School Attack In Nigeria: 29 Boarding School Students Shot & Burned Alive

Points for Consideration Up Front: I am exposing the reader to this horrific story of an international school attack by terrorists because as educators it is important to be globally aware. What is the likelihood of terrorists attacking your school? Not probable, and certainly the threat is extremely low, but possible.  

POTISKUM, Nigeria – On July 6, 2013, Islamic militants (allegedly from the Boko Haram sect) attacked a boarding school (1,200 students) in Northeast Nigeria before dawn Saturday, killing 29 students and one teacher. The gunmen are believed to be from the Boko Haram sect whose name means "Western education is sacrilege."  Scores of schools have been burned down in the past year in Northeast Nigeria.  Some of the pupils were burned alive in the latest school attack blamed on a radical terror group, survivors said. Parents screamed in anguish as they tried to identify the charred and gunshot victims.

By Adamu Adamu and Michelle Faul, The Associated Press

     Farmer Malam Abdullahi found the bodies of two of his sons, a 10-year-old shot in the back as he apparently tried to run away, and a 12-year-old shot in the chest. "That's it, I'm taking my other boys out of school," he told The Associated Press as he wept over the two corpses. He said he had three younger children in a nearby school. "It's not safe," he said. "The gunmen are attacking schools and there is no protection for students despite all the soldiers." Survivors at the Potiskum General Hospital and its mortuary said gunmen attacked Government Secondary School in Mamudo village, 3 miles from Potiskum town at about 3 a.m. Saturday.

     They killed 29 students and an English teacher Mohammed Musa, who was shot in the chest, according to another teacher, Ibrahim Abdu. "We were sleeping when we heard gunshots. When I woke up, someone was pointing a gun at me," said 15-year-old Musa Hassan. He put his arm up in defense, and suffered a gunshot that blew off all four fingers on his right hand, the one he uses to write with. He said the gunmen came armed with jerry cans of fuel that they used to torch the school's administrative block and one of the hostels. "They burned the children alive," he said, the horror showing in his wide eyes.

     He and teachers at the morgue said dozens of children from the 1,200-student school escaped into the bush but have not been seen since. Some bodies are so charred they could not be identified, so many parents do not know if their children survived or died. Islamic militants from Boko Haram and breakaway groups have killed more than 1,600 civilians in suicide bombings and other attacks since 2010, according to an Associated Press count. President Goodluck Jonathan declared a state of emergency May 14, and deployed thousands of troops to halt the insurgency, acknowledging that militants had taken control of some towns and villages.

     Military attacks against the Muslim extremists appear to have driven the extremists into the mountains with caves, from which they emerge to attack schools and markets. The militants have increasingly targeted civilians, including health workers on vaccination campaigns, teachers and government workers. 
© 2013 The Associated Press.  

Final Comment: The techniques, tactics, and procedures of Islamic Extremists (VEO: Violent Extremist Organizations) terrorists used abroad can and have been visited upon our shores. 

IRATE PARENTS & THE RESPONSE OF SCHOOL LEADERSHIP

Patience and Preparedness Are Key

IRATE PARENT CAUSING A DISRUPTION AT SCHOOL

On March 29, 2011 in Thomaston, CT a mother was arrested and charge with second degree breach of peace. (She will appear in court next month to determine if she is guilty of these charges / allegations). This mom came to Thomaston High School and (as reported in the news) went on a profanity-laced tirade. The school administrators called the police because they felt this parent who came to the high school at 8: 00am to talk about her daughter had become unruly. During the discussion, the mother became belligerent and was raising her voice in the office using profanity, and started throwing papers around. She was asked to leave and she refused. She then departed the school before the police arrived as the Principal escorted her from the building. She continued to yell and curse in the hallway and foyer during her departure as students and other school visitors witnessed. The mother turned herself in once she found out there was a warrant issued for her arrest, she was released with a promise to appear in court later next month.

