Comments on: Overreaction in Trumansburg Schools http://findingulysses.com/2008/04/25/overreaction-in-trumansburg-schools/ Blog and discussion forum for residents of Trumansburg and Ulysses, New York Sun, 14 Mar 2010 03:40:10 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Ben http://findingulysses.com/2008/04/25/overreaction-in-trumansburg-schools/comment-page-1/#comment-198246 Ben Wed, 10 Feb 2010 00:57:51 +0000 http://findingulysses.com/?p=362#comment-198246 I graduated last year, and even now, I still look back on the security as a HUGE overreaction to the situation. Number 1, it happened in the Middle School, so why have the security "upgrades" in the High School too? And Number 2, we didn't have these measures until after the fact of that having happened; barely anything (if anything) was done to prevent this or at least try to "moderate", etc., so things like this wouldn't happen. But we all know that the administration would just say that "as soon as we take away the measures, someone will take advantage of the lack of security." I say: so what! Punish that person, but don't make all the students suffer. I graduated last year, and even now, I still look back on the security as a HUGE overreaction to the situation. Number 1, it happened in the Middle School, so why have the security “upgrades” in the High School too? And Number 2, we didn’t have these measures until after the fact of that having happened; barely anything (if anything) was done to prevent this or at least try to “moderate”, etc., so things like this wouldn’t happen. But we all know that the administration would just say that “as soon as we take away the measures, someone will take advantage of the lack of security.” I say: so what! Punish that person, but don’t make all the students suffer.

