My son recently graduated from 8th grade. At the end of the year they celebrate with an 8th Grade Formal. This is the same school my daughter (who is ten years older than my son) went to ten years ago. When she went to the 8th grade formal, I never thought twice of any kind of danger. To be honest, I didn’t even consider danger as I dropped my son off at the formal. However, as I pulled into the school parking lot at the end of the dance, I noticed a Police car sitting nearby. My first thought was maybe someone was caught with alcohol or drugs? When my son and his friends came out and got into the car, they immediately started telling me that a boy had been arrested for bringing a loaded gun with extra ammunition to the dance!
As I piece together my son's view point, the newspaper article, and conversations with other parents this is what I think happened….
A young man, who was at the school for less than two months, brought a loaded gun, extra ammunition, marijuana, and as rumor has it a hit list and a rape list. He also stole a girl's iPhone at the dance (which was returned).
My understanding of the event was that several kids saw or suspected he had a gun however, no one wanted to be a “snitch”. He apparently even pointed the gun at a few girls. There seems to be two versions of what happened next…1. The girl he stole the iPhone from told the School Officer that he had stolen her phone and when he was questioned the boy admitted it and agreed to be searched and was arrested. And story 2. Two brave girls either saw or knew about the gun and told the School Officer who confronted the boy and he was searched and arrested without incident.
The bottom line for me in this scenario is: I am grateful that someone told an authority and the boy was arrested before he was able to cause whatever problems he had intended. My heart breaks though at the thought that several kids knew he had a gun and didn’t want to be considered a snitch. There is a vast difference in being a snitch or tattle tale for something that is none of your business and telling someone when your life or someone else’s life is in potential danger. As parents, it’s important that we teach our children that abuse, violence, guns, bullying, or threats ARE something to tell someone about.
I am asking everyone who reads this to please pray for the young man and his family as they face the consequences of his choices and behavior. I also pray that God will intervene in the boys desperate heart.
There is always HOPE!
The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life of whom shall I be afraid? Psalm 27:1
As I piece together my son's view point, the newspaper article, and conversations with other parents this is what I think happened….
A young man, who was at the school for less than two months, brought a loaded gun, extra ammunition, marijuana, and as rumor has it a hit list and a rape list. He also stole a girl's iPhone at the dance (which was returned).
My understanding of the event was that several kids saw or suspected he had a gun however, no one wanted to be a “snitch”. He apparently even pointed the gun at a few girls. There seems to be two versions of what happened next…1. The girl he stole the iPhone from told the School Officer that he had stolen her phone and when he was questioned the boy admitted it and agreed to be searched and was arrested. And story 2. Two brave girls either saw or knew about the gun and told the School Officer who confronted the boy and he was searched and arrested without incident.
The bottom line for me in this scenario is: I am grateful that someone told an authority and the boy was arrested before he was able to cause whatever problems he had intended. My heart breaks though at the thought that several kids knew he had a gun and didn’t want to be considered a snitch. There is a vast difference in being a snitch or tattle tale for something that is none of your business and telling someone when your life or someone else’s life is in potential danger. As parents, it’s important that we teach our children that abuse, violence, guns, bullying, or threats ARE something to tell someone about.
I am asking everyone who reads this to please pray for the young man and his family as they face the consequences of his choices and behavior. I also pray that God will intervene in the boys desperate heart.
There is always HOPE!
The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life of whom shall I be afraid? Psalm 27:1
This is my son as he prepared to go to the 8th grade formal- he put his own spin on “formal”. He has a wonderful sense of humor and is very creative. I am very grateful he returned home from the dance in the same condition that I dropped him off in.
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