Sue Hartigan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
Really sad that it has come to this. :(
Indiana Schools Search for Weapons
> INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- Ray Marr didn't seem to mind having
> to prove he wasn't carrying any guns or knives on his
> way to School No. 84, where he is in the fifth grade.
>
> Ray got scanned with a handheld metal detector -- and
> passed with flying colors.
>
> ``They just took me out here and made me spread out my
> arms and they just rubbed the thing on my body. It
> didn't hurt,'' said Ray. ``I think it's a good idea
> because kids shouldn't be bringing things like that to
> school.''
>
> That was the idea behind the Indianapolis Public
> Schools' first elementary school weapons search, the
> first of three this week for the district's youngest
> pupils. Wednesday's check turned up no guns, knives or
> weapons of any kind.
>
> Ray and about 100 of his classmates were searched by
> school police Wednesday morning as they filed off two
> school buses in front of School No. 84.
>
> High school students and youngsters in middle schools
> already are familiar with the sweeps, as the school
> system has had a weapons search policy for seven years.
> But the searches recently were extended to the
> district's 52 elementary schools.
>
> The policy was revised after two 8-year-old pupils were
> arrested last month for carrying handguns to school. One
> said he brought the gun for protection, and the other
> allegedly pointed a gun at a classmate because she was
> teasing him. A third youngster was arrested earlier in
> the school year with a gun.
>
> Gabby Gaither, one of the 300 or so pupils who attend
> School No. 84, said the search makes her feel safer.
>
> ``I wasn't really worried before, but it makes me feel
> even safer,'' she said.
>
> Parents and teachers were less enthusiastic, even as
> they acknowledged the need for searches.
>
> ``I'm worried because it's happened twice and children
> talk about guns,'' said Deana Johnson, head of the
> school's parent-teacher association. ``This is going to
> help. It breaks my heart that it's come to this.''
>
> Under the sweep policy, lotteries will decide which
> schools will be searched. The sweeps will be conducted
> as the youngsters walk to school or are dropped off by
> parents, as well as on school buses and in schools.
>
> Schools Superintendent Duncan Pat Pritchett said the
> searches are necessary to protect the safety of
> students, teachers and other staff.
>
> ``It's a sad situation, but at the same time it made me
> feel good from the standpoint that we know that the
> issue is out there because we've seen it in our
> schools,'' he said. ``At least we're taking a stand that
> says we're not going to tolerate it anymore.''
--
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1. Don't tell people everything you know.
2.
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