Anonymous
Post 09/16/2019 18:37     Subject: Whitman being evacuated
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I think its strange how so many on this forum are minimizing this incident. From what kids are saying, the guy claimed at one point to have planted a bomb, and, at a minimum, deliberately went to the school to hit another kid in the head with a weapon (yeah, frying pan is weird...but thank god it was just that). Certainly plenty of evidence that this individual was mentally unstable.

Lots of rumors floating around, not sure what's true. But just last week there was talk of a student reporting some online threats, leading police to investigat something. Not sure whats truth vs fiction but I know kids and families are upset. That's why I'm the poster who suggested the school call a meeting. It's their job to tell us what's really up.



Not minimizing it but also not jumping straight to "we have a systemic problem on our hands", from what I hear the kids are calling him the "Pan Man" and laughing at it. I'm also hearing that the fire alarm was pulled as a prank. I'm not saying what I have heard is true but it is as true as what you are spouting. Let the facts come out before you judge. Call this meeting after the facts are straight not because it is the knee jerk reaction way of handling things.

Calling someone mentally unstable without knowing them is also irresponsible.

I've lived in Bethesda for 50 years and this way of handling things is a bit crazy.



The police charged him with first degree assault. Apparently they felt it was serious enough to warrant that charge.

Case 1D00401493

Charge No: 001 Description:ASSAULT-FIRST DEGREE
Statute: CR.3.202 Description:ASSAULT-FIRST DEGREE
Amended Date: CJIS Code:1 1420 MO/PLLrobable Cause:X
Incident Date From: 09/16/2019 To: 09/16/2019 Victim Age:



OK thanks for the factual information,- do you realize where you are going with this? I appreciate your conviction (pun intended) but you are a bit out of control... This is fun , people take themselves very seriously on this board.
Anonymous
Post 09/16/2019 18:36     Subject: Whitman being evacuated
Anonymous wrote:This is completely and utterly unacceptable.

For Whitman (or MCPS) to allow an individual with this background to attend high school without proper supervision is shocking and a dereliction of duty (at best).

This individual (a legal adult) apparently hit a student (a child) in the head with that metal frying pan. Using it in that way makes it a deadly weapon. Yes, we can thank god it wasn't a different type of weapon, but none of that excuses allowing *this* weapon to make it into the school. The trauma inflicted as other students hear/saw the commotion - and the ensuing chaos is unacceptable. The bland, misleading email from the school -- clearly intended to downplay the incident - is a shocking and unacceptable insult to injury to the entire community.

No Whitman, this is not ok. You have failed the students of this school. It is ONLY by sheer grace and luck that this wasn't much, much worse.

Maybe start talking about protecting the students - not the rights of an *adult* with a dangerous background - during "One Whitman" and the counselors breakfast. Maybe that would help with the stress at the school.


And how do we know the kid has a history of violence/dangerous background? Or are you just assuming because he has mental health issues and lives in a group home?
Anonymous
Post 09/16/2019 18:27     Subject: Whitman being evacuated
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I think its strange how so many on this forum are minimizing this incident. From what kids are saying, the guy claimed at one point to have planted a bomb, and, at a minimum, deliberately went to the school to hit another kid in the head with a weapon (yeah, frying pan is weird...but thank god it was just that). Certainly plenty of evidence that this individual was mentally unstable.

Lots of rumors floating around, not sure what's true. But just last week there was talk of a student reporting some online threats, leading police to investigat something. Not sure whats truth vs fiction but I know kids and families are upset. That's why I'm the poster who suggested the school call a meeting. It's their job to tell us what's really up.



Not minimizing it but also not jumping straight to "we have a systemic problem on our hands", from what I hear the kids are calling him the "Pan Man" and laughing at it. I'm also hearing that the fire alarm was pulled as a prank. I'm not saying what I have heard is true but it is as true as what you are spouting. Let the facts come out before you judge. Call this meeting after the facts are straight not because it is the knee jerk reaction way of handling things.

Calling someone mentally unstable without knowing them is also irresponsible.

I've lived in Bethesda for 50 years and this way of handling things is a bit crazy.



The police charged him with first degree assault. Apparently they felt it was serious enough to warrant that charge.

Case 1D00401493

Charge No: 001 Description:ASSAULT-FIRST DEGREE
Statute: CR.3.202 Description:ASSAULT-FIRST DEGREE
Amended Date: CJIS Code:1 1420 MO/PLLrobable Cause:X
Incident Date From: 09/16/2019 To: 09/16/2019 Victim Age:
Anonymous
Post 09/16/2019 18:26     Subject: Re:Whitman being evacuated
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:From what I heard, the suspect has been in altercations before.

