New reason for pulling plug on vets' visit: student safety (Vets For Freedom, MN)

StarTribune ^ | 3/27/08 | Paul Walsh

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

Concern for "student safety" was a primary reason that the Forest Lake School District canceled a visit by touring military veterans to its high school, says a newly issued statement today from Superintendent Lynn Steenblock.

Police said today, however, that those concerns, weren't relayed to them. "At no time was student safety mentioned to the chief of police or to our assigned liaison officer at the high school," police Sgt. Greg Weiss said this afternoon.

Steenblock this afternoon said that the safety concern was not passed on to police because it was alleviated when the event was scrubbed.

He said the concern was centered on the potential for "hundreds and hundreds" of protesters to come to the school and the possibility for the scene to "get out of hand." He added that the school had received no information that protesters intended to break any laws or engage in civil disobedience.

The National Heroes Tour, featuring decorated troops from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan talking about their military experiences, was supposed to address about 150 social studies students at the high school Tuesday.

Officials on Monday called off the event, after receiving about two dozen phone calls and e-mails from people opposed to the visit. Some objectors said they would stage antiwar demonstrations.

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

More Bravo Sierra from the Al Gore movie watching crowd at Forest Lake (MN) High School.

I wonder how the school board meeting went tonight.......

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

Ping..

[BenLurkin]

How sad that the terror supporting scum on the left can intimidate a school into canceling a patriotic program.

[SkyDancer]

Give it time - each hour a new reason will emerge ... next one should be something like: “over crowding” too many people in one place ....

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

Yeah, and we do know that DU was heavily involved......

[Billthedrill]

Steenblock has taught his students a valuable lesson - that if you don’t agree with someone’s point of view all you have to do is threaten violence to silence them. That is the shape of the world he’s building. Why pretend otherwise?

[The Brush]

I wonder if Superintendent Lynn Steenblock would step down if she received about two dozen phone calls and e-mails from people opposed to her decision who threatened the potential of "hundreds and hundreds" of protesters to come to the school and stage anti-Steenblock demonstrations?
Something tells me she'd fight no matter who showed up or how disruptive it proved to be for the children.
What happened to zero tolerance? Arrest the parents who demonstrate and expel the children who refused to go to the assembly.

[lowbridge]

Concern for "student safety" was a primary reason

What a load.

[wintertime]

ping

[Nathan _in_Arkansas]

All it took to cancel this totally honorable and potentially patriotism-inducing “event” was 24 phone calls and emails?

Wow. I wonder how many phone calls and emails it would have taken to call off an abortion rights event or an anti-2nd Amendment event. My guess? “Those groups are protected by freedom of speech,” would be the reply and the events would have taken place with extra police security to make sure they were allowed to get their message out.

ARRRRGGGGG!!!! I’m so tired of all of this bull! Let’s wage war on idiots...too bad we’re out numbered.

[Man50D]

The town where I grew up the schools are open on Veterans Day so the Vets, including my father, can visit the schools . They have a hard time meeting the demand to visit all the schools on the same day. They are transported by chartered commercial buses around town. They attend classes to answer questions. Some students ask pointed questions but in general the Veterans are treated with respect and are honored as heroes.

[LiveFreeOrDie2001]

Student safety? ...and just WHO would threaten the safety of students? Would it be the supporters and the people who want to hear their story of the Vets? Duh - no.

Since when do we give in to terrorists in our own Country??

Just who is against FREE SPEECH here?

Free speech is fine to them - as long as it is only “THEIR” viewpoint that gets said.

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

Do you know anyone that went to the schoolboard meeting last night?

[LiveFreeOrDie2001]

No, I don’t, but hope to get some info. Shoudda went. I will post what I hear or see.

I don’t see how it didn’t get on the agenda or get discussed.....

Let’s just cancel most everything in life due to the threat of safety.

Hey DUmmies, your plan didn’t work, just made it worse for ya...

[BenLurkin]

Bingo

[flib]

SAFETY??????

HELL, they are never safer than when with some of America’s finest service members!!!

[flib]

SAFETY??????

HELL, they are never safer than when with some of America’s finest service members!!!

[flib]

PRO TROOP RALLY IN COLUMBIA, South Carolina
THIS THURSDAY- April 3rd at 11:30 am
The Vets for Freedom Heroes Tour will be in Columbia, SC at the statehouse capitol steps!! (1200 Gervais St.)PUUULEASE come out if you can and forward this info to anyone you think may be interested. Signs and flags welcome! Website link is www.vetsforfreedom.org/
Hope you can make it !!! Seriously,take the day off if you have to. It’s worth it to have the opportunity to show your gratitude to our troops!