Ramsey Elementary, Alexandria: Bullied eight year old leaves school unnoticed; stranger helps

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This eight year old child was dropped off by her parent and entered the elementary school that day, leaving the class and school un-noticed (for whatever driven reason).

This may have ended tragically had not a Good Samaritan intervened and called the police. Let's not loose sight of that point and hold the parent's responsible.

Surely it would have been a newsworthy story if she had died. It is no less a newsworthy story that, with guardian angel help, she lived.

This is not a life-or-death situation. It's an 8 year old walking home from school in broad daylight at 9:15 AM. Sheesh. Do you expect that a school has posted guards at every entrance? The child should be scolded for leaving the school building without permission, and the administrators need to investigate the alleged bullying incident.

+1.
Also, I wish people would stop making a big deal out of this at least until an investigation figures out the real story.

[Anonymous]

I saw the parents interviewed, they didn't seem upset with their child at all. We've all seen our kids schools, it would be very easy to walk out a back/side door unnoticed. The question may be: why did it take an hour to realize she was missing?

[Anonymous]

Is it too much to expect that this girl's teacher might have noticed that she was missing? I have a nine year old and I'd hope her teacher would notice she was missing from class after seeing her earlier in the day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is it too much to expect that this girl's teacher might have noticed that she was missing? I have a nine year old and I'd hope her teacher would notice she was missing from class after seeing her earlier in the day.

My friend's kindergartener left school without anyone noticing. He walked home, climbed a tree and sat there until he saw a neighbor he knew and got his attention. The school was unaware until my friend found out (from the neighbor). This is in a good school in a wealthy suburb of Boston. Crap like this can happen anywhere.

[Anonymous]

This girl looks young and perhaps a bit immature for her age; this could have ended very badly if not for the Good Samaritan.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This eight year old child was dropped off by her parent and entered the elementary school that day, leaving the class and school un-noticed (for whatever driven reason).

This may have ended tragically had not a Good Samaritan intervened and called the police. Let's not loose sight of that point and hold the parent's responsible.

Surely it would have been a newsworthy story if she had died. It is no less a newsworthy story that, with guardian angel help, she lived.

This is not a life-or-death situation. It's an 8 year old walking home from school in broad daylight at 9:15 AM. Sheesh. Do you expect that a school has posted guards at every entrance? The child should be scolded for leaving the school building without permission, and the administrators need to investigate the alleged bullying incident.

So you wouldn't be livid if this were your child? Seriously?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This eight year old child was dropped off by her parent and entered the elementary school that day, leaving the class and school un-noticed (for whatever driven reason).

This may have ended tragically had not a Good Samaritan intervened and called the police. Let's not loose sight of that point and hold the parent's responsible.

Surely it would have been a newsworthy story if she had died. It is no less a newsworthy story that, with guardian angel help, she lived.

This is not a life-or-death situation. It's an 8 year old walking home from school in broad daylight at 9:15 AM. Sheesh. Do you expect that a school has posted guards at every entrance? The child should be scolded for leaving the school building without permission, and the administrators need to investigate the alleged bullying incident.

I'm surprised to read this. An eight year old out on busy Beauregard Street and it's intersections? What if she tried to cross and got hit by a car? What if she had wondered a tenth of a mile in back of Ramsey to Holmes Run, either the Trial or the Stream? What if instead of helpful person aiding her, she was picked up by a bad person, injuring or kidnapping her? The later occurs all the time; many, many examples of fowl play with children.

When she was out there, it was a life or death situation. Any parent knows that. It's only in retrospect we see otherwise.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This eight year old child was dropped off by her parent and entered the elementary school that day, leaving the class and school un-noticed (for whatever driven reason).

This may have ended tragically had not a Good Samaritan intervened and called the police. Let's not loose sight of that point and hold the parent's responsible.

Surely it would have been a newsworthy story if she had died. It is no less a newsworthy story that, with guardian angel help, she lived.

This is not a life-or-death situation. It's an 8 year old walking home from school in broad daylight at 9:15 AM. Sheesh. Do you expect that a school has posted guards at every entrance? The child should be scolded for leaving the school building without permission, and the administrators need to investigate the alleged bullying incident.

So you wouldn't be livid if this were your child? Seriously?

I would be livid with my child. Absolutely. An 8 year old knows better than to leave school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This eight year old child was dropped off by her parent and entered the elementary school that day, leaving the class and school un-noticed (for whatever driven reason).

This may have ended tragically had not a Good Samaritan intervened and called the police. Let's not loose sight of that point and hold the parent's responsible.

Surely it would have been a newsworthy story if she had died. It is no less a newsworthy story that, with guardian angel help, she lived.