The overall issue with school violence in MCPS is that they closed down the school for students with behavioral problems (Twain) a couple years ago, to much fanfare. Now, students with issues who are a threat are just shifted around between schools. In the Damascus rape case, the ringleader was on his third high school by that point, since that's all they can do.



Be specific or it isn't real.


What details do you want? The name of the suspect in the Damascus case? The press release for the Twain shutdown?
Anonymous
Post 09/16/2019 18:25     Subject: Re:Whitman being evacuated
My kids have been going to school with NCCF kids for 8 years now without incident so let’s not exaggerate the problem. If you want to get involved and make a difference they are always looking for volunteers.
Anonymous
Post 09/16/2019 18:17     Subject: Whitman being evacuated
Anonymous wrote:I think its strange how so many on this forum are minimizing this incident. From what kids are saying, the guy claimed at one point to have planted a bomb, and, at a minimum, deliberately went to the school to hit another kid in the head with a weapon (yeah, frying pan is weird...but thank god it was just that). Certainly plenty of evidence that this individual was mentally unstable.

Lots of rumors floating around, not sure what's true. But just last week there was talk of a student reporting some online threats, leading police to investigat something. Not sure whats truth vs fiction but I know kids and families are upset. That's why I'm the poster who suggested the school call a meeting. It's their job to tell us what's really up.


No, it isn't. Especially if this is, for example, a special ed student in the Emotional Disabilities or LFI program who had a behavioral outburst. If that is the case (and ABC7 mentioned possible mental health issues so it's quite possible), then you have no right to know what this student's disability is, what supports are in place, or any of his other confidential information. It is illegal for the school to tell you anything. The only people entitled to that information would be the IEP team. Being a "concerned parent" doesn't entitle you to participate with the IEP team in the manifestation determinations meeting or conduct a campaign to have him expelled or sent to RICA, so you will just have to be satisfied with unsubstantiated rumors and the knowledge that if it were your kid, their school psych evaluations wouldn't end up on Bethesda Beat either.
Anonymous
Post 09/16/2019 18:03     Subject: Whitman being evacuated
Anonymous wrote:I think its strange how so many on this forum are minimizing this incident. From what kids are saying, the guy claimed at one point to have planted a bomb, and, at a minimum, deliberately went to the school to hit another kid in the head with a weapon (yeah, frying pan is weird...but thank god it was just that). Certainly plenty of evidence that this individual was mentally unstable.

Lots of rumors floating around, not sure what's true. But just last week there was talk of a student reporting some online threats, leading police to investigat something. Not sure whats truth vs fiction but I know kids and families are upset. That's why I'm the poster who suggested the school call a meeting. It's their job to tell us what's really up.



Not minimizing it but also not jumping straight to "we have a systemic problem on our hands", from what I hear the kids are calling him the "Pan Man" and laughing at it. I'm also hearing that the fire alarm was pulled as a prank. I'm not saying what I have heard is true but it is as true as what you are spouting. Let the facts come out before you judge. Call this meeting after the facts are straight not because it is the knee jerk reaction way of handling things.

Calling someone mentally unstable without knowing them is also irresponsible.

I've lived in Bethesda for 50 years and this way of handling things is a bit crazy.

Anonymous
Post 09/16/2019 17:57     Subject: Whitman being evacuated
the school does not need to hold a friggin meeting you people are so self important

they just need to put measures in place to increase security and reaction times in the event of any other problems

I went to one of the most wealthy HS in Ct in the 80s and saw one boy smash the face of another til he was covered in blood. Another time someone put a bomb in a hand towel dispenser in the boys bathroom.

The culprits - rich white boys who were desperate for daddy's attention.

This was Greenwich Ct by the way, so even fancier than Bethesda.
Anonymous
Post 09/16/2019 17:52     Subject: Whitman being evacuated
Anonymous wrote:I think its strange how so many on this forum are minimizing this incident. From what kids are saying, the guy claimed at one point to have planted a bomb, and, at a minimum, deliberately went to the school to hit another kid in the head with a weapon (yeah, frying pan is weird...but thank god it was just that). Certainly plenty of evidence that this individual was mentally unstable.

Lots of rumors floating around, not sure what's true. But just last week there was talk of a student reporting some online threats, leading police to investigat something. Not sure whats truth vs fiction but I know kids and families are upset. That's why I'm the poster who suggested the school call a meeting. It's their job to tell us what's really up.


