Lt. Gerard Madden of Maine State Police Troop D, addresses the media following the capture of fugitive Randall Hofland, who was apprehended by law enforcement authorities on Friday.
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STOCKTON SPRINGS, Maine — A school hostage situation ended peacefully Friday morning when the armed gunman who fled from police last week released 11 fifth-graders he had threatened in a classroom and surrendered to authorities.
“The kids are doing well. Obviously, it’s a stressful situation but they are doing well,” Maine State Police Lt. Gerard Madden said from outside the Stockton Springs Elementary School on Church Street in this small Waldo County town. “No shots were fired.”
He said the students were shaken by the incident.
The gunman, Randall Hofland, 55, of Searsport, had been the subject of a police manhunt for a week before he showed up at the school at approximately 8:30 a.m. Friday. Hofland had pulled a gun on a Searsport police officer on Oct. 23 during a seat belt safety check and fled into the woods near his home, which is located about a mile from the school. Police had not received any reports of sightings of Hofland since then.
Police said that a parent at the school first noticed Hofland in the cafeteria attempting to coerce two children into a restroom and immediately notified the school secretary. The secretary told a bus driver, who went to the cafeteria and confronted Hofland.
Upon being confronted, Hofland reportedly brandished a semiautomatic handgun and walked down the hall and entered the fifth-grade classroom. There were 11 pupils and at least one teacher in the classroom initially, but Hofland allowed two youngsters to leave. Police were not immediately sure why those two were released.
Madden said the school had a plan in place for such a situation and immediately locked down the school. The pupils who were not held hostage were ushered onto a school bus. Once the others were released, they too were put on the bus, and all were taken to Searsport Elementary School where they were reunited with their teachers and received counseling.
A school official said everything happened so quickly, there was no time to notify parents during the incident. But news of the gunman spread through the town like wildfire, and parents began showing up at the locked-down school. Police directed the parents to the Searsport school. Police said all parents were cooperative.
The school secretary notified the Waldo County Communications Center of the situation at 8:37 a.m. and police from all over the county rushed to the scene. The school, which houses 85 students and 11 teachers and staff, was surrounded and secured.
Nine students remained in the classroom with Hofland when state police Detective Jason Andrews began communicating with the gunman through the door from out in the hallway.
Within minutes Hofland handed his loaded gun to one of the students in the classroom and walked out into the hallway where he was tackled by one of the waiting officers, according to police. Detective Andrews, Trooper Jonah O’Roak and Waldo County Sheriff’s Deputies Scott Jones and Glenn Graef placed Hofland in custody at 9:08 a.m.
One officer at the scene said Hofland looked “scruffy and unshaven” and that his pants were ripped. Madden said Hofland had made statements to the arresting officers but declined to elaborate on what was said.
“He was saying lots of things; he was talking about different things,” Madden said.
Madden said police were trying to determine Friday afternoon where Hofland had been for the past week, how he got into the school, and what his intentions were there.
“To the school’s credit, they had a plan and locked down the school,” Madden said. “Credit to the officers that arrived and credit to the school’s safety plan.”
Stockton Springs Elementary School is clearly visible from Church Street, a spur off Routes 1 and 1A, and is located in a residential area. Across the road from the school are a couple of houses and a church, and residences are on either side of it. A fence encloses the playground area of the school property. A sign advertising a pie festival scheduled for Friday afternoon after school was displayed prominently on the grounds.
Specific details on the school’s security measures were not available Friday.
Although Hofland was known to local police, he had no criminal record in Maine until he displayed a handgun to a Searsport officer at approximately 10:50 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 23, when he was stopped at a safety checkpoint. After showing his weapon, Hofland drove off and turned into his driveway a few hundred feet from the checkpoint. Police shut down U.S. Route 1 between Searsport and Prospect, but were unable to find him. Schools in Stockton Springs, Searsport and Frankfort were closed the next day as a precaution.