]]> By: John Rice http://findingulysses.com/2008/04/25/overreaction-in-trumansburg-schools/comment-page-1/#comment-92149 John Rice Sat, 14 Jun 2008 19:24:33 +0000 http://findingulysses.com/?p=362#comment-92149 @Mary Bouchard et al,,, Your "what if? mentality" comments resonate deeply within me, a lifelong resident of the Town of Ulysses who, despite having had the opportunity to travel far and wide, still consider T-burg my 'home' town. A member of the class of '63, I'd bet that the majority of guys (and a few gals as well) took firecrackers to school on occasion--I know that I did. As far as I can remember, there were no injuries sustained by anyone, other than to the pride of the principals, due to their inability to catch us. That was part of the game, too. Some were caught, some were suspended for a day or two, while others from some more-prominent families were not punished at all or merely had to serve 'detention'. Today, it has been shown that all hell would break loose, and the kid might get kicked out of school permanently (always good for one’s education—NOT) and who knows what else might happen? Over-reaction? Hell, yes! I should point out that this phenomenon did not start at 9-11, but many years before. (I agree it has in many ways exponentially increased since 9-11--and might well be proven a reason for 9-11!) When/where I grew up, Taughannock Falls State Park was literally and figuratively my back yard, and I and many friends spent countless hours exploring the amazing gorge, and swimming or fishing in its many pools, including the devil's bathtub. The more-adventurous of us (and generations prior) even climbed down to ‘the ledge’, and under/behind the water cascading over the falls lip--what a heart-pounding thrill! Later on, someone (a despondent Cornell student as I recall) committed suicide, with the result that the gorge was then fenced on both sides and arrests were threatened and applied to any who had the temerity to ignore them, or all lacking the guile not to get caught. Now it is all gone--what a shame that the intrinsic natural beauty has to be viewed through an ugly chain-link fence, and much of the beauty not seen at all! Now, no one can enjoy the incredible beauty of the gorge above the falls that one could enjoy not so long ago, from inside the gorge. Now, no one can hike down to the gorge creek and catch beautiful browns and brookies, as we once could. What a loss! And that is only one instance of many that demonstrates how we are losing our freedoms, including the freedom to do what well-meaning, over-protective others might consider to be stupid and/or dangerous. In its place we have more laws, rules, regulations and penalties and far-fewer freedoms. What we are also losing, and is perhaps even more dangerous to our society, is that the taking away of those freedoms means we are also taking away the chances/opportunities of experiencing risk, so that now, kids have little-to-zero opportunity to exercise any understanding of risk-taking, or indeed, valuable opportunities to develop or hone any challenge to, or confirmation of--their own common sense. And the (d)evolutionary result? The insane lock-down of an entire school system; the implementation of invasive searches including all students and parents alike—no matter age or how-well-known and trusted; and the furtherance and instilling of a sense of fear in students and parents alike, and especially the insecure among us (who might not realize this is directed to them, even if I yelled it into their ear). Much, if not most of the world is not like this, even after 9-11. Where the development of 'common-sense’ is seen as a necessary part of growing up (ie. the rest of the world), it is left up to the individual (or parents) to determine the level of risk they should or should not take. This is the opposite of our present situation where there is a presumption of safety if 'it' is not fenced and/or signed specifically ‘prohibited’ and where a lawsuit is sure to follow, if the fence isn't high enough or any other reason can be found to blame any accident/incident upon others, as opposed to the understanding that a fundamental part of growing up is the taking of responsibility for one's own actions and well-being. This I believe makes us all profoundly less-safe, and the long-term result of the continuation of this mindset is what I fear most--not some fellow-individualistic-semi-rebellious prankster with a firecracker who (as long as he isn’t destructive or dangerous to others) I anonymously cheer). Regards,,,John Rice @Mary Bouchard et al,,,
Your “what if? mentality” comments resonate deeply within me, a lifelong resident of the Town of Ulysses who, despite having had the opportunity to travel far and wide, still consider T-burg my ‘home’ town.
A member of the class of ‘63, I’d bet that the majority of guys (and a few gals as well) took firecrackers to school on occasion–I know that I did. As far as I can remember, there were no injuries sustained by anyone, other than to the pride of the principals, due to their inability to catch us. That was part of the game, too. Some were caught, some were suspended for a day or two, while others from some more-prominent families were not punished at all or merely had to serve ‘detention’. Today, it has been shown that all hell would break loose, and the kid might get kicked out of school permanently (always good for one’s education—NOT) and who knows what else might happen? Over-reaction? Hell, yes!
I should point out that this phenomenon did not start at 9-11, but many years before. (I agree it has in many ways exponentially increased since 9-11–and might well be proven a reason for 9-11!)
When/where I grew up, Taughannock Falls State Park was literally and figuratively my back yard, and I and many friends spent countless hours exploring the amazing gorge, and swimming or fishing in its many pools, including the devil’s bathtub. The more-adventurous of us (and generations prior) even climbed down to ‘the ledge’, and under/behind the water cascading over the falls lip–what a heart-pounding thrill! Later on, someone (a despondent Cornell student as I recall) committed suicide, with the result that the gorge was then fenced on both sides and arrests were threatened and applied to any who had the temerity to ignore them, or all lacking the guile not to get caught. Now it is all gone–what a shame that the intrinsic natural beauty has to be viewed through an ugly chain-link fence, and much of the beauty not seen at all!
Now, no one can enjoy the incredible beauty of the gorge above the falls that one could enjoy not so long ago, from inside the gorge. Now, no one can hike down to the gorge creek and catch beautiful browns and brookies, as we once could. What a loss! And that is only one instance of many that demonstrates how we are losing our freedoms, including the freedom to do what well-meaning, over-protective others might consider to be stupid and/or dangerous. In its place we have more laws, rules, regulations and penalties and far-fewer freedoms.
What we are also losing, and is perhaps even more dangerous to our society, is that the taking away of those freedoms means we are also taking away the chances/opportunities of experiencing risk, so that now, kids have little-to-zero opportunity to exercise any understanding of risk-taking, or indeed, valuable opportunities to develop or hone any challenge to, or confirmation of–their own common sense.
And the (d)evolutionary result? The insane lock-down of an entire school system; the implementation of invasive searches including all students and parents alike—no matter age or how-well-known and trusted; and the furtherance and instilling of a sense of fear in students and parents alike, and especially the insecure among us (who might not realize this is directed to them, even if I yelled it into their ear).
Much, if not most of the world is not like this, even after 9-11. Where the development of ‘common-sense’ is seen as a necessary part of growing up (ie. the rest of the world), it is left up to the individual (or parents) to determine the level of risk they should or should not take. This is the opposite of our present situation where there is a presumption of safety if ‘it’ is not fenced and/or signed specifically ‘prohibited’ and where a lawsuit is sure to follow, if the fence isn’t high enough or any other reason can be found to blame any accident/incident upon others, as opposed to the understanding that a fundamental part of growing up is the taking of responsibility for one’s own actions and well-being.
This I believe makes us all profoundly less-safe, and the long-term result of the continuation of this mindset is what I fear most–not some fellow-individualistic-semi-rebellious prankster with a firecracker who (as long as he isn’t destructive or dangerous to others) I anonymously cheer).
Regards,,,John Rice