POINTS FOR CONSIDERATION:

• Parents, students, teachers, and administrators are a "team" that needs to cooperate and collaborate to ensure that everyone's best efforts and student learning results are achieved. 
• Like any team, each team member can have good days and bad days, possess different levels of understanding of what is appropriate and acceptable, as well as opinions on how a particular situation should be resolved.  
• School administrators and teachers always want to be available for parents and guardians that have concerns about students. However, that is not always possible or the best course of action should the parent / guardian show up IRATE and unannounced.
• A parent can certainly come to school unscheduled and unannounced, but they need to know that unless it is a dire emergency (student safety or security related), they may be expected to wait and sometimes perhaps for a long time.
• Teachers have classes to teach and extra duties to perform AND school administrators
• Other parents and guardians have scheduled meetings (progress review, PPT, etc.) with teachers & administrators
• If a parent is irate and shows up unannounced, school administrators and teachers may not know what the problem is so it is imperative for a school representative to try and find out the nature of the parent / guardians concern. This screening allows the school to be able to properly and accurately respond to the parent's concerns and issues 
• The situation may even require a period of time for the school leadership to investigate or gather information about the irate parent's concerns. Accurately defining an issue, problem, or concern is critical to solving it vice responding to a perception of what might be going on.
• Many teachers, guidance counselors, or school administrators are parents themselves so they are aware of the emotional concern for their own children and how intense those emotions can become in situations where a son or daughter's academic performance or school behavior is below their acceptable standards.
• Acknowledging a parents frustration and the school's earnest desire to satisfy the parents concerns is critical to determine a "win /win" mutually beneficial end result.
• Letting a parent know that if a mistake was made by the school that it will be rectified once the school leadership is aware of the specifics and can determine the best response.
• On some occasions a parent or guardian may come with other family members or unknown persons. You need to clarify who is who and discreetly verify the person you are dealing with is in fact the parent  or guardian. Non parent / guardian members showing up at an impromptu meeting you are responding to requires discretion. 
• If parents / guardians become irate where civility, safety, or security comes into question, then the school needs to have certain protocols to ensure professionalism and safety in the school environment.
• School Protocols such as:
• Raised Voices = a response of a tactful warning requesting the parent to please lower their voice or we will have to reschedule this meeting at a later date when all parties are calmer. If they do not comply you need to terminate the meeting and ask them to leave politely.
• Profanity or Insulting Comments = a response for terminating this meeting until the discourse is more civil. Prompting a fellow school official to make the School Resource Officer (SRO) aware, visible, or join the meeting is always prudent. 
• If you anticipate or interpret a developing negative situation and there is no SRO, calling the police to have an officer available is key to controlling a situation. 
• Any Aggressive Action (invading someone's personal space, throwing paper, slamming a door, getting up aggressively from a chair causing it to fall, etc.) = a response for terminating the meeting and requesting the irate parent to leave the school premises, if they do not comply contact the police immediately.
• Any Evidence of Unstable Behavior or Alcohol / Substance Abuse Use = contact SRO, if necessary the police. Notify them the meeting will be rescheduled and they will need to leave the school as there are other scheduled meetings you must attend. 
• Violent Action or Threats = contact SRO, 911, and possibly consider putting the school into a lockdown if there is concern about violent acts continuing within the school. Ensure 911 knows the nature of the situation so they don't misinterpret a hostile parent with an active shooter situation.
• Ensure everything said or done is documented (statements written) to include viewing security camera tapes.
• School security and access control personnel should be made aware of any disgruntled persons  removed from school, so they are not allowed back into the building. 

Final Comment: The school leadership and all of the members of the school community are human beings as well, with personal feelings. It is imperative to always try to professionalize and stabilize every situation. The school should always seek to maintain the moral and professional high ground if a parent or guardian unfortunately loses control in what they say or how they act. Student and Staff Safety and Security are paramount. 

Gunman Fires Weapon at California Elementary School, Two Injured

GUNMEN RANDOMLY OPENS FIRE AT A ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LUNCH RECESS, INJURES TWO STUDENTS BEFORE SUBDUED.

At approximately 12:15 local time during a school lunch break, Brendan O'Rourke, 41, dressed in dark clothing parked his car jumped a fence and walked onto Kelly Elementary School (Carlsbad, CA) campus carrying a .357 Magnum and a small gas can. He opened fire with five shots into a crowd of children on a playground at a Carlsbad elementary school Friday, leaving two female students (ages 6 & 7) with minor gunshot (grazed by the bullets) injuries. Teachers and students escaped into the nearby classrooms from outside including the two injured female students. They were transported via Mercy Air to a local hospital for treatment.  

