Hoax Bomb Threat at Washington Latin

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A bomb threat AND impersonating another person is something a younger child knows is bad -- I don't care how much the prefrontal cortex is changing. Good for Latin for making a tough decision.

Nope, not tough, just expedient.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A bomb threat AND impersonating another person is something a younger child knows is bad -- I don't care how much the prefrontal cortex is changing. Good for Latin for making a tough decision.

They may KNOW its a bad idea and still be impulsive. When you are impulsive , you don't weigh things. You just DO. I can't tell you how many more times I have seen kids get in trouble for humor--not hate--humor in school. It is a sad day when the school does not have the capacity or initiative to turn that into a learning experience--with consequences, but also acknowledgment that the motive was not hateful but dumb/impulsive/attention seeking/ trying to make a bad joke. That IS education. I am very disappointed in Latin admin today.

Sending a dirty joke or naked picture would be examples of an impulsive act, this seems premeditated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A bomb threat AND impersonating another person is something a younger child knows is bad -- I don't care how much the prefrontal cortex is changing. Good for Latin for making a tough decision.

They may KNOW its a bad idea and still be impulsive. When you are impulsive , you don't weigh things. You just DO. I can't tell you how many more times I have seen kids get in trouble for humor--not hate--humor in school. It is a sad day when the school does not have the capacity or initiative to turn that into a learning experience--with consequences, but also acknowledgment that the motive was not hateful but dumb/impulsive/attention seeking/ trying to make a bad joke. That IS education. I am very disappointed in Latin admin today.

Sending a dirty joke or naked picture would be examples of an impulsive act, this seems premeditated.

Not sure how 'premeditated' since they happened upon an email that a student had failed to log out of and did it right then.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So this expulsion decision happened between Wed and Fri? 2 days?

Same day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So this expulsion decision happened between Wed and Fri? 2 days?

Same day.

The more I learn, the more I am disappointed in how the school handled this situation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A bomb threat AND impersonating another person is something a younger child knows is bad -- I don't care how much the prefrontal cortex is changing. Good for Latin for making a tough decision.

They may KNOW its a bad idea and still be impulsive. When you are impulsive , you don't weigh things. You just DO. I can't tell you how many more times I have seen kids get in trouble for humor--not hate--humor in school. It is a sad day when the school does not have the capacity or initiative to turn that into a learning experience--with consequences, but also acknowledgment that the motive was not hateful but dumb/impulsive/attention seeking/ trying to make a bad joke. That IS education. I am very disappointed in Latin admin today.

Sending a dirty joke or naked picture would be examples of an impulsive act, this seems premeditated.

So.. let me get this straight...you think these two woke up that morning, put on their socks and headed to school intending to give this fellow (did they even know his religion?) a hard time and hey presto, his computer was open?

[Anonymous]

All of these posters who are swiftly coming to the defense of these two "pranksters" are the reason why these kids NEVER mature. Parents are so quick to swoop in and fix whatever problem Jr. got himself into. Making mistakes, failing, losing the full-ride to Princeton are all learning experiences that children need to go through to become functioning adults. College students are now calling their parents 24/7 because they are incapable of making any decisions for themselves. Just maybe these two kids will not have their lives irreparably damaged. Have you ever considered that the expulsion may actually positively impact their lives? Maybe they've learned to be more compassionate and empathetic. Would these life lessons be learned if mommy bailed them out and somehow lobbied their children to stay in Latin?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Okay some perspective about this bomb threat. I mentioned it to my DH who is a LEO here in the city. He said that there has been a rush of bomb threats at all most all the high schools, Wilson, Ballou, McKinley a couple in the counties. It's some kind prank that's making its way among the teens. The bomb threats have gotten so frequent that they aren't even evacuating the school's when the calls come in. The threats are however still investigated. He is afraid that at some point here will be a real threat, but no evacuation

I didn't finish my statement. I want to know if Larin was evacuated upon hearing the threat.

