OPINION: “They found bullets in the bathroom”
Editor’s note: On Friday, Jan. 9, two bullets were found in the boys’ bathroom in the Math hallway. The Trail staff shares their opinions on today’s situation and their feelings toward gun violence in schools.
This is a continuing story and the Trail will follow it.
Opinions expressed in editorials are those of the writer(s). These views may not represent those of the adviser; of the Trail staff as a whole; of the Trail’s advertisers; of the administration, faculty or staff of McIntosh High School; of Fayette County Public Schools or of the FCBOE School Board members.
Video taken by Trail staff member Ryan LeVan.
I was confused at first because I hadn’t checked my phone since this morning. But when I arrived back to class I pulled out my phone and checked StudentSquare. When I read [the principal’s statement] I didn’t know what to think. I have never been in this type of situation before and I didn’t know how to take it, so I just brushed it off.
I had heard about the bullets twice before the crowd formed at the front of the school. The first time was from my sister. She texted me “Did you hear about the bullets?” without elaborating. I assumed she was messing with me. Then, when I was leaving lunch my friend told me, “They found bullets in the boys bathroom.”
When I first saw the message, I was in my yearbook class and was about to put my phone up. I had stopped walking and went off to the side to finish reading the message. Immediately, my heart sank because I have math first period.
I started hearing about the bullets being found in the bathroom during fourth period. I texted a friend of mine to be aware that there may be a threat in the school premises and started to notice people becoming both joking and genuinely scared and more aware of who was leaving and entering the door to the class.
My heart jumped every time I heard a loud noise. I was on edge during class, and could hardly focus. I even told a few of my friends “If we don’t make it through today, I love you. And I’m grateful for you.”
No matter how much the teachers tell me that we’re safe, and no matter how many cops show up, this school does not feel safe. I come here to learn, not to wonder if I’ll make it home tonight. This is the reality of America, and if it can happen once, it can happen again.
I wasn’t scared because I knew all the kids in my classes and no one that I knew would do that, and I thought I was safe, but really, no one knew enough information.
I wish that [Principal Amy] Hammock gave more specifics of what is happening behind the scenes that is ensuring our safety. The initial message is very vague and it gives everyone that message that this is not fully resolved.
Though I do feel that Mrs. Hammock or someone else should’ve come over the intercom and told us that everything was fine and maybe elaborated more about what precautions were being made. Doing that may have helped prevent the rush of students leaving the school.
It was like a bubble popped in my brain. It is way too easy to take this stuff lightly. Violence in schools has become so prevalent that it’s almost a joke. Panic is also being used as an excuse to leave school, which even spurs even more unrest. And it’s hard to undo all of that when people now are so used to chaos.
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