Local School Campus Closed Due To Gun
Published by Joe Burgess April 8th, 2008 in Monticello School News, Police /Legal.The City Park facility of the Monticello school district was locked down as a safety precaution last Thursday morning, due to the report of a student who brought a gun to school.
Students were instructed to remain in their classrooms, until there was a safe, orderly time for them to be evacuated from the building.
A tip was received that a student had brought a gun into the facility, the tip was investigated, and found to be true. The Monticello Police Dept. was called, and responded quickly.
Assistant Superintendent of schools, Tommy Tyler, told MonticelloLive that, “it appears that there was no intent to harm any students or staff.” He added, “this, as with any similar situation, was handled with utmost caution.”
The student was arrested and removed from the premises, and the matter will be dealt with by the court system.
Mr. Tyler wanted to compliment facility director, Robert Ellis, as well as the entire City Park staff and Police Dept. for the way that the event was quickly and safely brought under control.
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After hearing of this incident, I became quite concerned that there are young children (pre-schoolers) in the same building as those older students that have been in trouble and have been seperated from the general students. I realize that not every student in the ALE program is a “trouble maker”; however, there are also in school suspension students in that same building. With my knowledge of incidents that occured at Fountain Hill when the ALE school was moved there, I am quite concerned about the safety of those small children.
Is anyone else concerned about the fact that there are babies in the same building? This is exactly the reason that the ALE/ISS should be separated from the Pre-K and Headstart. They should not be housed in the same building. I wonder how safe it would have been if a 3,4, or 5 year old had been hurt? These are very young, innocent children that should not have to deal with this type of situation at their age. They should be allowed to be innocent for a little while longer and not have to worry about behavioral problems that some teenagers display or being injured at school. I pray each and every day that God will protect my child, not if, but when this happens again.
If I had a child in Pre-K or in preschool I would be very concerned. I am concerned now and my child haven’t been at City Park for 4 years. But, Iss is on the opposite side of the building from the little kids (not that it makes it any better).
According to the assistant superintendent of this school, “it appears that there was no intent to harm any students or staff.” I’m trying to understand if one has no intention of causing harm, then why bring a weapon to school? This could have happened at any of the schools here, and its in part to incidents like this that I am thankful that I have the right to home school my children.
I also have a child in the pre-k program at City Park and it has been a concern of mine for a long time that these older children are in the same building with no security measures other than cameras in the school. I am not even sure how well these cameras are being monitored. What makes me more nervous than anything is that the superintendent has convinced himself that the student with the gun only brought it to school to try to sell it. Yes these kids deserve a chance, but do it somewhere else besides in the same building with 3, 4, and 5 year old children. Fortunately my child is too young to really understand what happened and the school system did not make it apparent to him. I just wish the people on the school board and in this community would realize that this is not “Mayberry” and understand that bad things can happen in Monticello and there are a few parents out there that are willing and able to stand up for the safety of their children no matter what the costs.
maybe i’m wrong, but i dont think all the kids are there because they’re “bad” kids. after so many tardies, for example, dont they have to go to iss? and city park is a really big place; i’m sure they’re not letting the older (and troubled, as everyone else seems to think) students mingle with the younger kids. it wasnt mentioned here as it was in the advance that the gun was unloaded and the kid wanted to sell it. i will agree, this is a scary thing to have happened. even more so that this KID got his hands on a gun in the first place and had plans to SELL it.
I went to the building one day to take my future sister in law, who was at ISS, some lunch. I didn’t really know my way around the building, because it’s been about a decade since I have been there. The front part of the building, where the younger children are, is completely separated from the back portion. The doors that join the front and the back have chains with locks over them!! Feel safer, concerned parents! The “bad kids” can’t get your small children!