Lockdowns, shootings and bomb
threats were unheard of during my youth - not in my neighborhood. It was such a foreign concept by yesterdays
standards. Today it is the beginning of
norm.
We were living in West Valley. Jenna was in the fifth grade. I had been
working on the scrapbook that I mention here.
I find it ironic that I had come to a page to explain about how life was
then, and what makes her life experiences different from my own when I received
a computerized phone call from the school.
The school was on lockdown and no one would be coming in or going in until
whatever cause for lockdown was lifted.
As it turned out, there had been two
teenage girls in the area who had been going from residential door to door to
steal what they could from houses that seemed unguarded or unlocked. As the houses were located near the school,
the police had asked the school to keep all youth inside until the felons were
caught. Prior to that, I had mentioned
smart boards and computer centers that did not exist when I was a youth.
On October 23 this year, a 911 call
was placed to the police about a possible shooting at one of the schools. The phonecall turned out to be a hoax but the
two youth responsible were arrested and placed in juvenile detention. Two weeks later, there was another threat
made when a note was found in the bathroom of that same school. I would have gone in to assist that day if I
hadn't had that appointment in Roseburg.
When I returned home, I got on the computer to look up something
else. I was surprised to see the
position still available for a substitute as the day was nearly over. The reports that the "lockdown had been
lifted" were rather sketchy and reported different hours for Thursday than
it had reported yesterday. Last report
was that there is still an ongoing investigation.
Unfortunately this act has stirred
up many emotions and speculations. Many
students were absent from various schools yesterday. Several are being pulled out and will be home
schooled. Many thought the huge number
of absentees was due because of the lockdown.
I personally think that some of it has to do with extending the holiday
as the schools have Monday off for Veteran's Day. A meeting scheduled for this
Thursday to weed out any misconceptions and help with understanding. I, for one, refuse to be scared or live in
fear as many have done throughout history, and when the plains had been
grounded and became active and many refused to fly. Life goes on.
I'm going to live it to the fullest without being frightened about it. Whatever will be will be. I'm certainly not going to stress about it.
