This case could be interesting to watch because here in PA they just introduced a “Safe to Say Something” program:
https://www.safe2saypa.org/
We’ve had mandatory school assemblies teaching students and staff about the program - to report anything suspicious. The idea is to stop anything from suicide to school shootings before they happen because “someone knows” and can stop it.
If things get reported, but it ends up that nothing can be done because “no crime has been committed yet,” then what’s the point? It seems someone (multiple someones) need to come up with a line where there is the ok to do something before a crime is committed. The line shouldn’t have to be “brought a gun to school” or “shot at someone” before intervention can happen. Various writings complete with the accumulated firepower to back it up seem to have crossed the line to me.
I think a problem is that people are afraid to say something, even if something appears wrong. They are afraid of being accused of being some sort of “ist” or “ism”. Just look at the mockery the teacher and principal got because of clock boy. There is little upside to getting involved, because unless it’s blatantly obvious there is something bad going on, if you are wrong, then you can be made to look like a fool or a terrible person, maybe even sued. Many people will think, why take the chance? Just look the other way. Sadly.
If you mean that people’s suspicion meters are affected by the apparent race of the person they see, then there does appear to be that phenomenon, sometimes leading to frivolous calls to the police: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2018/12/20/black-people-doing-normal-things-who-had-police-called-them-2018/2374750002/
Why would you think I meant that? That is obviously not what I said. Quite the opposite. Those people are calling about ridiculous things that should not be raising suspicions no matter the race or sex of the individuals. You are obviously missing the point.
People are afraid to report things because if they are wrong, there can be negative repercussions for them. You can even be a hero (ie Richard Jewell), and endure “trial by media” after saving people’s lives.
This is why PA’s school reporting system is anonymous. As pointed out in our assembly about it, the only way anyone will know who reported something is if “you” tell them.
Otherwise, I agree. One only needs to look at how some folks are condemning the Coast Guard authorities who alerted Powers That Be to this dude’s online searches while at work to see “shooting the messenger” in action. Of course, they’d be getting condemned afterward if something happened and they had said nothing too - so they appear to be in a “no win” situation. They may have even gotten themselves a spot on the new hit list if this dude walks free and opts to continue his “dreams.”