This last week was the 10-year anniversary of one of the biggest crisis in school history. On August 20, 1999, two students Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold went into Columbine High School in Jefferson County Colorado, were they killed 12 students and 1 teacher while wounding 23 other people before they ended up committing suicide. While this was going on, one of the teachers was communicating by telephone to the police giving them details and all of the information that they needed. This was the third worst school shooting in the United States until the Virginia Tech Shooting in 2007 were Seung –Hui Cho killed 27 students and 5 teachers while injuring 17 other people.
In the Virginia Tech Shooting, the school sent out an e-mail to all of its students and faculty two hours after the first shooting occurred. The American Red Cross sent counselors to Virginia Tech to help the students and faculty members.
Columbine High School was probably not as prepared for something like this to happen, as most schools would be today. This tragic event has changed the way that high schools all over the United States operate. To recover from the Columbine shooting, Columbine, and many other schools now have metal detectors when you first walk into the building. Schools also have security guards at the doors and walking around. A couple of schools have taken away backpacks and given them clear ones so they can see what kids are carrying around.
Just this week on Monday August 20th, three kids, two of them were 16 years old and the other one was 15 years old, went into Lincoln High School in Sioux Falls, South Dakota with a plastic gun. Lincoln High School was on lock down for about 90 minutes that day. While this was going on the school notified parents by sending them a voice message of what was happening so the student’s parents were up to date with the things going on.
When these things happen, a reporter can get many different views about what is happening so there should only be one spokesperson so people do not mix up the facts. Usually in shootings like these, the police chief would be the designated spokesperson because he would know the most information to give to the public.
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I agree with you like our book said, you do not want to many spokespeople. If you have a lot of people saying stuff some of the information might come out different or in the wrong way. Since the Columbine shooting all the schools now probably have a crisis plan and usually practice for school shooting scenarios. It usually takes something really bad to happen in order for a crisis plan to be made.
ReplyDeleteWith the Virginia Tech students sending out that first email was critical. It let the students know that there was a crisis going on on their campus. However, there must not have been enough emphasis about the importance of it because the students and teachers still went on with class after this first shooting occurred. Like you stated above it is very important to only have one spokesperson for these schools when something like this happens so the media and more importantly the parents are aware of what is really going on where their children are at.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Ben that usually something bad happens first before a crisis plan is made. The Virginia Tech shooting I do no think that the Message got out fast enough and with the right importance with it. because as Annie put it "students and teachers still went on with class after this first shooting occurred." I do believe that the school should have sent out a message via phone/radio/email right away once the first wind of the shooting hit there ears.
ReplyDeleteColumbine sure openned our eyes to school violence and made us better prepared for future cases. Its situations like these that give us plans for crisis communications in the future. Unfortunately Virginia Techs ordeal went badly, but no one realy focused on the laid back atmosphere of most colleges until it happend. At least they had a campus wide email out. Crisis like these help us be ready for others like the most recent which got relayed quickly even if it was a fake.
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