Re: Does anyone find this wrong or is it just me?

I think it is a horrible idea for a lot of the reasons already stated! I would run, not walk - to administration and make it publicly known that you do not agree (personally, I would send an email so you have record of it).

I could see this backfiring in a big way - like "story on the 11 o'clock news" way.

Also, what about the other parents? Do they know this is coming? Shouldn't they be prepared to deal with their emotionally upset teenagers that day after school?

Re: Does anyone find this wrong or is it just me?

That si just wrong. I understand wanting to make a point, but I don't think that is right at all.

Reminds me of the time when friends of mine deid in a drunk driving accident after I graduated and the principle wanted to put their car on the front lawn of the school. On of the deceased's twin sister would have had to walk past the car where her brother died every day for the rest of the school year. And the moroinc principle didn't get why this would be an issue

I really hope this goes off as they plan becuase if it was me, I would be annoyed at the trickery.

Re: Does anyone find this wrong or is it just me?

OK just for the sake of saying what "could" happen...a student who is friends with the girl is despondant and jumps off the roof of the school and dies. It could happen, people do all sorts of things when they are under stress or shocked or filled with powerlessness and grief. Has someone figured out how they will explain to that student's parents that their child died over a "joke" (I know it's not meant to be a joke but I can't think of how else to categorize what the student's parent will feel when they find out why their child died)

I can't believe that is what they are doing to kids nowadays. And why are the parents of the homecoming queen on board with it? Bc it revalidates how popular their daughter is bc the school chose her as the most "mournable"?

That is just crazy. I'm so sure you don't feel like being there but I applaud you for realizing how important it will be for you to be there for the kids. Just wondering though, how will you answer if a student comes to you after they find out it's a hoax and wants to know how you could play this trick on them? Since you disagree with what they are doing, how will you be comfortable answering?

Shocking!

Re: Does anyone find this wrong or is it just me?

As a parent of a teenager I would be upset. How about if one of the kids did take it seriously and felt suicidal. I have always felt kids should be brought to the morgue and be shown the devasting effects of drunk driving. Everytime I talk to my kids I always stress how I would hate to get the phone call "Im sorry Mrs. A but your child has been in a terrible accident". My worst nightmare. I am a true believer that kids need to be educated but not like that, but something really needs to be done. They are not listening.

Re: Does anyone find this wrong or is it just me?

This is the cruelest thing I have ever heard to do to a school of teens..CRUEL!
There is no way in h e l l I'd go into work on Monday.
I hope the "victim" alerts her friends and spoils it for the administration.

Our HS goes to a junk yard, places a smashed up car on the lawn at a very busy intersection and puts the sign "This is what happens when you drink and drive"..Some phrase along those lines.

Re: Does anyone find this wrong or is it just me?

I think that is a terrible thing to do. DISGUSTING.

I think that by showing students real life tradegies that drunk driving has caused will have more of an impact than a staged accident.

I find this completely disrespectful especially for those students who have actually expereinced a loss due to drunk driving. It is NOT a joke and it is NOT something that you can take back... and this school district is making it seem that way.

Re: Does anyone find this wrong or is it just me?

WOW ! This is just crazy!

I cant evei imagine that they are truly going forward with this.

There are so many valid points mentioned here :

*Why the homecoming queen, would it/should it be any less "shocking" if it were the quiet, shy student in class?
or the homeless guy on the corner?

*and Christine this will affect you GREATLy being the counselor for all these traumatized, and ANGRY students (and parents!)

Are you at liberty to say that you didnt agree with it ?

I just feel for you in the position youre in. You should definitely voice your opinion or email someone this weekend (they say "document" everything unfortunately)..
This will turn into more than just a moment of discussion..

Re: Does anyone find this wrong or is it just me?

i work in a school too ( although its an elementary school) and i just can't beleive what i'm reading!!
it sounds like a lawsuit waiting to happen... i can see all the claims of " mental distress and pain and suffering" now... and, to tell you the truth, they'd probably be right. this is no way to "Teach" a lesson, the students shouldn't have to be put through this...

Re: Does anyone find this wrong or is it just me?

OH SO WRONG!!!!

all the reasons i would state have already been stated and discussed.

just wrong

Re: Does anyone find this wrong or is it just me?

That's going too far.

Re: Does anyone find this wrong or is it just me?

Posted by libby2595

OH SO WRONG!!!!

all the reasons i would state have already been stated and discussed.

just wrong

Re: Does anyone find this wrong or is it just me?

I remember in HS, we had something smiliar, but less creepy. Seveal students volunteered( SADD members) & they were "dead" for the day. They wore black, with a sash, and weren't supposed to talk to anyone.