Because you are the first on the thread to describe the other details/rumors. Most of us don't have kids at this school.

Stop accusing us of minimizing; give the facts; and if you want to add context/rumors/suppositions, make sure you label them as such. Everything is useful!

Anonymous
Post 09/16/2019 17:52     Subject: Whitman being evacuated
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:This is completely and utterly unacceptable.

For Whitman (or MCPS) to allow an individual with this background to attend high school without proper supervision is shocking and a dereliction of duty (at best).

This individual (a legal adult) apparently hit a student (a child) in the head with that metal frying pan. Using it in that way makes it a deadly weapon. Yes, we can thank god it wasn't a different type of weapon, but none of that excuses allowing *this* weapon to make it into the school. The trauma inflicted as other students hear/saw the commotion - and the ensuing chaos is unacceptable. The bland, misleading email from the school -- clearly intended to downplay the incident - is a shocking and unacceptable insult to injury to the entire community.

No Whitman, this is not ok. You have failed the students of this school. It is ONLY by sheer grace and luck that this wasn't much, much worse.

Maybe start talking about protecting the students - not the rights of an *adult* with a dangerous background - during "One Whitman" and the counselors breakfast. Maybe that would help with the stress at the school.


Yes, just absolutely shocking that we would just let anybody into our neighborhood schools, just shocking. Thanks Montgomery County voters! Good job!

NCCF has been where it is longer than Whitman has existed.
Anonymous
Post 09/16/2019 17:49     Subject: Re:Whitman being evacuated
Anonymous wrote:From what I heard, the suspect has been in altercations before.

The overall issue with school violence in MCPS is that they closed down the school for students with behavioral problems (Twain) a couple years ago, to much fanfare. Now, students with issues who are a threat are just shifted around between schools. In the Damascus rape case, the ringleader was on his third high school by that point, since that's all they can do.



Be specific or it isn't real.
Anonymous
Post 09/16/2019 17:42     Subject: Whitman being evacuated
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Time for the Whitman principal to call a meeting to discuss this with the parents. This can't just be that email and nothing more. It just can't be.


What for? This was nothing more than an altercation between two students. One was arrested. Sure, review policies to see if something could have been done differently, but community meetings? What purpose would that serve?


A meeting? To accomplish what? What could the school have done to prevent something this random? This could have happened anywhere.
Anonymous
Post 09/16/2019 17:40     Subject: Whitman being evacuated
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:This is completely and utterly unacceptable.

For Whitman (or MCPS) to allow an individual with this background to attend high school without proper supervision is shocking and a dereliction of duty (at best).

This individual (a legal adult) apparently hit a student (a child) in the head with that metal frying pan. Using it in that way makes it a deadly weapon. Yes, we can thank god it wasn't a different type of weapon, but none of that excuses allowing *this* weapon to make it into the school. The trauma inflicted as other students hear/saw the commotion - and the ensuing chaos is unacceptable. The bland, misleading email from the school -- clearly intended to downplay the incident - is a shocking and unacceptable insult to injury to the entire community.

No Whitman, this is not ok. You have failed the students of this school. It is ONLY by sheer grace and luck that this wasn't much, much worse.

Maybe start talking about protecting the students - not the rights of an *adult* with a dangerous background - during "One Whitman" and the counselors breakfast. Maybe that would help with the stress at the school.


Good luck with that.

Parents at Rockville HS tried to get this message across but were thoroughly shut down by MCPS. You’re not allowed to question why it’s a bad idea to have adult students mixed in with children because it makes you a racist jerk.


There is nothing miraculous that happens on the day of the 18th birthday that makes the person who was a child yesterday an adult today other than they are one day older.
Anonymous
Post 09/16/2019 17:35     Subject: Whitman being evacuated
I think its strange how so many on this forum are minimizing this incident. From what kids are saying, the guy claimed at one point to have planted a bomb, and, at a minimum, deliberately went to the school to hit another kid in the head with a weapon (yeah, frying pan is weird...but thank god it was just that). Certainly plenty of evidence that this individual was mentally unstable.

Lots of rumors floating around, not sure what's true. But just last week there was talk of a student reporting some online threats, leading police to investigat something. Not sure whats truth vs fiction but I know kids and families are upset. That's why I'm the poster who suggested the school call a meeting. It's their job to tell us what's really up.
Anonymous
Post 09/16/2019 17:22     Subject: Whitman being evacuated
Anonymous wrote:Witnesses report he also took a swing at the teacher with frying pan.


Hope the teacher has that on video. That sounds like a completely unacceptable thing to have to deal with as a teacher.