Blake High School - incident report

[Anonymous]

Received email from the principal that security stopped several students from a different school from entering the building. What she failed to mention is that these students had also successfully entered the school on Friday. My child had seen several photos that kids took showing 3 people with ski masks on, dressed in black in the hallways. These photos were taken on Friday. He mentioned another kid asking for a hall pass to go to the restroom and the teacher told them they could not leave since he heard some commotion happening. He also said that the mood at the school was odd and after the incident happened today, everything started making sense to him. The only reason a notice went out is because the police were called, but clearly, MCPS, once again failed to secure the building and failed to be transparent.

Good afternoon,
I am writing to inform you about an incident that occurred today, Tuesday, December 05, 2023, around 12:00 p.m. As a security assistant was monitoring the campus, he stopped several students who were not Blake students from trying to enter our school building. Our Community Engagement Officer (CEO) was on campus at the time and immediately began to assist with the situation as well as engaging with other Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD) officers. We will continue to consult with the MCPD and the MCPS Department of Systemwide Safety and Emergency Management (DSSEM). While there was no disruption to the operation of our building, I wanted to share this information with you as your student may have noticed the police presence on campus.

Lastly, I want to commend our security team for their vigilance and swift actions to ensure the safety of our school. Classes and other activities continued as planned and we continue to monitor our exterior doors. Safety and security is our priority.

Sincerely,

Shanay A. Snead

[Anonymous]

Whoa. So how do we know that these kids who got in on Friday are the same ones that attempted to enter the building today?

Also, what did they do when they entered the building on Friday? Just walk around?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Whoa. So how do we know that these kids who got in on Friday are the same ones that attempted to enter the building today?

Also, what did they do when they entered the building on Friday? Just walk around?

Drug deal or gang activity. Pick your favorite nightmare scenario.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Whoa. So how do we know that these kids who got in on Friday are the same ones that attempted to enter the building today?

Also, what did they do when they entered the building on Friday? Just walk around?

The police probably questioned them, slapped them on their wrist and then sent them on their merry way. I thought school doors are supposed to be locked during the day, but evidently we don't learn so they are not.

[Anonymous]

I have a kid at Blake and didn’t know about the Friday incident — thanks for sharing that, OP. That’s scary!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Whoa. So how do we know that these kids who got in on Friday are the same ones that attempted to enter the building today?

Also, what did they do when they entered the building on Friday? Just walk around?

The police probably questioned them, slapped them on their wrist and then sent them on their merry way. I thought school doors are supposed to be locked during the day, but evidently we don't learn so they are not.

Doors are locked. It’s kids letting in other kids. There are more doors than security- they can’t cover everything all the time. And with cell phones, it’s too easy for a kid to text another kid to be let in. Happens in other schools too.

[Anonymous]

On Friday someone left the door open by the gym. Not clear if intentional or not.
One of the students was a previous student.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a kid at Blake and didn’t know about the Friday incident — thanks for sharing that, OP. That’s scary!

Same and mine seems to usually know what’s going on. Even is she doesn’t see something she always seems to get videos. I’m going to check her phone tonight.

[Anonymous]

my kid goes to blake and showed me some of the photos of the trespassers. it's true they are wearing ski masks and all black. It's a shame that it's so hard to secure a building.

[Anonymous]

I really hope they were just going into hang out with their friends and not due to any nefarious activities. Back when I was in high school, I remember that kids from other schools would come to our school to visit their boyfriends or girlfriends or friends. I know, it’s dumb and naïve to think this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Whoa. So how do we know that these kids who got in on Friday are the same ones that attempted to enter the building today?

Also, what did they do when they entered the building on Friday? Just walk around?

The police probably questioned them, slapped them on their wrist and then sent them on their merry way. I thought school doors are supposed to be locked during the day, but evidently we don't learn so they are not.

Doors can only be locked from the outside. Nothing stopping a student from letting someone in.

[Anonymous]

Parents, don’t rest on “can’t secure all the doors.”

Yes they can and they must!

For decades, emergency doors had alarms when opened.

And there are motion sensor cameras even for private use so they can certainly adapt for door coverage.

Demand safety. At minimum, start with wiring done at the schools to protect the students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I really hope they were just going into hang out with their friends and not due to any nefarious activities. Back when I was in high school, I remember that kids from other schools would come to our school to visit their boyfriends or girlfriends or friends. I know, it’s dumb and naïve to think this.

Unfortunately now, it’s usually related to drugs or gangs. The kids almost seem to see the school as a safe place to distribute drugs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Whoa. So how do we know that these kids who got in on Friday are the same ones that attempted to enter the building today?

Also, what did they do when they entered the building on Friday? Just walk around?

The police probably questioned them, slapped them on their wrist and then sent them on their merry way. I thought school doors are supposed to be locked during the day, but evidently we don't learn so they are not.

Doors are locked. It’s kids letting in other kids. There are more doors than security- they can’t cover everything all the time. And with cell phones, it’s too easy for a kid to text another kid to be let in. Happens in other schools too.

Agree. We need more security staff at all the high schools. Our high school had this last year when kids from another school entered the school and were robbed in the bathroom.

More security and more concrete consequences so that the security personnel/school admin can actually hold kids accountable for their actions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Parents, don’t rest on “can’t secure all the doors.”

Yes they can and they must!

For decades, emergency doors had alarms when opened.

And there are motion sensor cameras even for private use so they can certainly adapt for door coverage.

Demand safety. At minimum, start with wiring done at the schools to protect the students.

No, they can't. Or at least they can't without giving a lot of money to companies that sell "security", and turning a school building into a high-security building. I think education funding should go to education, not to the "security" industry.