[bkisbutchenuff]

Originally Posted by spritzerJ

Hi BK,

Not to get all weird so early in the morning but I thought a bit about the situation you described.

When kids make random threats to teachers it can really change the mood of the classroom. For everyone. And that isn't cool. It can be hard with muttered words to address and know if it is serious. Stoney is better at this. Hy works with teenagers. One of the things I've learned from hym is consistency... Follow the rules, implement the rules despite how other staff might change them for kids. It makes things difficult for staff following the rules yet it teaches the kid a lot. It takes time to sort out and it is worth it. Even without having a hairy fit, being calm and consistent and reporting the problem, Stoney's approach allowed the kid to work through and realize different rules with different people are frustrating and confusing. And other staff realized the need for consistency for the kids sake.

I've been through "threat assessments" with kids who in frustration said during state testing that is it they were going to blow up the building. Now there was really no "threat" reality but district policy was district policy and we worked on how to express frustration for that student more than we were (it was a big lacking skill for him).

Did I feel like I needed to run to the SRO immediately...no...Did I feel like I had to be careful on my way home...no...this student prolly had no homeys....but the second day? Because I ask you to stay seated...that shocked me more than his statement really...I 've endured worse threats...come to find out - he shouldn't have been at school anyway...his mom was arrested for doing the same thing last year on campus...so in the end - if it brought attention to this student and his needs and or at school safety/policy...then so be it...we have bigger fish to fry for sure...