]]> By: Mary Bouchard http://findingulysses.com/2008/04/25/overreaction-in-trumansburg-schools/comment-page-1/#comment-68348 Mary Bouchard Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:59:14 +0000 http://findingulysses.com/?p=362#comment-68348 I was in NYC last weekend, and took the ferry over to the Immigration Museum on Ellis Island. Anymore, when you take this ferry, which also stops at the Statue of Liberty, it's like going through airport security -- take off your jacket, remove your belt, keys and purses and watches and change in the plastic bin, walk through the metal detectors. As we all know, these security measures were enacted after 9/11/01, and is part and parcel of the increased paranoia I think we're all suffering from in the United States. The "what if...?" mentality. I can't send my kid out to play because what if she were kidnapped? I can't let my boy ride his bike to school because what if he were hit by a car? Lots of things could happen, but if we live our lives cowering at the possibility of the bad stuff, we'll miss a lot of the good stuff. I think bag searches are a bit over the top. MOST kids wouldn't think of setting off a firecracker in school. MOST kids aren't bringing contraband onto school grounds (and elementary school students -- puh-leez! give me a break!) The bad judgement of one person throws the school into lockdown mode. One can only shake one's head and hope that in the future we can will not be paralyzed by fear, because fear chips away at a sense of community, which is one thing that we've always been very proud of. I was in NYC last weekend, and took the ferry over to the Immigration Museum on Ellis Island. Anymore, when you take this ferry, which also stops at the Statue of Liberty, it’s like going through airport security — take off your jacket, remove your belt, keys and purses and watches and change in the plastic bin, walk through the metal detectors. As we all know, these security measures were enacted after 9/11/01, and is part and parcel of the increased paranoia I think we’re all suffering from in the United States. The “what if…?” mentality. I can’t send my kid out to play because what if she were kidnapped? I can’t let my boy ride his bike to school because what if he were hit by a car? Lots of things could happen, but if we live our lives cowering at the possibility of the bad stuff, we’ll miss a lot of the good stuff.
I think bag searches are a bit over the top. MOST kids wouldn’t think of setting off a firecracker in school. MOST kids aren’t bringing contraband onto school grounds (and elementary school students — puh-leez! give me a break!) The bad judgement of one person throws the school into lockdown mode. One can only shake one’s head and hope that in the future we can will not be paralyzed by fear, because fear chips away at a sense of community, which is one thing that we’ve always been very proud of.

]]> By: Jonathan Cook http://findingulysses.com/2008/04/25/overreaction-in-trumansburg-schools/comment-page-1/#comment-67156 Jonathan Cook Sat, 26 Apr 2008 19:37:52 +0000 http://findingulysses.com/?p=362#comment-67156 X - please don't put quotes around words when I never said them. I never said those words, X, so don't try to distort the situation. Some people agree with me, and some people, like you, disagree with me. That's fine by me. I didn't create Finding Ulysses in order to build my popularity. I did it so that people would have the chance to consider and discuss things that matter to the community. That's why I use my name, X. I may be out of touch to some extent with your beliefs, but I am not so out of touch that I have forgotten my own name. Have you forgotten your name, X? Who are you? Do I know you? Do you even really live in the Town of Ulysses? I would prefer that, instead of merely noting that I don't think in a way that a lot of other people do (something I already know about myself), you would address the substance of the matter. I'd rather know if you think that what I'm saying makes sense, instead of whether it just happens to be popular. So, can you explain to me how searching Kindergarten students in the elementary school building would prevent a student in the separate middle school building from lighting another firecracker in the toilet? X – please don’t put quotes around words when I never said them. I never said those words, X, so don’t try to distort the situation.

Some people agree with me, and some people, like you, disagree with me. That’s fine by me.

