Herndon High

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s really something else to see how far Herndon High families are going to pretend this murder didn’t happen and that gang violence isn’t a HUGE problem at their school. The cognitive dissonance is off the charts.

I don't think you have any basis to claim gang violence is a huge problem "at" HHS. The schools are typically considered the safe havens even when there is violence outside of school hours.

Recall years ago when a kid was murdered in the parking lot at Marshall HS. He had been chased out of Pimmit Hills by an Asian gang and was trying to get to Marshall because he thought he'd be safe there.

Lots of weird stuff has happened involving Langley students and staff over the years, too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s really something else to see how far Herndon High families are going to pretend this murder didn’t happen and that gang violence isn’t a HUGE problem at their school. The cognitive dissonance is off the charts.

I don't think you have any basis to claim gang violence is a huge problem "at" HHS. The schools are typically considered the safe havens even when there is violence outside of school hours.

Recall years ago when a kid was murdered in the parking lot at Marshall HS. He had been chased out of Pimmit Hills by an Asian gang and was trying to get to Marshall because he thought he'd be safe there.

Lots of weird stuff has happened involving Langley students and staff over the years, too.

Why keep bringing up Langley when the kid was receiving death threats from Herndon High classmates and was likely murdered by a Herndon High classmate? I don’t see the Langley connection to the gang violence issue, but maybe I missed that connection somewhere?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s really something else to see how far Herndon High families are going to pretend this murder didn’t happen and that gang violence isn’t a HUGE problem at their school. The cognitive dissonance is off the charts.

I don't think you have any basis to claim gang violence is a huge problem "at" HHS. The schools are typically considered the safe havens even when there is violence outside of school hours.

Recall years ago when a kid was murdered in the parking lot at Marshall HS. He had been chased out of Pimmit Hills by an Asian gang and was trying to get to Marshall because he thought he'd be safe there.

Lots of weird stuff has happened involving Langley students and staff over the years, too.

Why keep bringing up Langley when the kid was receiving death threats from Herndon High classmates and was likely murdered by a Herndon High classmate? I don’t see the Langley connection to the gang violence issue, but maybe I missed that connection somewhere?

You don't need to be a rocket scientist to know where some of these posts originate.

[Anonymous]

I am a Herndon parent. Yes, the student crime outside of school is alarming and sad. My kid is aware of it, but it has not affected them at all. They do not know any of the students involved. Their friend group and parents are not discussing it either. I am just being honest. Yes, the principal’s email was not clear as to what had really happened. I was dissapointed in that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a Herndon parent. Yes, the student crime outside of school is alarming and sad. My kid is aware of it, but it has not affected them at all. They do not know any of the students involved. Their friend group and parents are not discussing it either. I am just being honest. Yes, the principal’s email was not clear as to what had really happened. I was dissapointed in that.

We are a Chantilly family. A few years ago, our kids started talking about how different groups hang out in different areas before school starts. One hall was the gang area. Our kids had no interaction--and, this certainly could be an exaggeration on their part. But, I am certain this is somewhat of a school within a school situation.

The school system does need to acknowledge this and try to address it. We hear an awful lot about drugs, but not so much about gangs.

But, I would not be concerned about my child's safety there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a Herndon parent. Yes, the student crime outside of school is alarming and sad. My kid is aware of it, but it has not affected them at all. They do not know any of the students involved. Their friend group and parents are not discussing it either. I am just being honest. Yes, the principal’s email was not clear as to what had really happened. I was dissapointed in that.

We are a Chantilly family. A few years ago, our kids started talking about how different groups hang out in different areas before school starts. One hall was the gang area. Our kids had no interaction--and, this certainly could be an exaggeration on their part. But, I am certain this is somewhat of a school within a school situation.

The school system does need to acknowledge this and try to address it. We hear an awful lot about drugs, but not so much about gangs.

But, I would not be concerned about my child's safety there.

Just stay off the gang’s turf in the school. That sounds really safe lol.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a Herndon parent. Yes, the student crime outside of school is alarming and sad. My kid is aware of it, but it has not affected them at all. They do not know any of the students involved. Their friend group and parents are not discussing it either. I am just being honest. Yes, the principal’s email was not clear as to what had really happened. I was dissapointed in that.

We are a Chantilly family. A few years ago, our kids started talking about how different groups hang out in different areas before school starts. One hall was the gang area. Our kids had no interaction--and, this certainly could be an exaggeration on their part. But, I am certain this is somewhat of a school within a school situation.

The school system does need to acknowledge this and try to address it. We hear an awful lot about drugs, but not so much about gangs.

But, I would not be concerned about my child's safety there.

Just stay off the gang’s turf in the school. That sounds really safe lol.

Years ago, I belonged to a discussion board. Broad range of topics. Some of the women posting were teachers. I still remember one saying that the school community had become so used to murder and violence, that they were unconcerned if something happened around the corner or across the street. They were only concerned about safety when incidents happened in the building or in their parking lot.

Later she moved to a safer school in a different state and was blown away by how numb she had gotten to that level of violence.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a Herndon parent. Yes, the student crime outside of school is alarming and sad. My kid is aware of it, but it has not affected them at all. They do not know any of the students involved. Their friend group and parents are not discussing it either. I am just being honest. Yes, the principal’s email was not clear as to what had really happened. I was dissapointed in that.

