safety of MCPS/Blair

[Anonymous]

My friend’s kids go there and love it; they don’t have any safety concerns. One child is in a magnet, one isn’t, and they both very happy with their classes, extra curricular, etc. We have kids who will go there in the next few years and I am concerned about the principal leaving.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Remember the kids often self-segregate and if you have a child in higher classes they will be sheltered more but it will be a huge culture shock for you and your child from private.

+1
I don't think you or your kid will like it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are debating switching from private to MCPS public for HS. One major concern is school safety. We are located for Montgomery Blair. Just heard of recent incidents there this week.
Can any current or past parents comment on frequency of "incidents", and have they been increasing in number? What does the school/mcps plan to do to improve the situation?
Do your kids feel safe at the school? TIA!

I have two kids in MCPS currently. One at Blair, which an older DD also attended. I think incidents are more publicized. Older DD attended Blair when a student was stabbed, but she attended MCPS for 13 years without even getting in a fistfight or being physically threatened.

My two kids currently in MCPS get put in SIP pretty regularly due to threats outside of the school building. These are usually over fast and don’t annoy them much.

One of them was in a brief girlfight in MS while walking home from TPMS. It was a random interaction with zero beef at school beforehand or afterwards. I’m actually not even sure the other tween attended TPMS since there’s SSIMS, DCPS, and private schools all dismissing into the same area at the same time.

My third (currently at Blair) has never had a fight in MCPS. I worry about him the most as a target.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 9th grade boy at Blair uses the bathroom without any trouble and doesn’t feel unsafe at school. This week’s incidents were:

1) one kid brought a pellet gun to school - it was quickly dealt with by school and police

2) one child was acting “erratically”. That child was taken to the nurse and then to the hospital in an ambulance.

My kid wasn’t aware of either incident until I told him. Those are the only things I can recall this year other than the bomb threats that went to several MCPS high schools and middle schools and were ultimately chalked up to a hoax perpetrated by a 12 year old.

He has never seen a fight in the hallway or, as previously mentioned, had any issues in the bathroom.

A ghost gun was brought onto campus at the beginning of this school year as well: https://wjla.com/news/local/ghost-gun-montgomery-blair-high-school-firearm-possession-school-property-safety-concerns-violence-county-police-mcpd-students-custody

It wasn't just the pellet gun. I thought there was a knife too?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a 9th grader and a 12th grader at Blair. Neither feels unsafe. They hadn’t even heard of the two incidents from yesterday.

They’ve been in public since middle school (we pulled them from private) and this kind of stuff just rolls off their backs. Part of going to a school of 3000+ and also living in Silver Spring and the DC metro area. They’re not afraid to go anywhere or do anything.

+1 I have a current Blair student and they were totally unaware of yesterday's incidents (a pellet gun/knife and a student behaving erratically, two separate incidents). Honestly, I'm not sure the second one would have warranted an email if Principal Johnson hadn't already been sending an email about the first.

My child feels very safe in school, and I've seen with my own eyes that bathrooms are open during the school day. With that said, it would be a huge adjustment for a lot of kids, particularly if OP is already worrying about the school and conveying that worry to their child.

[Anonymous]

Oh, and specifically to the question of whether incidents are increasing. Other than a spate of bomb threats across the county at the beginning of the school year, no.

I think that once the data is all counted up, the peak of security incidents on MCPS HS campuses will be last year. That was the year of multiple knife/gun/fighting incidents around the county (including at schools DCUM would like you to believe are immune to such things).

Honestly, the trend line seems to be toward fewer incidents this year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a 9th grader and a 12th grader at Blair. Neither feels unsafe. They hadn’t even heard of the two incidents from yesterday.

They’ve been in public since middle school (we pulled them from private) and this kind of stuff just rolls off their backs. Part of going to a school of 3000+ and also living in Silver Spring and the DC metro area. They’re not afraid to go anywhere or do anything.

And just to add my kids are in gen pop, not magnet programs. So not “sequestered” with any specific groups for classes.

[Anonymous]

DS, in regular classes, non-magnet, went to school there when the stabbing took place. Was nearby in PE and saw the commotion because PE kids called for help, but didn't see the incident. He was physically threatened a few times. A few friends over the years were actually hit by other students but I am pretty sure there were no real injuries. They did not go to the nurse or report the incidents. I don't know how "normal" this is.

I do think your child's experience boils down to some luck. Many kids will go through their 4 years with no issues but some kids can be randomly targeted like at any school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh, and specifically to the question of whether incidents are increasing. Other than a spate of bomb threats across the county at the beginning of the school year, no.

I think that once the data is all counted up, the peak of security incidents on MCPS HS campuses will be last year. That was the year of multiple knife/gun/fighting incidents around the county (including at schools DCUM would like you to believe are immune to such things).

Honestly, the trend line seems to be toward fewer incidents this year.

This is wishful, irresponsible thinking. Incidents have not dropped significantly. I agree last year was really bad, but the safety/security situation in MCPS high schools remains VERY concerning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh, and specifically to the question of whether incidents are increasing. Other than a spate of bomb threats across the county at the beginning of the school year, no.

I think that once the data is all counted up, the peak of security incidents on MCPS HS campuses will be last year. That was the year of multiple knife/gun/fighting incidents around the county (including at schools DCUM would like you to believe are immune to such things).

Honestly, the trend line seems to be toward fewer incidents this year.

This is wishful, irresponsible thinking. Incidents have not dropped significantly. I agree last year was really bad, but the safety/security situation in MCPS high schools remains VERY concerning.

I think Principal Johnson has handled these situations very well. I am sad she is retiring. I hope we don’t get an “under the rug sweeper” in her place.

[Anonymous]

I mean is it that different from any other public school in the area?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh, and specifically to the question of whether incidents are increasing. Other than a spate of bomb threats across the county at the beginning of the school year, no.

I think that once the data is all counted up, the peak of security incidents on MCPS HS campuses will be last year. That was the year of multiple knife/gun/fighting incidents around the county (including at schools DCUM would like you to believe are immune to such things).

Honestly, the trend line seems to be toward fewer incidents this year.

This is wishful, irresponsible thinking. Incidents have not dropped significantly. I agree last year was really bad, but the safety/security situation in MCPS high schools remains VERY concerning.

I think Principal Johnson has handled these situations very well. I am sad she is retiring. I hope we don’t get an “under the rug sweeper” in her place.

I do agree that Blair has really benefited from having a smart, capable, competent, communicative leader. Unfortunately, the rug sweepers appear to be a way more common occurrence in MCPS than leaders like Principal Johnson.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I mean is it that different from any other public school in the area?

It’s not.

[Anonymous]

you can use the police crime database to find specific to your school and for Blair the address shows as 1 BLK University

the database takes a bit of time to figure out, but it really is shocking the assaults that happen at our schools, and weapons brought to school too

go to column header "Place", click on the 3 lines, and type in school

https://data.montgomerycountymd.gov/Public-Safety/Crime/icn6-v9z3/data_preview

[Anonymous]

It seems completely fine. Sure, there are some posters with a political agenda who try to spin this crazy narrative, but if occasionally seeing someone vape doesn't freak your kid out, they will be fine.