BCPS Responds to Stemmers Run Gun Incident Criticism
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Following the second gun incident of the school year—which is less than three weeks old, parents of Stemmers Run Middle School students were critical of school communications.
On Tuesday, a 13-year-old eighth grade boy allegedly displayed a handgun in a classroom at the Essex school, and threatened his teacher and classmates. Baltimore County police said the teacher was able to disarm the student and no one was injured.
"I heard what had happened on the news. The principal didn't give us any information, so that was a little nerve-wracking," said parent April Vines, who spoke with Patch reporter Emily Kimball at the scene. "It's just too much to know that anything could happen. School's not as safe as it used to be, and I can't have my daughter in there without knowing what's going on."
Superintendent S. Dallas Dance has said on multiple occassions that transparent communications is important to his administration.
Mychael Dickerson, the school system's chief of communications, said officials were cautious in disseminating information on the Stemmers Run incident.
"Our priority was making sure we reached out to the parents of the students in the classroom," Dickerson said.
He said staff members called the parents of the students in the classroom afterwards, and a phone message was also sent out through the school system's emergency alert line. Additionally, a letter was posted on the Baltimore County Public Schools website and later sent home with Stemmers Run students.
However, the communications department opted not to use its social media channels to share information about the incident. Last week, a school system spokesman said the department was looking into ramping up its social media efforts following the late-August Perry Hall High School shooting and a closure at Dumbarton Middle School.
"We want to make sure accurate information is getting out there," Dickerson said."We don't want to put out short spurts of information. That would raise more questions than answers."
He noted that the system's Facebook and Twitter accounts are typically used "for lack of a better term, 'positive news.'"
The system also did not send out a news release about the Stemmers Run incident. Dickerson said the case didn't warrant one because it was more school specific and did not necessarily affect other county schools.
"Our focus was the Stemmers Run community," he said.
During a Tuesday afternoon interview, Dickerson was unaware that a press release was also not sent out for the Perry Hall incident. The day of the shooting was his first on the job.
He pointed out that the communications department hadn't fully debriefed from the Perry Hall shooting when the Stemmers Run incident occurred.
"We have a lot to learn now from both [incidents]," he said.
PerryHallCrafter
7:51 am on Thursday, September 13, 2012
Ok, yes, it's unacceptable that we are having all these gun incidents. However, criticism? Really? School officials are being bombarded with unprecedented incidents of weapons being brought to school and I am very confident that they are doing all they can to keep on top of things, put the best procedures in place and notify people as soon as possible in the best possible manner. Are they going to be perfect? No, of course not. This is sadly a new experience and a learning process for all involved. Parents have every right to be upset, concerned and the desire for communication from the school system is valid. However, we all need to work together and stop trying to get our face on the news. I have two children in the BCPS system and I have the same concerns that other parents have, but I am willing to be patient. We can't have the National Guard in every school and xray camera equipped helicopters hovering over schools looking for weapons every morning.
M. Sullivan
10:27 am on Thursday, September 13, 2012
This stuff isn't happening in chuch-based private schools.
FIFA_archived
10:31 am on Thursday, September 13, 2012
Yet.
They just sell drugs there I guess.
Steve
11:12 am on Thursday, September 13, 2012
.....and make porn movies FIFA. St. Porn's didn't get their reputation for nothing!
Joe
11:21 am on Thursday, September 13, 2012
Steve is referencing this. "Teacher who collected child pornography avoids a prison sentence
A TEACHER who admitted to collecting and viewing more than 8000 images of child pornography has avoided a jail term. "
or this "A former West Haven High School chemistry teacher and girls’ swimming coach, who was arrested earlier this month on child pornography charges, allegedly told state police he collected “more than 1,000” images of naked young girls performing sexual acts, state police said.
David Tremblay, 61, of Woodbridge, retired from coaching and teaching in August amid an investigation by the state police computer crime unit. That investigation began after AOL reported images of child pornography had been sent from his e-mail account, according to an affidavit obtained Friday by the Register."
Steve
11:31 am on Thursday, September 13, 2012
No, I am not referencing that. Not at all.. I am talking about St. Porns here in Baltimore.
Joe
11:22 am on Thursday, September 13, 2012
Teachers are responsible for more child rape and molestation that any Catholic Priests were.
Evets
11:27 am on Thursday, September 13, 2012
What an odd comment. Do you have statisitcs to support this? I would presume that there would be more such acts among teachers simply because there are far more teachers in the USA than Catholic Priests. But do you have evidence that the rate is higher among teachers?
Joe
11:37 am on Thursday, September 13, 2012
Whats odd? google teachers molest students or any number of words to that effect and see for yourself. Do I have hard stats? No since no good liberal or union member would ever do that study since it would show who is more dangerous. The priests are enumerated over the years and it has stopped as far as we know. No new cases have been brought against priests that have occured in the recent past. Most of the priest cases were decades ago, teachers are being arrested almost monthly and the reports show that to be true. Just a short investigation of your own could show you the facts. Don;t be lazy.
google this teacher arrested for molesting student and see the 2,810,000 results
Joe
11:38 am on Thursday, September 13, 2012
EVETS, if you are not aware of the many many teachers being arrested for molesting their students you need to read more.
Evets
1:49 pm on Thursday, September 13, 2012
I see, so no evidence unless I find it myself? And I am lazy if I do not care to prove your claim for you? Interesting concept, make a claim and expect someone else to validate it.
VWK
2:17 pm on Thursday, September 13, 2012
PerryHallParent - great comment! Even with the best of planning, drills, etc. you can't plan out an emergency situation to the finest detail. Every situation is different and two gun incidents, one an actual shooting, IS unprecedented. I feel badly that our school system now has to take on the responsibility for law enforcement, in addition to their primary role of educating our children. They now have to spend precious dollars and man power on keeping our students safe, that should be spent on education. I think they've been very gracious in the wake of criticism, in not pointing their finger back at parents who have fallen down on the job when it comes to knowing what's going on with their child, letting them have access to guns, etc. Everyone should give them a break - this is new territory for all of us and they've done an excellent job so far.
Jimmy
11:54 am on Friday, September 14, 2012
Sure, they gave the SRO's a metal detector...but they can't use them. Police need Probable Cause to search anybody, including a student. At that point, why not just do a pat down? It's just as thorough and cost alot less.
Jim Jones
1:38 pm on Monday, September 17, 2012
Jimmy, police do not need probable cause to use a metal detector on anyone. Security guards at stadiums use them. Yes, they need probable cause, or reasonable articulable suspicion to dig in one's pockets or property, but not to scan them with a metal detector or to perform a simple pat down on exterior for weapons. As far as why not perform pat downs?? Weapons can be hidden in natural voids of the body(butt crack, etc.) Not to mention today's baggy clothing, or the multiple layers of clothing some kids wear these days would make it very easy for an officer to possible miss a weapon, expecially a small knife.
moe green
2:14 pm on Monday, September 17, 2012
A police officer cannot stop and search you without probable cause. In other words, if you're not legally under arrest, an officer of the law is not permitted to frisk you. However, probable cause can come in many forms. For example, if an officer received an anonymous tip that you were carrying a gun, they have the right to frisk you and confiscate the weapon. But, if the officer frisks you and feels something soft, that couldn't possibly be a gun, they have no right to seize the item, whether legal or illegal.
FIFA_archived
2:38 pm on Monday, September 17, 2012
moe, what is the name of the NYPD's program? Stop and Frisk?
http://www.ccrjustice.org/stopandfrisk
moe green
4:28 pm on Monday, September 17, 2012
Took me along time to remember the supreme court case.
1968
Terry v Ohio