This morning, school was closed at Nicolet H.S. in Glendale, WI. Threats were apparently made by a student who had apparently drafted a "hit list". My stepson was sent home. He joked that it was a "3-day weekend", and that he's "desensitized", "it's life in the '90's", etc.

I'm not doing as well. In fact, I am physically sickened by this. The school did the right thing, of course, and nobody was hurt, but the emotional toll is real. I want to write more, but can't at the moment.

-- call me (sh@k.y), April 30, 1999

Answers

Several school closings and "sending them home early"'s around here lately. (central Michigan area)

-- Steve Hartzler (s.hartzler@usa.net), April 30, 1999.

It started slowly, almost imperceptibly. But like the a rotting piece of fruit, our society and its foundations is starting to break down at an accelerating rate. The fungus is called moral relativism and situational ethics. The logical conclusion to this sick experiment is nothing less than anarchy. This will be followed by dictatorship. My opinion.

-- Jeremiah Jetson (laterthan@uthink.y2k), April 30, 1999.

There where 2 bombtreads in Fairport, NY yesterday, They arrested a jung man locally ( 12 or 13 years old) That had pipebombs and instructions how to build them, He had a well documented plan include dammage assessment. And.... what makes this so scary is that the jornal proves that this student has worked on this plan since about June of LAST year.

How many more are out there?

-- Rickjohn (rickjohn1@yahoo.com), April 30, 1999.

And then there are the kids who just want a 3 day holiday who think it is a lark to phone in a bomb threat, just so they can see the repercussions and get a few days off school....just a joke - but it will turn into "the boy who cried wolf" one day as people become cynical about all the false alarms.

-- laurane (familyties@rttinc.com), April 30, 1999.

A school in New Jersey is closed today because of a bomb threat, and another in Brooklyn was emptied yesterday for the same reason. From last night's local news. It's becoming an epidemic.

-- (local@news.watcher), April 30, 1999.

i'm from WI also. The media is trying not to give it undue publicity, but there have been at least 15 school closings in the state this week becvause of threats. Two in my immediate area today.

-- Jon Johnson (narnia4@usa.net), April 30, 1999.

I heard on the TSN news this morning that a school in Beaumont or Corpus Christi, TX (I think) was closed today after finding bomb plans and receiving bomb threats. It is all over the country now. God help us all.

-- Sharon (sking@drought-ridden.com), April 30, 1999.

I wonder how many parents who cluck their toungues reinforce that conformity and popularity are all important,and that it's ok to hassle non-conformists or people who don't dress a certian way,until we change our attitudes about people who don't fit in,then we're only treating/banning the symtoms....

-- zoobie (zoobie@zoob.zab), April 30, 1999.

So. Fla is having a rough time of it as well with bomb threats.

Here is a link to the Miami Herald story. There are also mentions of other cities having problems.

http://www.herald.com/content/archive/news/colorado/docs/082763.htm

-- J (jart5@bellsouth.net), April 30, 1999.

Here's a very good explanantion of what's going on.

http://www1.christianity.net/ct/8T9/8T9030.html

-- Prometheus (fire@for.man), April 30, 1999.

Looks like the home-schoolers are way ahead of the pack on this issue. Keep them home, safe from bombs & guns, & free from indoctrination.

-- enough (of@this.nonsense), April 30, 1999.

There is a very good article on this subject (Littleton) at the WorldNet Daily site. (www.worldnetdaily.com) under the heading of "Hitler is Alive and Well". I think it is a direct hit!

-- Sharon (sking@drought-ridden.com), April 30, 1999.

Here in safe, rural, charming Vermont- quite a few schools have had repeated bomb threats the past year or so- and have repeatedly closed due to this. My son's school hasn't had this yet- although we did have a child stick LSD in his teachers coffee cup in class and nobody said anything! Yes- she drank it and it wasn't a fun time for her. So- I'd say something is seriously wrong in this country.

-- anita (hillsidefarm@drbs.com), April 30, 1999.

Here in South Texas there was a bomb threat in a High School. The school didn't take the first call seriously and didn't even call the police. The second call came at about noon. This time they called the police and the fire dept., FBI, police, ect. came out. After checking out the school they sent the kids inside, locked the doors, and REFUSED to allow the kids to use the office phone or pay phones to call their parents. A parent went to pick up her child, who used a teacher's cell phone to call home, and the school REFUSED to allow the parent to take the child home. The told the parent there was no legitimate reason to remove the child from the school. Now when did the school become Law or God? It is a sad thing whats happening in our society.

-- Sandra (iluvmy8@aol.com), April 30, 1999.

You hit it right on, Enough!

There is a lot of noise looking for "solutions." Funny I haven't seen the one recommendation that truly is the solution. How about if we end all publicly financed education? No no no, that just wouldn't do would it. So, the people with values and morals will leave these public schools over time (homeschooling or private). Then the only ones left will be the worst of the worst, parents and kids, which will escalate these tragedies, which will cause more to leave... which will make the violence even worse....

Hello, what do we expect? We tell these kids they are only animals evolved from apes; should we be surprised when they act like animals? Rant off.

-- Jim the Window Washer (Rational@man.com), April 30, 1999.

"act like animals"? We should be so lucky.

-- goombah (goombah@aol.com), April 30, 1999.

More than 50 in the area down here....the solution is self discipline, self-control, and a true desire to do want is right, not what is popular feels good, or "easy." Same problem peoplehave been trying to solve since Cain killed Able, Adam and Eve lied together in the garden, and the Aztecs killed captives as a sacrifice to their gods.

Got morals?

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (Kennesaw, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), April 30, 1999.

Three schools in Buffalo were shut down today because of bomb threats...

I am hoping that this is just kids hoping to get out of school, and not serious intentions to do harm...

good grief....

-- housemouse (jgj@nevermind.net), April 30, 1999.

A bomb threat was called into a high school in a small town in eastern NC this morning. The kids were sent outside at 9:00am into a Noreaster and kept outside in the rain until they finally sent them home around 1pm. Been about 15 calls to area schools in the last week. These kids are sick and need help.

-- mb (mdbutler@coastalnet.com), April 30, 1999.

the schools in DeeCee were closed yesterday w/ multiple bomb threats and 2 people shot at 1 school (neither were students or teachers).

-- sarah (qubr@aol.com), April 30, 1999.

Dear Call me sh@ky SIT THE KID DOWN and get MORE THAN THE SOUND BYTE from him. He may not need to talk to you, but YOU NEED TO TALK TO HIM. He DOES needs to see that you are NOT doing as well as he thinks.

chuck

-- chuck, a Night Driver (rienzoo@en.com), April 30, 1999.