I didn’t create Finding Ulysses in order to build my popularity. I did it so that people would have the chance to consider and discuss things that matter to the community.

That’s why I use my name, X. I may be out of touch to some extent with your beliefs, but I am not so out of touch that I have forgotten my own name.

Have you forgotten your name, X? Who are you? Do I know you? Do you even really live in the Town of Ulysses?

I would prefer that, instead of merely noting that I don’t think in a way that a lot of other people do (something I already know about myself), you would address the substance of the matter. I’d rather know if you think that what I’m saying makes sense, instead of whether it just happens to be popular.

So, can you explain to me how searching Kindergarten students in the elementary school building would prevent a student in the separate middle school building from lighting another firecracker in the toilet?

]]> By: x http://findingulysses.com/2008/04/25/overreaction-in-trumansburg-schools/comment-page-1/#comment-67113 x Sat, 26 Apr 2008 12:04:22 +0000 http://findingulysses.com/?p=362#comment-67113 JC - as usual you are totally out of touch. It's funny how you keep antagonizing liberals and conservatives alike. You're so far left, you've ended up back at the facist right. "Believe what I believe or you are uneducated and don't understand the issues" And that's the camp WE put you in. JC – as usual you are totally out of touch. It’s funny how you keep antagonizing liberals and conservatives alike. You’re so far left, you’ve ended up back at the facist right.

“Believe what I believe or you are uneducated and don’t understand the issues”

And that’s the camp WE put you in.

]]> By: Jonathan Cook http://findingulysses.com/2008/04/25/overreaction-in-trumansburg-schools/comment-page-1/#comment-67024 Jonathan Cook Sat, 26 Apr 2008 01:35:45 +0000 http://findingulysses.com/?p=362#comment-67024 I agree, Maria. This child needs counseling and mentoring - and a lot of observation, along with a strong regimen of community service. A short stint in juvenile detention may be called for, but I'm willing to withhold strong judgment until we know the facts of the case. This child is young enough as a Middle Schooler to be reformed. Though that's never easy, it's worth the effort. I agree, Maria. This child needs counseling and mentoring – and a lot of observation, along with a strong regimen of community service. A short stint in juvenile detention may be called for, but I’m willing to withhold strong judgment until we know the facts of the case.

This child is young enough as a Middle Schooler to be reformed. Though that’s never easy, it’s worth the effort.

]]> By: Maria http://findingulysses.com/2008/04/25/overreaction-in-trumansburg-schools/comment-page-1/#comment-67013 Maria Sat, 26 Apr 2008 00:37:06 +0000 http://findingulysses.com/?p=362#comment-67013 Although I agree that the response was extreme, I disagree that the district should stop at finding the alleged perpetrator and "send him packing". My guess (growing up in T-burg myself) was that this child felt disenfranchised in some way and needed/wanted attention. Trumansburg has many long-standing, unresolved issues such as the extreme social class and/or racial distinctions that exist here (many of the same problems that plague Ithaca). It is time the school district and the town address these issues. Although I agree that the response was extreme, I disagree that the district should stop at finding the alleged perpetrator and “send him packing”. My guess (growing up in T-burg myself) was that this child felt disenfranchised in some way and needed/wanted attention. Trumansburg has many long-standing, unresolved issues such as the extreme social class and/or racial distinctions that exist here (many of the same problems that plague Ithaca). It is time the school district and the town address these issues.

]]> By: getagrip http://findingulysses.com/2008/04/25/overreaction-in-trumansburg-schools/comment-page-1/#comment-66884 getagrip Fri, 25 Apr 2008 20:35:16 +0000 http://findingulysses.com/?p=362#comment-66884 Come on people! This was a prank by some pitiful local kid. Except everyone is so insular in this backward 'burg who runs this place they get completely worked up and wind up doing more damage than the original moron. Find the little bastard with the 24/hr trigger happy police force we have here, expel him/her and be done with it. Send him packing to juvey boot camp. Come on people! This was a prank by some pitiful local kid. Except everyone is so insular in this backward ‘burg who runs this place they get completely worked up and wind up doing more damage than the original moron. Find the little bastard with the 24/hr trigger happy police force we have here, expel him/her and be done with it. Send him packing to juvey boot camp.

