Janesville is getting pretty bad now. Good thing they got the guy without incident. With they way the world is now why won't you want your kid to have a cellphone?

Parker students and staff went through numerous lockdowns a few years ago without this kind of commentary. West side parents must have more faith in the school professionals to handle the situation as they are trained I guess.
(Boy....this will get some gums flapping...he, he, he)

Duke- I wasn't trying to attack someone direct and apologize for that. I realize times are tough and are going to get tougher and I feel for some of the people. Trust me, I personally, like many others are feeling the effects of it. It's just unfortunate that one has to cause all the unnecessary issues that go's with this. There is help out there. I realize times are bad. Times are bad for a lot of people. It's how we try and handle these situations and not harm other innocent bi-standards that matter.

question--Isn't there am elementary school over there also? What happened at that school? Also what about all the parents who went to pick up their kids. Did they have to leave their cars etc? Where did they go? Just wondering in case it ever happens over by the school where I live. thanks

Spark - you need to rethink calling someone that is suicidal a "fruitloop". I happen to know this individual and he has lost his job, is getting his vehicle repossessed and probably losing his home. Put yourself in his shoes and then think about how you might feel. It is a sad day when the failed economy almost takes someone's life. You can bet with the closing of GM this is going to be alot more common in Janesville. Be thankful and pray for others who aren't as fortunate.

Stupidjanesville- I hate to break it to you but the children of today are much different than yours and while you may not have had cell phones and you had to walk a mile in the snow to school and on and on, nowadays- children are fortunate to have cell phones. yes, sometimes unconventional, but in thick and thin can turn out to be more advantageous than not. oh and by the way: cell phones are still real phones.

Everyone- These kids, whether one would like to believe it or not, will be panicked in any situation. You put them in lockdown amidst their mathwork, they are going to be panicked. It is not neccesary to tell them every detail down to the thread, but a general awareness of the situation could be helpful.

ChsMkr-You are wrong to say it isnt cool for a child to text their parents, i know you've been chewed out, but it wasnt quite covered enough. I say, if the children of today want to talk to their parents and are actually WILLING to text their parents, then let them, and let them not be persecuted or mocked because of it. The more a child texts their parents generally means the more the parents will know. So if thats their way of communicating..it shouldn't be a joke on them. It should be a joke on you as to be as naive as to say the line you said.

People, watch what you say. The topic is not about how students should not be texting in class. and it most certainly is not about badgering kids on their spelling, grammar, or what they have to say. You cannot assume they are ignorant or uncapable of forming an opinion. In short, Keep it to the SUBJECT, what really happened..not what ifs.

Chsmkr
hahahahahahhaha,i'm spikes kid
wow,you feel bad for me,thats awesome
and kids text their parents all day
so this one is for alll the students that read this
I TEXT MY MOM DURING SCHOOL
happy about that?
and i hope that i get made fun of for it tomorrow so i can come back to you and start to cry my eyes out
and we knew all of the info before MY MOMMY told us about it
SO HAH

Um, actually we do NOT text all day. He texted me to let me know there was a lockdown. By the time I was able to text him back with what happened, his TEACHER in the class he was locked up in had already been on the phone with someone and had given her the information and she told the kids there was a problem across the street. He always has his phone with him and it is ALWAYS off in school. But you better believe he will not hesitate to text me when there is a problem at the school. It doesn't mean i will drop everything and run over there. I just think as a parent I should know. Today, when this was over he walked over to Sentry and I picked him up there. There is no reason why the district office can't somehow notify parents. If they make it clear that parents should stay away, parents will. i know my son is safer in school than out.

Tyraniamberlopez - Instead of texting, you should spend your time in school improving your spelling and grammar. For an 8th grader, it's pretty bad.

Okay I am a student at marshall. and i was in the lockdown. to all the immature parents who are argueing about this. at 3:15 mrs taylor the principal came on the intercom and said this is a hard lockdown. and no one knew what was going on not even the teachers and mrs taylor wasnt going to say it on the intercom. so then later officer olin came in to the classrooms and told everyone. so then everyone knew about it. so officer olin did tell everyone. he just had to wait and see what actually went on. its not the teachers fault. they were as clueless as the students. so dont accuse and get all mad at the teachers. i was there i knew what went on inside the building you parents werent.