The assailant "sprayed" gunfire before apparently running out of ammunition and trying to flee. A nearby construction worker drove his vehicle and knocked the gunmen down as other nearby adults grabbed him. He was attempting to reload before he was stopped. There was a propane gas tank found in the gunman's car. At present it is not believed that the gunmen is associated with anyone at the school, making the school's selection as a random act of violence. The combination of the gas can the gunman carried coupled with the propane tank lead one to believe he had even more destructive intentions. (Note: The Columbine School shooting was actually designed as a propane bomb attack gone awry with the attackers planning on shooting the survivors as they tried to escape.)

The school, located approximately 35 miles north of San Diego, was placed on lockdown until further notice as police gathered evidence. Parents of students were asked to meet at Laguna Rivera Park, which is a short distance from the school. Counselors will be at the school Monday to help students, staff and families "handle the anxiety and fear that can result from a traumatic experience."

Points for Consideration:

• Unfortunately violence at school can occur at anytime whether it is pre-planned or random. 
• Developing a PREPAREDNESS Mindset is important. Think of school incidents not as IF whether something is going to happens but WHEN something happens .
• Some questions to ponder:
• What would you immediately do if you saw a suspicious person at your school or on school grounds? Demonstrating strange behavior (jumping a fence)?
• What would you immediately do if you saw someone with a gun or a dangerous object ( a gas can)?
• After an attacker was subdued what immediate actions would you take?
• Does your school have a student reunification site at a remote location? Does the receiving remote location know they have been chosen as the site? Have you developed a plan and conducted a talk through /walk through between agencies? How will students be transported to that location? How will you maintain accountability during this process and when a parent asks "where is my child?"
• Following an act of violence, the school (or surrounding area) is a crime scene until processed (hours, days) and cleared by law enforcement. You may not be able to go back into the building. Teacher's and driving student's car keys, purses, cell phones, jackets with wallets, etc. may not be available until the next day. If there was a bomb threat or incident may not be until much later....
• If damage was done to the facility it needs to be repaired which is part of the recovery process. Who from the school or school district conducts this coordination and with what business? Identify these businesses ahead of time.
• What children and staff saw what part of the incident? This is critical for determining potential witnesses and for on-scene and post-incident counseling.

WHY REACT, WHEN YOU CAN PLAN AND DRILL TO DEVELOP A CAPABILITY.....

Response To Threatening Message at Nonnewaug High School

June 2010, in Woodbury CT at Nonnewaug High School a threatening message was found in a second floor boys restroom. The threat was written as on the side of a towel dispenser. There is often graffiti written in bathrooms and on school property that is offensive, gang related, and potentially violent in tone. It is important to insure that the writings are viewed and analyzed by someone. What differentiates immature or wanna-be comments from more serious comments or threats is that they are specific as to time or date, location, target, or method of violence (bomb or shoot).  The state police conducted a school search and ensured the police presence at the school during the period the threat was supposed to take place.

Final Comment: It is vital that students, custodians, and teachers know to forward any threatening types of information to school leadership immediately. You can't assume it is meaningless or be embarrassed to say something because it could save lives. Student leadership will notify the School Resource Officer (SRO) to have law enforcement investigate and act.

Off Campus Criminal Activity & Evidence Can Come into Schools: Need for SROs

There is an unfortunate story about a 16 yr old New Milford High School sophomore who is alleged to have broken into a 25 yr old woman's home, strangled her into unconsciousness, and then sexually assaulted her on Aug 6, 2009. This young man was also connected to other crimes involving  home break-ins. Items from the break-ins were found on this student's possession by his high school School Resource Officer (SRO). This young man will be tried as an adult and will be facing 40 years of incarceration.

Comment:  A school's student population is a microcosm of the society that it comes from. Criminal activity that ocurs in the community and the related criminal evidence can spill over into your school. Violence, drugs, weapons, gangs, domestic issues, child abuse, and other criminal activities can enter and occur in your school community. There is a distinct difference between having law enforcement come to your school versus having a School Resource Officer (SRO) permanently assigned to your school. A SRO builds the habitual relationships with the students and staff, understands the school's atmospherics and environmentals, and can enable on scene crime prevention and if required intervention immediately. SROs are trained in search and seizure, probable cause, and evidentiary control and procedures. Lastly, SROs are the only legally armed individual working in the school who possesses the means to use deadly force, if required, to protect innocent lives.