p>Now, I understand that they have to be protective of who enters the school and can’t just let anyone roam around. But S is sort of the uber-white Jewish kid from the 'burbs, LOL. He’s about 5’9," more of a wiry build, and as non-threatening-looking as they come. </p>

<p>I think the security guard trash-talked for a while longer, but luckily S had the presence of mine to take out his cell phone, on which he still had a voicemail from the dean giving permission, and calmed the security guard down enough to play the voicemail for the security guard. Finally, the security guard called the dean, who confirmed that S had permission and apologized that he had neglected to put S’s name on the approved list to enter the school. S wound up a few minutes late to the presentation (this took about a half-hour to get through the security guard, luckily he had been very early) and the rep heard the story and I think she got a nice chuckle out of it.</p>

<p>It’s just too bad that the essays for College X don’t lend themselves to a nice snazzy “I nearly got arrested for you!” LOL!</p>

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<p>Good story - now that it ended well! The good news is that the school was being cautious of “intruders” - just turns out to be an innocent intrusion!!!</p>

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<p>Great “thinking on his feet” to play the voice-mail. That speaks well of him …and was a heck of a memorable entrance. ;)</p>

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<p>Agreed- this is the kind of situation that lends itself to a “make lemonade out of lemons” story. Has your s sent a follow-up email to the rep telling him he enjoyed the presentation? If not, int he email he can make an amusing reference to the experience so the rep remembers his name/face. This is a god thing!</p>

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<p>Funny story, Pizzagirl. Yikes. </p>

<p>Glad he didn’t get arrested!</p>

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<p>Hmm, there might be a college essay hiding in this incident… or something good to say about “Why X?” – he certainly can make the case that he really is interested in the school!</p>

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<p>He tried - but this college’s essays don’t lend themselves to the story, unfortunately!</p>

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<p>*so he growled at S that he was going to be arrested for trespassing and made motions to call the police. *</p>

<p>I would notify the dean to let him know that the security guards are too heavy-handed. What a turn off that would be for some parents/students.</p>

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<p>Nice security guard! Geez.</p>

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<p>I think this was more the fault of the other school’s dean than the guard; the latter was doing his job. Our semi-urban HS is very serious about people walking in sidedoors, and I would hope that they wouldn’t treat an " uber-white Jewish kid from the 'burbs… about 5’9 more of a wiry build, and as non-threatening-looking as they come" any differently from anyone else, frankly.</p>

<p>If the dean had gotten the name on the list, and made it clear which door was correct, he would have saved your S the hassle.</p>

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<p>

I agree. Just what exactly would be the description of a “threatening” person?</p>

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<p>I agree that the guard was doing his job and it was the fault of the dean for not having put the name on the list as promised. No animosity towards the guard at all. I totally understand why he had to treat some random kid walking the halls as a suspect or threat til proven otherwise. Even my innocent looking kid could have theoretically had a bomb in his backpack. Who knows. It’s just all the more funnier, knowing my kid and what he looks like and his personality and how he presents himself.</p>

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<p>My S was highly insulted to be treated like a potential threat when he and a friend decided to go visit their old elementary school. Security at our schools is generally at a much higher level these days. It used to be that the HS had about 5 entrances and anyone could just walk in to any of them at any point during the day. </p>

<p>We still don’t have security guards. On the other hand, our schools are in a town with pop 6,000 in suburban/rural Maine. :)</p>

<p>I love it, though, classic CC: kid almost arrested–can he turn it into an admissions advantage??? :D</p>

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<p>Good work on your son’s part:).</p>

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<p>I’m not sure I see what Pizzagirl means though, in her post 1. Had S looked like something other than a small frame white kid, then suspicions would be normal, but her S does not look the type to endanger anyone?
I’m not sure I understand/agree with her opinion, but she’s entitled to it.</p>

<p>This is a great learning experience for her S, and I am glad all went well eventually.
I think that- “nearly got arrested for you” world be a terrific essay! Or, if not an essay, at least a tale to tell to a rep of the college(if he is serious about attending the college). His experience, his problem, and his quick, thoughtful solution might just stick in a rep’s mind, might help him stand out more than 100 other routine students.
It was excellent thinking on S’s part, to play recording, or he might have asked sec guard to call and verify. My compliments.</p>

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<p>I doubt the dean particularly cares about what some student from a suburb 30 minutes away thinks. It was the dean’s fault for promising he’d put the name on a list and failing to do so, not the sec guard’s fault.</p>

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<p>Noticed a typo a ways back- “god thing” presumably “good…” So- I’m not the only one who messes up- spend half my time checking my spelling… Some day I’ll just submit and figure readers can check their keyboards for typos that are logical. ps- need a key with a capital i. couldn’t resist finally commenting on this- parent cafe seems fair game. gotta go get things done now.</p>

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<p>Yes, wis75, I meant “good”, not “god”. I am a fast typist, just a painfully inaccurate one. Butt iiet lookz liek euu wur abull two figerr owt whaat eye wuz treinn two sae :D</p>

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<p>And I’m not sure I’d agree he was so heavy-handed. let’s picture the other view. Sometimes threatening to call the police is only a tactic to test reaction.
What if a similar looking child had the same guard, same initial conversation, but this time the guard let him pass, and child did have a bomb or gun, and did cause harm.</p>

<p>Can we all imagine how the guard would sound on the witness stand?
Guard- “I didn’t recognize him as one of our students, but he told me he had the dean’s permission to enter. Plus, he was a small frame white kid, so I thought he was ok”</p>

<p>The host dean may owe kid an apology, but not the guard.</p>

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<p>“I’m not sure I see what Pizzagirl means though, in her post 1. Had S looked like something other than a small frame white kid, then suspicions would be normal, but her S does not look the type to endanger anyone?”</p>

<p>yeah…or big frame white kid (like all mine…6’2" 210 lol).</p>