We are a Chantilly family. A few years ago, our kids started talking about how different groups hang out in different areas before school starts. One hall was the gang area. Our kids had no interaction--and, this certainly could be an exaggeration on their part. But, I am certain this is somewhat of a school within a school situation.

The school system does need to acknowledge this and try to address it. We hear an awful lot about drugs, but not so much about gangs.

But, I would not be concerned about my child's safety there.

Just stay off the gang’s turf in the school. That sounds really safe lol.

Years ago, I belonged to a discussion board. Broad range of topics. Some of the women posting were teachers. I still remember one saying that the school community had become so used to murder and violence, that they were unconcerned if something happened around the corner or across the street. They were only concerned about safety when incidents happened in the building or in their parking lot.

Later she moved to a safer school in a different state and was blown away by how numb she had gotten to that level of violence.

Perhaps the community indifference to gang violence is a big reason that Herndon High has a gang violence issue?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a Herndon parent. Yes, the student crime outside of school is alarming and sad. My kid is aware of it, but it has not affected them at all. They do not know any of the students involved. Their friend group and parents are not discussing it either. I am just being honest. Yes, the principal’s email was not clear as to what had really happened. I was dissapointed in that.

This kind of response, from a parent at the school, is why nothing changes at a school like this. “The email was disappointing.” “My kid doesn’t care.” Yikes

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a Herndon parent. Yes, the student crime outside of school is alarming and sad. My kid is aware of it, but it has not affected them at all. They do not know any of the students involved. Their friend group and parents are not discussing it either. I am just being honest. Yes, the principal’s email was not clear as to what had really happened. I was dissapointed in that.

This kind of response, from a parent at the school, is why nothing changes at a school like this. “The email was disappointing.” “My kid doesn’t care.” Yikes

What do you suggest a parent or student at Herndon do in this scenario?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a Herndon parent. Yes, the student crime outside of school is alarming and sad. My kid is aware of it, but it has not affected them at all. They do not know any of the students involved. Their friend group and parents are not discussing it either. I am just being honest. Yes, the principal’s email was not clear as to what had really happened. I was dissapointed in that.

This kind of response, from a parent at the school, is why nothing changes at a school like this. “The email was disappointing.” “My kid doesn’t care.” Yikes

What do you suggest a parent or student at Herndon do in this scenario?

Step 1 is admitting there is a problem.

DP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a Herndon parent. Yes, the student crime outside of school is alarming and sad. My kid is aware of it, but it has not affected them at all. They do not know any of the students involved. Their friend group and parents are not discussing it either. I am just being honest. Yes, the principal’s email was not clear as to what had really happened. I was dissapointed in that.

This kind of response, from a parent at the school, is why nothing changes at a school like this. “The email was disappointing.” “My kid doesn’t care.” Yikes

What do you suggest a parent or student at Herndon do in this scenario?

Step 1 is admitting there is a problem.

DP

TBF they admit there is a problem but only if you walk into the wrong hallway./s

No one is going to care unless it spills over and starts to impact other groups of students.

[Anonymous]

Lots of people in glass houses throwing stones here.

[Anonymous]

I teach at a nearby school with similar demographics and I’m saying this objectively and without judgment - a lot of these situations are gang related and/or involve beef brought over from El Salvador because all the parties are immigrants. They are upsetting of course to the families and the teachers who teach the students and they are a supreme waste of young lives, but they don’t inherently mean the larger student body is at risk. Did the dad call someone- maybe. Was he forthcoming with all the details? Unclear. He may not have known or been willing to share the extent to which his son was involved outside of school with these kinds of activities and groups. Hispanic parents are understandably leery about involving law enforcement in their lives- it’s possible he called someone but wasn’t clear about what was going on with his son or the degree of danger he may have been in. Did nobody ever call back? We don’t know. The amount of times I’ve called a parent and gotten a voicemail, disconnected number etc outweighs the time I’ve been able to make successful contact.

People who are angry at other Herndon parents for not knowing or not screaming at Gatehouse about it are misguided. These incidents are not school-affiliated or widely known. They are relationships that exist in spheres outside of school and that most Herndon High students are uninvolved in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I teach at a nearby school with similar demographics and I’m saying this objectively and without judgment - a lot of these situations are gang related and/or involve beef brought over from El Salvador because all the parties are immigrants. They are upsetting of course to the families and the teachers who teach the students and they are a supreme waste of young lives, but they don’t inherently mean the larger student body is at risk. Did the dad call someone- maybe. Was he forthcoming with all the details? Unclear. He may not have known or been willing to share the extent to which his son was involved outside of school with these kinds of activities and groups. Hispanic parents are understandably leery about involving law enforcement in their lives- it’s possible he called someone but wasn’t clear about what was going on with his son or the degree of danger he may have been in. Did nobody ever call back? We don’t know. The amount of times I’ve called a parent and gotten a voicemail, disconnected number etc outweighs the time I’ve been able to make successful contact.

People who are angry at other Herndon parents for not knowing or not screaming at Gatehouse about it are misguided. These incidents are not school-affiliated or widely known. They are relationships that exist in spheres outside of school and that most Herndon High students are uninvolved in.

This sounds like good logic. My kids' school had gang activity that never touched them--when a school has over 2000 students, it is likely that most had no interaction with these students.

There is a lot we do not know-and, unfortunately, the school likely does not know either.

Ask yourself: does the school know what your child is doing after hours?

Honestly, do you really think anyone here on DCUM has a kid with a death threat out playing soccer at 9:30 p.m.?