Shop LocalThursday, January 17, 2013
As a security precaution, school front doors were locked for two hours on Wednesday morning at the South Callaway R-2 School District in Mokane.
Superintendent Lynn Battles said the front doors were locked after receiving a law enforcement report relating to an incident in Montgomery County.
A 15-year-old girl in Montgomery County was reported missing by her parents Tuesday evening. The law enforcement incident ended when she was located unharmed late Wednesday morning.
Battles said the Wednesday morning security incident at the school was related to the missing child report in Montgomery County and another individual who authorities suspected may have been linked with that missing child report.
“This was not a lockdown situation. It also was not a lockout incident, which is the next step down in security. In a lockdown, all doors are locked, no one is allowed to move inside the building and no one enters or leaves the building except law enforcement officers. Other than practicing it, we never have had a lockdown situation,” Battles said.
Comments
jamafann 4 months ago
So, let me get this information straight.....Yesterday when I called inquiring what was going on I am told it was a "practice drill". When I called the 2nd time I was told it was a "lock out" not a "lock down" because the students were maintaining their normal routine. But in fact, you locked the doors because a HS student from Montgomery County had threated a HS student from South Callaway. Until this young man from Mont. Co. was arrested by law enforcement, SC was "practicing" a "lock out" situation. Why couldn't SC officials just been honest when parents called? Afterall, they are OUR children!
fultonian 4 months ago
I don't think they should give out any information on the situation, how do they know when you call that you're a parent and not the perpetrator in question.
jamafann 4 months ago
Fultonian, you obviously do not have children. After all of the violence and murder in the nations schools, you really think we as parents do not have the right to ask why the school locked the doors to protect our children? I am in favor of taking precautionary measures to keep our children safe but as a parent I want to know when it happens and why it is happening. A broad spectrum email or text alert or announcing it on the schools hotline would have taken a matter of minutes, just like every other notification we get from the school, and hundreds of parents could have put their minds at ease knowing it was under control and our children were going about their daily schedules. A simple pro-active measure would have prevented the school offices from being showered with phone calls from worried parents. I could have texted my high school age daughter and received info from her but I chose to respect the schools policy about student cell phone usage. All I ask is to be kept informed. I am a rational, responsible adult....I could have handled the truth!
whocares 4 months ago
I have children in the district. I did not call the school repeatedly as you did. I let the people we trust with our children on a daily basis handle it the best they can. I knew something was going on but not all the facts. Did you ever consider that the school may not know for sure what was happening? Give the school a break and consider that they are trying to protect our children, not operating a switchboard. If you don't trust them, you are more than welcome to home school them.
jamafann 4 months ago
Whocares, you are welcome to trust anyone you want to completely with the lives of your children, I, however, trust very few people with that responsibility. I would not say 2 phone calls to the school can be considered "repeatedly." It should however, be considered, that it was me being a concerned parent wanting to know about the welfare of my child. I listed my name because I am not ashamed of my opinion or thoughts. Can you do the same?
rock1853 4 months ago
I gotta side with jama on this one. I am one of those parents love my child very deeply and would want an answer and now. We all know some parents don't care about their children as much as some of us. Not saying whocares is one but we see them all the time; yelling and jerking them around, not caring if they don't know where they are, and so on. I would be furious if I wasn't told what was going on in the building my child was in. All I would expect is a straight answer and then I can decide how I need to deal with it. Don't feed me some prepared line of BS. Jus sayin'
whocares 4 months ago
So do you really think the person that answered the phone knew EXACTLY what was going on? You can't always get an answer right now. If there was a possible threat, why not lock the doors? Just because Jama doesn't understand the difference doesn't make the school wrong.
jamafann 4 months ago
Whocares, I did not get my info from "the person who answers the phone." We call her the secretary. I spoke directly to the principle and superintendent! Law enforcement officials knew exactly what was going on and informed school officials of exactly what was going on. The school officials had information to give and DID NOT. I talked to a friend in law enforcement after the fact and was told not only had SC officials been notified but had also questioned the treatend SCHS student that morning before locking the doors. You are obviously still missing the point! I think it was OBVIOUS locking the doors for protection was the RIGHT decision! School officials should have made an effort to notify as many parents as possible by text alerts, hotline info or email of their actions (and this can be done. I know about game time changes, etc by way of text alert within a matter of minutes) and let parents know our children were safe but protective measures had been taken. If you knew "something" was going on and didn't care to know that is your right! You need to UNDERSTSND it is my right and duty to my children to know what goes on at school EVERYDAY!
jamafann 4 months ago
Again, whocares, what was your name? I didn't catch it! We can debate this matter over and over. You did not care to know and I did. If you personally don't care to know then simply delete all text alerts or emails from the school before reading, better yet, remove your contact info so you wont be alerted at all. Then, when there is an early dismissal, emergency with your child, etc the school will not have to involve you at all since you trust them to make the best decision for your child. COMMUNICATION between school administration and parents is vitally IMPORTANT!!
fultonian 4 months ago
jama, you've clearly never worked at a school before. There are so many helicopter parents and other issues to deal with not everyone has the time to stop what they're doing and deal with people like you. Pull you're kids out of the school if you want to and home school them. Maybe you can keep them in the greenhouse forever.
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