School was on lockdown...
By Laurla98
@Laurla98 (786)
United States
September 23, 2007 9:39am CST
I went to pick up my daughter from Kindergarten on Friday. We were all waiting where we usually do until about 10 minutes after school was supposed to be out. Someone went to the office and couldn't get in. Apparently the school was on lockdown because of an arrest in the area where the guy was on the run. They wouldn't tell us that...someone just happened to hear it on the radio while we were waiting. So the principal came out and told us we could take the kids home from the front office. I also bring the neighbors son home...the parent helper, didn't know who I was and just let me take him. I am authorized anyways...but if the school is in lockdown don't you think it would be better to sign the kids out and check their release cards? Just my opinion...but I think I"m going to bring it up at the next PTA meeting. Pretty scary for my first child going to school and only three weeks after school starts.
6 people like this
15 responses
@Debs_place (10520)
• United States
24 Sep 07
At least they had some controls, I went to my son's elementary school to pick him up one time, no one was there.
I walk in the school, go to the office and find that the school and had been evacuated because of a bomb scare. They were still searching the school and I just walked in.
I drove to the middle school, where him and the little girl down the street, saw me, ran over and jumped in my van. No one accounted for them at all.
1 person likes this
@shy_gal (235)
• Malaysia
24 Sep 07
Hi Laurla98,
It is so scary, how if the kids and your son been hurt?? The principal of the kindergarden should inform their parents in the sopt, they should not hide it and seem nothing happen. How can they response if there have one kid is been hurt?
For me, i will register to another kindergarden for my children.
1 person likes this
@cuddlebug79705 (2003)
• United States
24 Sep 07
I agree, in a situation like that you would think they would check the cards and kids file and make sure they are sending the kids with the right person. Plus, you would think that the lockdown would be a bit more publicized so that all the parents would be aware.
1 person likes this
@mamasan34 (6518)
• United States
24 Sep 07
It's very scary that the school doesn't check the release cards. I have had that happen with my daughter. My mother in law picked her up and they didn't recognize her and didn't check to see if she was on her release form or anything. It is pretty frightening. Especially when the school is on lockdown.
1 person likes this
@ssf12ster (488)
• India
24 Sep 07
yeah bring it up in the next meeting and ask them to prepare the enxt time much better.also for safety purpose this was done and thank god all r safe.
1 person likes this
@kgwat70 (13388)
• United States
24 Sep 07
That had to be a very scary situation for you and your daughter as well as all the other kids and parents at this school. It is good that they took extra caution so that the kids would not be in harms way. The school should be more careful of allowing children to go home with someone other than their parents.
1 person likes this
@meholl (510)
• United States
23 Sep 07
I think it was a good think the school was on lock down, and you are right. Every child should have had their release card looked at before they left with an adult. I wouldn't wait to bring this up at PTA meeting. I would go straight to the district offices and point this out to them. That is a flaw in the system and during a lock down situation like that, every child should be signed out by an authorized person, and it needs to be verified. I know that anytime anyone signs any of my kids out of school that isn't me, it is always verified. And they even go one step further and call me to make sure.
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
23 Sep 07
Wow that would be scary, Laura98. You didn't mention if you were the official person to take this neighbors child home or if you were taking him/her home because their parent couldn't make it that day. And if this parent helper didn't know you, then they should have check it out before releasing the child into your care. I would bring it up, it is slip ups like this that can turn tragic..
@CatsandDogs (13963)
• United States
23 Sep 07
I definetely agree with you there! You could've been anybody and got a child. Thank God you weren't just anybody but what if? Please do bring it up to the PTA meeting for they need to know about that so your child along with everyone else's is protected better. That's really scary!
1 person likes this
@violeta_va (4831)
• Australia
23 Sep 07
wow I would expect that in that situation they should even check about your own kids if they dont know you well. What I mean is that those people should check who picked up the kids show Id and cross check. but hay few months ago my nephews school got a call from someone saying that he was going to blow up the school and shoot the kids do you know what they did (you wont belive this) they had the kids on the floor from about 9:30 till 3:30 hiding from the windows. No parents were informed or nothing. I understand that they should investigate and take it seriusly but I am sure parents would have liked to be informed of what was going on. My sister was not even told when she picked him up but when he got home he told her that a bad man called the school to tell them he was going to shoot them so they had to hide. the parents didtn send the kids to school the rest of the week.
1 person likes this
@theprogamer (10534)
• United States
23 Sep 07
Definitely bring that up Laurla. Between you, your kid and your neighbors kid I hope you have a password system set up in case you send someone in proxy to pick them up for you. I know I'm no parent, but the thought did cross my mind.
Now as for the whole no checking deal, that was rather weird. What if you weren't who you said? You could have been some stranger off the street, or the criminal in question, and thats a real situation in the making.
If I think of anything else I'll post it beneath my response here.
Please take care Laurla.
1 person likes this
@lilybug (21107)
• United States
23 Sep 07
I can't believe that they did not come out and tell the parents to go to the main office. Someone had to go ask before they would say anything? That is crazy making you wait like that. I agree that if the school was on lock down that they should have made the kids be signed out and checked to see if you were allowed to take the other child.
1 person likes this
@llagosto (14)
• United States
23 Sep 07
I think I would have freaked out and I agree with you every child's release card should be checked in a situation like that. You should definitely bring it up at your next meeting and push for it to be done. That is a very scary situation to be in both for the parents and the children.
1 person likes this
@crazed_moma (1054)
• United States
24 Sep 07
Wow you'd think they'd put a sign up or something. I'd have been freaking out.
