Around the country and the world our schools have been through quite a bit as of late. Between mass shootings and bomb threats it is feeling less and less safe, in a place that is supposed to foster learning in a nurturing environment.
The other day, I woke up and got ready to sub just like any other day. I taught one period, and had one prep period. On my way to the second class the fire alarm went off. Everything seemed normal, it was a nice day, perfect for a quick drill. And then, we heard the sirens. Everyone's thought was "great someone wanted to get out of a test,". Not long after, we moved locations, and moved locations again. More and more police, and fire vehicles arrived from different towns and the County. There were officers in bullet proof vests, carrying machine guns. The students didn't know what was happening but the general consensus was that this was not a drill.
At the new secure location, the teachers took attendance over and over again. I am so thankful that we did not evacuate five minutes later when I would have been in-charge of a whole class. Instead, I assisted with crowd control, and attempted to keep the students in their seats. The Principal addressed the students, announcing that there was a bomb threat on the school and the officials would be combing through the entire building to make sure it was safe. The students took it fairly well and behaved through-out the ordeal.
However, we were waiting for hours. The students were getting hungry, restless, and tired. Snacks were administered, and when the all clear was announced we walked the students back to school.
After arriving, safe and secure, we found out that a recorded message was left reporting a bomb threat in the school. The same thing that has been happening in spurts around the country and the world. It is terrifying that a computerized voice can leave a threat and cause so much damage. An educational day is lost, the community is worried, and the police must spend the day looking for a bomb that, thankfully, does not exist. To know that this hoax has been happening and still have to enact this emergency plan because, god forbid, this time it's real. We need to find out who is causing this, who is causing this type of terror, just for the panic that ensues. I saw comments on news articles saying that it is just some kids who did not want to take a test, and that is absurd. This is real. This is happening all over the world and we need to take is very seriously. At some point a school is going to get tired of hearing about these "robo calls" and they are not going to act and that is when it will be real. It is terrifying to know the story of the boy who cried wolf in the world of the robot who cries bomb.
