Hoax Bomb Threat at Washington Latin

[Anonymous]

The proportionality of this really bothers me. We have kids in DC doing the knock out game. These were college bound kids who did one horrendous "joke" email on the heels of other joke emails that were reportedly not admonished and are derailed from potentially productive life tracks they were on. What do we want in society? Them on the streets? Is there a way to support them- vigil? Fundraiser? Let this die down? Is anyone truly helping them? I have a hard time understanding how the same admin that delivered this punishment could also be helping them in a meaningful way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The proportionality of this really bothers me. We have kids in DC doing the knock out game. These were college bound kids who did one horrendous "joke" email on the heels of other joke emails that were reportedly not admonished and are derailed from potentially productive life tracks they were on. What do we want in society? Them on the streets? Is there a way to support them- vigil? Fundraiser? Let this die down? Is anyone truly helping them? I have a hard time understanding how the same admin that delivered this punishment could also be helping them in a meaningful way.

A vigil and fundraiser for kids who threatened to bomb a school?! Have you lost your mind?!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The proportionality of this really bothers me. We have kids in DC doing the knock out game. These were college bound kids who did one horrendous "joke" email on the heels of other joke emails that were reportedly not admonished and are derailed from potentially productive life tracks they were on. What do we want in society? Them on the streets? Is there a way to support them- vigil? Fundraiser? Let this die down? Is anyone truly helping them? I have a hard time understanding how the same admin that delivered this punishment could also be helping them in a meaningful way.

A vigil and fundraiser for kids who threatened to bomb a school?! Have you lost your mind?!!

Seriously. I agree with your point, re: proportionality. But then you went way off the rails.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lol. You don't know much about private schools.

I attended private k-12 and beyond as did DH. They were top NE schools and were notorious for kicking people out for small infractions.

I doubt second and third generation trust fund/legacy kids were kicked out for first offenses.

A bomb threat isn't the same thing as putting a frog in the principal's office.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lol. You don't know much about private schools.

I attended private k-12 and beyond as did DH. They were top NE schools and were notorious for kicking people out for small infractions.

Unless they were the children of prominent parents.

St Albans kicked out VP Gore's son.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The students have started a petition on behalf of the expelled boys, asking the school to convert the expulsion to a suspension with conditions. As a parent of a student at WL, I hope they succeed. Perhaps the learning lesson WL is trying to convey to its student body is that the school will no longer tolerate such pranks and the usage of others email accounts, and thus they (students) have now been duly warned. However, because the school has allowed such behavior to go on for years, and the boys do not have a disciplinary history, WL will exhibit leniency this one and only time. In the future, everyone is warned that similar acts are tantamount to an expulsion.

But in any event, Princeton (or whatever colleges they were admitted to) is history.

I wouldn't think that the bomb threateners are exactly Princeton material now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The proportionality of this really bothers me. We have kids in DC doing the knock out game. These were college bound kids who did one horrendous "joke" email on the heels of other joke emails that were reportedly not admonished and are derailed from potentially productive life tracks they were on. What do we want in society? Them on the streets? Is there a way to support them- vigil? Fundraiser? Let this die down? Is anyone truly helping them? I have a hard time understanding how the same admin that delivered this punishment could also be helping them in a meaningful way.

A vigil and fundraiser for kids who threatened to bomb a school?! Have you lost your mind?!!

In my heart of hearts I think they made a bad joke. This is not proportional and its really bothering me. I have parented a teenager ans cannot imagine what their families are going through.

[Anonymous]

Every year smart aleck US high school and college kids on European trips land in Germany, walk up to the immigration counter, click their heels, raise their hands in salute and say "Heil Hitler." All of this is illegal under German law. They are promptly arrested and taken to jail. They may claim it's a joke, but "jokes" have consequences. Try joking about having a bomb next time you're boarding a plane, for example.

[Anonymous]

Yes, I BELIEVE you--jokes have consequences. I don't actually want to google bomb threat, but wonder if anyone has actually had their entire life ruined over the proverbial silly 'bomb' comment in an airport. My guess is not if it was a flip joke. Maybe inconveniences, but entire life ruined?

Jokes also bright light and laughter to people's lives. Sometimes impulsive teens struggle with where the line is between a good and a vey unfortunate joke. My issue is that these kids got expelled and lives irrevocably changed. I would expect a small, responsive school like WL could counsel them yes, punish them yes, but not blast them out of the water. That breaks my trust. It's really hard for me right now to look at the school as a whole the same.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, I BELIEVE you--jokes have consequences. I don't actually want to google bomb threat, but wonder if anyone has actually had their entire life ruined over the proverbial silly 'bomb' comment in an airport. My guess is not if it was a flip joke. Maybe inconveniences, but entire life ruined?

Jokes also bright light and laughter to people's lives. Sometimes impulsive teens struggle with where the line is between a good and a vey unfortunate joke. My issue is that these kids got expelled and lives irrevocably changed. I would expect a small, responsive school like WL could counsel them yes, punish them yes, but not blast them out of the water. That breaks my trust. It's really hard for me right now to look at the school as a whole the same.

An arrest and jail time for a bomb threat are not an "inconvenience."

How exactly have these former Latin students had their "entire lives ruined"? They are lucky that they are not being charged criminally.

[Anonymous]

I don't think people who make a flip joke at the airport are jailed. Detained, questions, maybe miss their flights, released. This internal email on a list serve where jokes were common strikes me that way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, I BELIEVE you--jokes have consequences. I don't actually want to google bomb threat, but wonder if anyone has actually had their entire life ruined over the proverbial silly 'bomb' comment in an airport. My guess is not if it was a flip joke. Maybe inconveniences, but entire life ruined?

Jokes also bright light and laughter to people's lives. Sometimes impulsive teens struggle with where the line is between a good and a vey unfortunate joke. My issue is that these kids got expelled and lives irrevocably changed. I would expect a small, responsive school like WL could counsel them yes, punish them yes, but not blast them out of the water. That breaks my trust. It's really hard for me right now to look at the school as a whole the same.

Truly, their lives don't have to be ruined by their punishment. That is up to them and at this point the adults in their lives. If the adults are supporting them and giving them guidance on how to learn from this, they can rebound and go on to college and successful careers. The irrevocable change can be for the good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't think people who make a flip joke at the airport are jailed. Detained, questions, maybe miss their flights, released. This internal email on a list serve where jokes were common strikes me that way.

Believe me, people are prosecuted. and their names also wind up on a no-fly list.

[Anonymous]

It's too bad that this will impact college admissions, but I've heard of admission offers withdrawn over a suspension for drinking. Most colleges won't want to take a chance on someone who's been expelled for making a bomb threat.

[Anonymous]

Given the amount of drinking on college campuses, that's a bit rich of them.