This is not a life-or-death situation. It's an 8 year old walking home from school in broad daylight at 9:15 AM. Sheesh. Do you expect that a school has posted guards at every entrance? The child should be scolded for leaving the school building without permission, and the administrators need to investigate the alleged bullying incident.

I'm surprised to read this. An eight year old out on busy Beauregard Street and it's intersections? What if she tried to cross and got hit by a car? What if she had wondered a tenth of a mile in back of Ramsey to Holmes Run, either the Trial or the Stream? What if instead of helpful person aiding her, she was picked up by a bad person, injuring or kidnapping her? The later occurs all the time; many, many examples of fowl play with children.

When she was out there, it was a life or death situation. Any parent knows that. It's only in retrospect we see otherwise.

Stranger abduction certainly does not happen "all the time". It is extraordinarily rare. An 8year old should know how to cross a street. Beauregard St has crosswalks. It was broad daylight. The child should not have left school, but let's not over exaggerate the risk here.

[Anonymous]

How do you know if this eight year old could time the lights right? We can't get in her mind. Beauregard is a very busy street. How many eight year olds are ever left alone to cross it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This eight year old child was dropped off by her parent and entered the elementary school that day, leaving the class and school un-noticed (for whatever driven reason).

This may have ended tragically had not a Good Samaritan intervened and called the police. Let's not loose sight of that point and hold the parent's responsible.

Surely it would have been a newsworthy story if she had died. It is no less a newsworthy story that, with guardian angel help, she lived.

This is not a life-or-death situation. It's an 8 year old walking home from school in broad daylight at 9:15 AM. Sheesh. Do you expect that a school has posted guards at every entrance? The child should be scolded for leaving the school building without permission, and the administrators need to investigate the alleged bullying incident.

So you wouldn't be livid if this were your child? Seriously?

I would be extremely upset with my child. I would be annoyed with the school, level of annoyance depending on whether the 'bullying' turned out to be a real and extreme thing. My kid should know better than that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why did these people go running to the news?

Maybe it's the only way they could get the school system to take them seriously?

I would be disinclined to help someone who went whining to the news if I were in a position of authority. Are you kidding me?

Maybe they were disinclined to help the family in the first place, which led the parents to notify the media.

Local rumor is that the principal and the ACPS central office essentially said, couldn't care less. Only after trying unsuccessfully for some answer, any answer, did the parents talk to the media, or at least that's the story.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why did these people go running to the news?

Maybe it's the only way they could get the school system to take them seriously?

I would be disinclined to help someone who went whining to the news if I were in a position of authority. Are you kidding me?

Maybe they were disinclined to help the family in the first place, which led the parents to notify the media.

Local rumor is that the principal and the ACPS central office essentially said, couldn't care less. Only after trying unsuccessfully for some answer, any answer, did the parents talk to the media, or at least that's the story.

Good. I am glad they did. I could totally see ACPS not taking this seriously.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This eight year old child was dropped off by her parent and entered the elementary school that day, leaving the class and school un-noticed (for whatever driven reason).

This may have ended tragically had not a Good Samaritan intervened and called the police. Let's not loose sight of that point and hold the parent's responsible.

Surely it would have been a newsworthy story if she had died. It is no less a newsworthy story that, with guardian angel help, she lived.

This is not a life-or-death situation. It's an 8 year old walking home from school in broad daylight at 9:15 AM. Sheesh. Do you expect that a school has posted guards at every entrance? The child should be scolded for leaving the school building without permission, and the administrators need to investigate the alleged bullying incident.

I'm surprised to read this. An eight year old out on busy Beauregard Street and it's intersections? What if she tried to cross and got hit by a car? What if she had wondered a tenth of a mile in back of Ramsey to Holmes Run, either the Trial or the Stream? What if instead of helpful person aiding her, she was picked up by a bad person, injuring or kidnapping her? The later occurs all the time; many, many examples of fowl play with children.

When she was out there, it was a life or death situation. Any parent knows that. It's only in retrospect we see otherwise.

Um, she is 8, not 3.

I'm not big on the whole "FREE RANGE KIDS" bit, but even I know an 8 yo is capable of crossing a street and not wandering into a stream. Give me a break and stop sounding so unhinged.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why did these people go running to the news?

Maybe it's the only way they could get the school system to take them seriously?

I would be disinclined to help someone who went whining to the news if I were in a position of authority. Are you kidding me?

Maybe they were disinclined to help the family in the first place, which led the parents to notify the media.

Local rumor is that the principal and the ACPS central office essentially said, couldn't care less. Only after trying unsuccessfully for some answer, any answer, did the parents talk to the media, or at least that's the story.

This still doesn't answer my question. How does "alert the media" accomplish anything? Except make you look like a fool parent?