]]> By: Carissa http://findingulysses.com/2008/04/25/overreaction-in-trumansburg-schools/comment-page-1/#comment-66872 Carissa Fri, 25 Apr 2008 20:18:49 +0000 http://findingulysses.com/?p=362#comment-66872 i wonder who made the decisions for things to happen the way they did today. Were parents and teachers given input? It seems to me what makes Trumansburg feel so safe is the fact that so many people/parents are involved in what is happening in school and the community. The whole "neighborhood watch" mentality. So wouldn't it make sense to invite parents to be more involved at a time like this rather than locking them out of the buildings and treating them like strangers? Aren't the kids who make bombs usually the ones whose parents are disconnected from them and their activities? i wonder who made the decisions for things to happen the way they did today. Were parents and teachers given input? It seems to me what makes Trumansburg feel so safe is the fact that so many people/parents are involved in what is happening in school and the community. The whole “neighborhood watch” mentality.
So wouldn’t it make sense to invite parents to be more involved at a time like this rather than locking them out of the buildings and treating them like strangers?
Aren’t the kids who make bombs usually the ones whose parents are disconnected from them and their activities?

]]> By: Mary http://findingulysses.com/2008/04/25/overreaction-in-trumansburg-schools/comment-page-1/#comment-66869 Mary Fri, 25 Apr 2008 19:31:38 +0000 http://findingulysses.com/?p=362#comment-66869 Overeaction?! Here are the facts. A bomb threat note was found. An explosive device was detonated in the same location as the note was found. A second note was found threatening another bomb on Friday. At the location of the first explosion shrapnel-like pieces were found. This was a threat that was carried out and that was intended to cause harm to people or property at the school. You don't stand by when that happens. If you do, the perpetrator knows he/she can get away with it and copy-cats are encouraged to try the same thing, usually sooner rather than later. In the face of this, I am astounded that the school has not been closed down until the perpetrator is found or until security devices can be installed. This was not a threat. This was a threat that was followed by action intended to harm people and/or property. I understand that children will be scared and concerned. That's why they should stay at home until this has been sorted out. Overeaction?! Here are the facts. A bomb threat note was found. An explosive device was detonated in the same location as the note was found. A second note was found threatening another bomb on Friday. At the location of the first explosion shrapnel-like pieces were found. This was a threat that was carried out and that was intended to cause harm to people or property at the school. You don’t stand by when that happens. If you do, the perpetrator knows he/she can get away with it and copy-cats are encouraged to try the same thing, usually sooner rather than later. In the face of this, I am astounded that the school has not been closed down until the perpetrator is found or until security devices can be installed. This was not a threat. This was a threat that was followed by action intended to harm people and/or property. I understand that children will be scared and concerned. That’s why they should stay at home until this has been sorted out.

]]> By: norednecks http://findingulysses.com/2008/04/25/overreaction-in-trumansburg-schools/comment-page-1/#comment-66868 norednecks Fri, 25 Apr 2008 19:29:55 +0000 http://findingulysses.com/?p=362#comment-66868 what a redneck town...get out while you can. what a redneck town…get out while you can.

]]> By: Rebecca http://findingulysses.com/2008/04/25/overreaction-in-trumansburg-schools/comment-page-1/#comment-66862 Rebecca Fri, 25 Apr 2008 18:21:51 +0000 http://findingulysses.com/?p=362#comment-66862 I echo Maria's thoughts exactly. Instead of reassurance, it just elevated the anxiety at the elementary level when it didn't really even involve them in the first place. I'm one of those people who do not even HAVE a photo ID! I'm sure that sounds pretty silly to some but that's the way it is. Everyone at the school knows who I am...I'm assuming common sense will prevail here and the ID thing will be a non-issue. I'm a big fan of common sense and I probably have too much faith that other people are too but we'll see. I echo Maria’s thoughts exactly. Instead of reassurance, it just elevated the anxiety at the elementary level when it didn’t really even involve them in the first place.

I’m one of those people who do not even HAVE a photo ID! I’m sure that sounds pretty silly to some but that’s the way it is. Everyone at the school knows who I am…I’m assuming common sense will prevail here and the ID thing will be a non-issue. I’m a big fan of common sense and I probably have too much faith that other people are too but we’ll see.

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