Not evacuated. The head of school is quoted as saying she never thought it was a real threat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All of these posters who are swiftly coming to the defense of these two "pranksters" are the reason why these kids NEVER mature. Parents are so quick to swoop in and fix whatever problem Jr. got himself into. Making mistakes, failing, losing the full-ride to Princeton are all learning experiences that children need to go through to become functioning adults. College students are now calling their parents 24/7 because they are incapable of making any decisions for themselves. Just maybe these two kids will not have their lives irreparably damaged. Have you ever considered that the expulsion may actually positively impact their lives? Maybe they've learned to be more compassionate and empathetic. Would these life lessons be learned if mommy bailed them out and somehow lobbied their children to stay in Latin?

Yeah, OK. The school can call it how they want to, and I think they called this wrong. I also don't think these mommies and daddies were lobbying WL. These are not 'high powered kids' from 'high powered families'. I'm guessing the kids themselves hoped the school, which knew them, would give credence to their intentions not being as malicious as made out on this board. Pretty sure the kids were lobbying for themselves and not heard. But I do hope in your future life, someone helps you 'grow' when you mess up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Okay some perspective about this bomb threat. I mentioned it to my DH who is a LEO here in the city. He said that there has been a rush of bomb threats at all most all the high schools, Wilson, Ballou, McKinley a couple in the counties. It's some kind prank that's making its way among the teens. The bomb threats have gotten so frequent that they aren't even evacuating the school's when the calls come in. The threats are however still investigated. He is afraid that at some point here will be a real threat, but no evacuation

I didn't finish my statement. I want to know if Larin was evacuated upon hearing the threat.

Not evacuated. The head of school is quoted as saying she never thought it was a real threat.

None of the schools are being evacuated with these bomb threats, because like Cutts, nobody considers them real threats.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All of these posters who are swiftly coming to the defense of these two "pranksters" are the reason why these kids NEVER mature. Parents are so quick to swoop in and fix whatever problem Jr. got himself into. Making mistakes, failing, losing the full-ride to Princeton are all learning experiences that children need to go through to become functioning adults. College students are now calling their parents 24/7 because they are incapable of making any decisions for themselves. Just maybe these two kids will not have their lives irreparably damaged. Have you ever considered that the expulsion may actually positively impact their lives? Maybe they've learned to be more compassionate and empathetic. Would these life lessons be learned if mommy bailed them out and somehow lobbied their children to stay in Latin?

And how old are your children PP?

[Anonymous]

I am a WL parent of a high school student and fully support the school's decision. My understanding from my own kid is that it has not been uncommon for "joke" emails to be sent from student accounts accidentally left open. Latin works hard to teach its students proper internet safety and etiquette. I would guess that this joke bomb threat---coupled with a complete lack of appreciation for how such a threat could potentially affect the Muslim student from whose account it was sent, was the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. Latin needed to send a message to its entire student body.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a WL parent of a high school student and fully support the school's decision. My understanding from my own kid is that it has not been uncommon for "joke" emails to be sent from student accounts accidentally left open. Latin works hard to teach its students proper internet safety and etiquette. I would guess that this joke bomb threat---coupled with a complete lack of appreciation for how such a threat could potentially affect the Muslim student from whose account it was sent, was the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. Latin needed to send a message to its entire student body.

Since it is not uncommon for the students to use other students email accounts and send out joke emails, what type of emails did the school not take action?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a WL parent of a high school student and fully support the school's decision. My understanding from my own kid is that it has not been uncommon for "joke" emails to be sent from student accounts accidentally left open. Latin works hard to teach its students proper internet safety and etiquette. I would guess that this joke bomb threat---coupled with a complete lack of appreciation for how such a threat could potentially affect the Muslim student from whose account it was sent, was the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. Latin needed to send a message to its entire student body.

Interesting PP. So how were previous "jokes" treated?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a WL parent of a high school student and fully support the school's decision. My understanding from my own kid is that it has not been uncommon for "joke" emails to be sent from student accounts accidentally left open. Latin works hard to teach its students proper internet safety and etiquette. I would guess that this joke bomb threat---coupled with a complete lack of appreciation for how such a threat could potentially affect the Muslim student from whose account it was sent, was the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. Latin needed to send a message to its entire student body.

Since it is not uncommon for the students to use other students email accounts and send out joke emails, what type of emails did the school not take action?

Hey, or how about fixing the problem of accounts accidentally left open? Two days later!? If I were the victim's parents, I'd consider action against the school.