We kind of made fun of it, but it didn't make you think about what it would be like if all of a sudden these people were gone.

Re: Does anyone find this wrong or is it just me?

I think that's disgusting and irresponsible.

Re: Does anyone find this wrong or is it just me?

Message edited 10/20/2007 12:07:28 AM.

Re: Does anyone find this wrong or is it just me?

Posted by CkGm

Posted by Emily

Is the student who is allegedly dead going to know before hand? I don't think I could handle be 16 and an announcement saying I died.

I find this method quite odd. Most schools just go to the junkyard and get a wrecked car. They place it on the front lawn or somewhere else with heavy traffic. They have a sign that says "Don't drink and drive". That gets the message accross quite well. The method your school is going to use it very questionable.

ets: Your guidance off is going to be packed Monday with students flipping out. That is not half as bad as Tuesday morning when all the parents come down to kick azz.

The student knows and her parents are also involved and on board. I will have to see how this all works out but I feel I am going to spend all day Monday consoling fragile students and taking phone calls from angry parents. I am just so upset about this and was the only counselor to voice her opinion on the subject. I was considering calling in sick on Monday but I don't want to NOT be there for the students who will most definately need me.

Supposedly, they are going to be told that it isn't real in a short period of time but I am still SO AGAINST IT its not even funny

Re: Does anyone find this wrong or is it just me?

That is disgusting! I mean REALLY disgusting. I would call in sick. If your students ever question you as to why you were not there for them through this, I would flat out tell them I didn't agree with the way the school was doing it and I didn't want to to support it, because I didn't think it was fair to you guys (but then again this is coming from a teacher that walked out last year because the school wasn't giving me the tools needed to meet my students accommodations)

Do what you feel is right in your heart.

Good luck

Re: Does anyone find this wrong or is it just me?

Being a teacher for almost 10 years, I thought I heard it all. Apparently not...this is one of the worst ideas I have ever heard of. Your administrators are not only messing with the students' emotions but they are opening up a major can of worms.
I can't believe they would even entertain this idea.

Re: Does anyone find this wrong or is it just me?

I'm on the fence about it.

Yes it's deceptive & yes, it's absolutely cruel.

They're going for shock value & it's certainly going to work. The point of it is to drive the point home that it is a very real possibility. If students remember those few horrible minutes of feeling that type of anguish & don't drive drunk, is it worth it?

I see their point of picking the homecoming queen. If you wanted to reach a greater audience, you would pick the person that was most voted most popular by her student body, no? the shy girl in the back of the room isn't going to as many parties as the homecoming queen. That's not to say no one cares about the shy kid in the back of the class but the point of this is to reach the maximum number of people.

I'm not sure how I feel about it, but I can see the administration's point. As a parent, I would want to know beforehand that they were doing this so I would be prepared. I'm not sure it would work because word would get out.

Re: Does anyone find this wrong or is it just me?

Very wrong.

In my HS, a group of students were silent with a card on their neck explaining that they died from some drug related experience. They also had activities throughout the week to get everyone involved. I think the shock value was a car displayed on the front lawn that was hit by a drunk driver. The passengers in the car died. I know for a fact that seeing that hit the message home for a lot of kids.

Re: Does anyone find this wrong or is it just me?

I don't have anything to add besides what others have mentioned, but this disgusts me. The fact that the girl's parents are going along with it is sick. Why would you joke about your child dying?

Re: Does anyone find this wrong or is it just me?

Message edited 10/20/2007 8:55:36 AM.

Re: Does anyone find this wrong or is it just me?

As an elementary school teacher I had to give my 2 cents and say that I agree with everyone that it is a terrible idea. It can be completely traumatic for the kids and will undermine any trust they have in you. Is it an assembly or do YOU actually have to announce it to them in your class individually? I would want no part in it.

Re: Does anyone find this wrong or is it just me?

THIS IS HORRIBLE!!!! What is wrong with them?

Re: Does anyone find this wrong or is it just me?

I think that is terrible and wrong!

Re: Does anyone find this wrong or is it just me?

Posted by anna

WOW ! This is just crazy!

I cant evei imagine that they are truly going forward with this.

There are so many valid points mentioned here :

*Why the homecoming queen, would it/should it be any less "shocking" if it were the quiet, shy student in class?
or the homeless guy on the corner?

*and Christine this will affect you GREATLy being the counselor for all these traumatized, and ANGRY students (and parents!)

Are you at liberty to say that you didnt agree with it ?

I just feel for you in the position youre in. You should definitely voice your opinion or email someone this weekend (they say "document" everything unfortunately)..
This will turn into more than just a moment of discussion..