I was a student there. They school should notify parents and students. I had to text my mom from a friends phone. My moms boyfriend had came to pick me up and called my mom and said" They street is blocked off." They should let they students carry cell phone just in case. Without abuseing the privlage

oh yeahh;
i was one of the students that attends marshall.And happend to be there in a small classroom my whole body against the wall, scared to death praying i could see my family just one more time, and dayumm if i had a cell phone and we would have stayed up against that wall for another10 seconds i would have called my mom and told her how much i loved her but than again i didnt know what was going on so
i decided to pray for that whole hour
and i think kids should be aloud to text during school if it was an emergancy like that.
now im in 8th grade an everybody texts people
me i choose to mostly text my mom incase i need something or have to contact her soo yess it is important:)

Tsk tsk back at ya optimism. Should you look at my original post you'd see I share the opinion that guidelines direct teachers to share only what the class needs to know. I communicate with my two children every day thus you were mean to say I have a terrible problem.

CHSMKR...tsk tsk!! My son who is almost 17 texts me from school along with MANY of his FRIENDS. They all text their parents if they need to ask them something. That was mean saying that it is "uncool" and Spike might get picked on for texting his mom. IF kids (and you) are going to knock someone for communicating with their parents, then you all have a terrible problem!!

And NO the kids aren't suppose to be texting from school, but if those of you who asked this question truly believe they don't....I have a oil mine in my back yard I'd love to sell you. Come on, you only said that to be a negative Nellie. You know darn well kids take their phones to school. I always choose to KNOW that kids will do certain things, but I make it clear to mine, that if they get caught, they better be ready to suffer the consequences. You can't sit and think your kids aren't swearing or sneaking a text here or there just because you tell them no to. Let's be smart about this.

You have to feel a bit sorry for poor Spike. First his mom scares he and his classmates with the news. Now just wait until his friends find out he and his mom exchange text messages all day.

AND if a child was hurt because they knew the information and panicked, then there would have been the "why on earth do they tell these kids what is going on...they don't have the mind capacity to grasp what to do, they need educated guidance". Get a life, and be happy procedures and precautions were taken at all. Sheesh.

When the kids are in school, the school is in charge and responsible for their well being. Let them do their jobs. Along with the JPD, the school handled it well, they're all safe, the fruitloop across the street is in custody and everyone is fine.

I can not believe what I just read! Watching way to much TV. Have a great day all y'all!

Kids aren't allowed to send text messages from school. But 90% of kids take their phones to school and turn them on silent. That way they can still send and recieve things. At least that's what I did!

uhmmm... was part of this lockdown;
an 8th grade student scared to death along with
about 20 others. We were all petrefied including our teacher. Wich she handled this situation very well like. and if she were to get up and send an e-mail there would be a big chance she would have been killed.
so shut it all ya'll haters:) [spikes mom;)]

Fantastic question smittyj17. More importantly why do these kids have cell phones at all? I didn't have one in middle school, and I turned out okay. I had to use a REAL phone when I needed to call my mom.

All that telling the students and or parents of a situation that is under control with the school on lockdown would do is cause pandemonium. The school and police department would be overwhelmed with unecessary phone calls from frantic parents. Why are kids allowed to send text messages from school?

Good god, just be happy their safe. We can worry about getting the info to every one once things are under control.

It would also be nice if the schools either sent out email (if computers are working) or text message blasts to parents letting them know that there is a lockdown.

These aren't grade schoolers. They should be kept totally up to date with what is going on. Of course I told him. Besides that, the teacher in the classroom he was in knew what was going on and told the students as soon as she found out. Not knowing anything is a lot more scary than knowing.

They got the guy its all ok now!

They are releasing the students now.

I would hope you didn't text him back with the information. Like it or not, part of the school's procedures include advising only what student's need to know so as to maintain order.

My son has been texting me from Marshall. They weren't told what was going on.