I am a teacher in Marion County, Florida. I don’t know what disturbs me more — a threat to the schools in my home county, or seeing the situation ‘chit-chatted’ about on a forum like this. I don’t think ‘chit chat’ is appropriate when it comes to fighting terrorism, or dealing with what appears to be a well-thought out plan by radical Islamists to disrupt not just our country, but our very souls.
More than a week has gone by with no new ‘word’ about these postcards. Yes, we had a number of bogus threats in our school system last spring, right after the situation at Virginia Tech. Every ‘perp’ was a kid, every kid was caught.. and every kid got some pretty appropriate consequences. The kids were floored that their ‘jokes’ would bring about such consequences, but hey, they have to grow up sometimes.
I’m bothered by the 10 - 10. Perhaps it signifies a date... perhaps the intended date for some kind of attack. We have speculated for years that Al Qaida might go for our schools.. small towns in the ‘heartland’.. rather than big landmarks in big cities. Hitting us that way might make our hearts bleed even more than a large strike, like the one of Sept. 11th.
I’m also nervous... if this was a ‘joke’ done by children or childish adults, why is no one bragging about this to their friends? THings like this seldom go un-talked-about by teenagers (or preteens even) They have to tell somebody, to ensure the maximum mileage on their ‘fun’. Kids don’t ALL take such things seriously, but by now someone would have hooked up to the rumor mill and gotten a lead or two, at least, if this was the work of students.
Whatever is happening in the investigation (if anything) they are keeping a lid on it thus far. I’m glad of this — becuase it’s possible that exposure would bring on fear and panic.. and as long as we are afraid, the terrorists win.
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Thanks.