Daughter Misdirected to Wait at a Park for Me by School - School Safety Issues

[ilovegemstones]

Grrr.
Fuming reading this.
This is completely and utterly UNACCEPTABLE.

I have no doubts that the new secretary or principal would have covered their bum if she had been kidnapped & would lie and claim nobody called for her.

They would have been responsible for her kidnapping/or worse.

So not okay, I don't care if she walks home each day. Walking home a familiar path vs. Sitting and waiting at a park forever looking like no parents are around are very different things.

They put her life in danger over something that so easily could have been avoided.

Idiots.

I did let thr principal know that and that we are not ok. She will be calling me back tomorrow. Hopefully she has taken some major steps. She called my daughter to the office 3 times on Friday and apologized to her. Thank you Lexi! Hugs my friend!

 

[RMOO]

This was horrifying for me to read! I can't believe that a school would forward a message like that (a phone call with no verification of caller identity) to a student . So all a predator has to do is find a lost worksheet with a name on the school playground, call the school and send that message, and the victim comes as requested?!?

Please do not let this slide. Take Karl's suggestion and go to the next school board meeting. In the mean time, I would also consider writing a letter, expressing your outrage, to the principal of the school, and cc: the superintendent, and the state board of education.

 

[diamondyes]

I would be scared and mad. Thank goodness your girl is ok. A thought I make myself have sometimes: we try so hard to protect our children from everything bad, but it is these moments of resilience, strength, wit and self-confidence that they need in order to become strong and capable adults. This is the story of when an adult told your girl to do something, it felt wrong, she listened to her gut and ran home to safety. What a strong and amazing child! Wrong that she ever had to be in that situation. However I hope it adds to her inner strength that she clearly has.

Sorry you both had to go through this

 

[LemonMoonLex]

I did let thr principal know that and that we are not ok. She will be calling me back tomorrow. Hopefully she has taken some major steps. She called my daughter to the office 3 times on Friday and apologized to her. Thank you Lexi! Hugs my friend!

I'm also curious about what happened to the girl it was intended for? When her parents drove by and didn't see their daughter wouldn't they have alerted the school??

 

[ilovegemstones]

I'm also curious about what happened to the girl it was intended for? When her parents drove by and didn't see their daughter wouldn't they have alerted the school??

The parent was upset the child was not waiting at the blue park near the road as instructed . The parent wants to meet with me on Monday to apologize.
@diamondyes she is incredibly strong and smart. Very perceptive like me. I am so grateful she listened to her gut! My parents never told me to do this and it is crucial. I have had to really work on my self-esteem.
@RMOO we are in Canada so it is a bit different here. I am going to make a meeting with the Director of Education for our area.

 

[MissGotRocks]

There is no way any school should ever direct a student to any place off school grounds without their parent! The school should have said no and that the parent could pick them up in the school office. It is just bad from the ground up and the school board should certainly be made aware of the situation. The fact that your daughter was mistakenly given the wrong message just compounds the issue. I would be furious and very concerned for all of the students in the school. A phone call changing student pick up should not be allowed either. The student should have to bring a written note on the day of that can be verified with a phone call or a written email from the parent. I am just astounded that this happened. The entire pick up procedure for that school system should be looked at and until then, no phone calls, no exceptions!

 

[ilovegemstones]

There is no way any school should ever direct a student to any place off school grounds without their parent! The school should have said no and that the parent could pick them up in the school office. It is just bad from the ground up and the school board should certainly be made aware of the situation. The fact that your daughter was mistakenly given the wrong message just compounds the issue. I would be furious and very concerned for all of the students in the school. A phone call changing student pick up should not be allowed either. The student should have to bring a written note on the day of that can be verified with a phone call or a written email from the parent. I am just astounded that this happened. The entire pick up procedure for that school system should be looked at and until then, no phone calls, no exceptions!

I agree - the whole thing is unbelievable. And it is a great school! Rated as one of the best in our city. I have set up a meeting with the director of education and I sent him a long email yesterday detailing our experience and my concerns.

 

[MissGotRocks]

I agree - the whole thing is unbelievable. And it is a great school! Rated as one of the best in our city. I have set up a meeting with the director of education and I sent him a long email yesterday detailing our experience and my concerns.

I am sure it is a great school and there are many others like it. Unfortunately, one employee made a bad decision and then made it worse by notifying the wrong student. These policies should be made in stone and shared via weekly newsletters or whatever with all parents as well. This security stuff has to be drilled down on continuously so that everyone is well aware and to stop and think about requests. If the window of requests allowed is greatly reduced, so are the chances of a misstep. No student should ever be instructed to veer from preset dismissal procedures. In this day and age, it is regretfully necessary to make these stringent policies.

 

[ilovegemstones]

I am sure it is a great school and there are many others like it. Unfortunately, one employee made a bad decision and then made it worse by notifying the wrong student. These policies should be made in stone and shared via weekly newsletters or whatever with all parents as well. This security stuff has to be drilled down on continuously so that everyone is well aware and to stop and think about requests. If the window of requests allowed is greatly reduced, so are the chances of a misstep. No student should ever be instructed to veer from preset dismissal procedures. In this day and age, it is regretfully necessary to make these stringent policies.

Today the social worker called and was trying to link me to ways of coping with the stress/anxiety this has caused. I told them the biggest thing I want is change in the policies. Let's see what happens! Still waiting to hear back from the Director of Education.

 

[MissGotRocks]

The school administration really needs to ensure that such cases do not happen. But in our school it unfortunately depends on the decision of the teacher.

All dismissal notes should have to go to the office for approval. Go to a Board of Education meeting and voice your concerns.

 

[ilovegemstones]

It is very strange that the principal of the school cannot influence the behavior of the teacher...

It was the prinipal's first day. Also the receptionist's first day. So many things added up to this.

 

[LemonMoonLex]

It was the prinipal's first day. Also the receptionist's first day. So many things added up to this.

What an unfortunate thing to have on file (and it should be noted on file) for your first day as principal. Sometimes it takes hard lessons like these to realize how much power your position yields and how seriously you must take each decision.

That is in part why my husband who is a prosecuter has sleeping issues. Each and every decision he makes impacts the lives of those he serves, (victims seeking justice).

 

[ilovegemstones]

What an unfortunate thing to have on file (and it should be noted on file) for your first day as principal. Sometimes it takes hard lessons like these to realize how much power your position yields and how seriously you must take each decision.

That is in part why my husband who is a prosecuter has sleeping issues. Each and every decision he makes impacts the lives of those he serves, (victims seeking justice).

That is so tough Lex. Nights like that are the worst!