Though Hofland did not have a record, he was being investigated for allegedly taking more than $100,000 in money and property from retired sea Capt. George Perkins of Stockton Springs. Belfast private investigator Gary Boynton had been retained by Perkins to assist him in recovering his property and prosecuting Hofland. Boynton said Friday that he had been working with the Attorney General’s Office on the case. Boynton said Hofland had worked for Perkins for the past four years and had gained his trust during that time.
“I’ve been working with Captain Perkins on this for more than a year,” Boynton said. “Hofland took advantage of a man who was very ill.”
Hofland was charged Friday with criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon for the Oct. 23 incident. Police and prosecutors were meeting to discuss charges related to the hostage situation.
Gov. John Baldacci praised school and police personnel for their fast response on Friday. He said the school secretary called a “code blue” and then dialed 911.
After being locked down on Oct. 24, the day after the traffic incident, the schools have been in a state of heightened security, Baldacci said.
Details of the school’s emergency plan weren’t immediately available, but SAD 56 Superintendent Raymond Freve said they included a code that was broadcast on the intercom to advise teachers of a serious situation and classrooms had to be locked down.
“Everyone was calm. They did what they were supposed to do. The bottom line: Nobody got hurt,” the superintendent said.
The Maine Department of Education began requiring schools to enlist local police, fire and emergency preparedness officials in creating emergency response plans in 2002.
The school in the small coastal town 10 miles north of Belfast serves kindergarten through fifth grade. Some pupils were traumatized by the incident, Freve said, and the school district has scheduled counseling sessions and meetings with parents on Saturday.
As for Hofland, he had lived in the area for about seven years, most recently in a trailer off a dirt road, Searsport Police Chief Dick LaHaye said.
Police had not had previous contact with Hofland, but LaHaye was aware of reports that Hofland may have posted comments on an Internet message board questioning whether police had the right to stop motorists at roadblocks.
“You might be able to draw the conclusion that he might have issues with those types of actions,” LaHaye said.
Hofland once appealed a parking ticket he received in Concord, N.H., to the Supreme Court of New Hampshire.
He claimed his constitutional rights were violated because the city didn’t have signs that provided notice of a city ordinance prohibiting parking on city streets for more than 30 minutes between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. The court rejected his appeal.
The New England Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence commended the police for averting tragedy Friday. Director Cathie Whittenburg noted that each year more than 30,000 Americans are killed by firearms and said she was relieved that the situation ended peacefully.
“We are very thankful that Hofland chose to end the hostage situation,” she said. “This situation could have ended in tragedy had Hofland chosen instead to use his gun.”
On 11/1/08 at 8:38 AM,
momof2 wrote:
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This just shows how easy it is to walk into a school. No matter what town or state, our kids are safe no where. Everybody should be very grateful the guy had a concense.
On 11/1/08 at 8:55 AM,
yillda wrote:
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Something is seriously wrong with this guy. Obviously he is a few fries short of a happy meal. After a rigorous mental examination he needs to be locked away for a VERY VERY long time. Thank God that none of those children were hurt....I only wish they never had to experience something so traumatic. My prayers are with them and their families, as they try and recover.
On 11/1/08 at 9:34 AM,
sunnie1959 wrote:
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No one should be able to just walk off the street into a school. Here where I live, you have to walk to the office to sign in and receive a visitor's badge. The doors leading to the main hallway are locked(but can be opened from the inside in case people think that kids and staff can't get out) and no one can get in to the school that way during the day, you HAVE to go through the office. You HAVE to have a reason to be there. Schools need to be safer and not easily accessible by the public that do not have a legitimate reason to eb there. I feel sorry for those students, it's likely it will be a long time before they feel safe at school.
On 11/1/08 at 10:27 AM,
SandyL wrote:
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i agree 100% sunnie.. i posted a similar comment on yesterdays story wondering why this school & all schools in the state aren't locked down period. makes no sense to me. our kids need to be protected at all costs. these children & the adults were very lucky this turned out the way it did. I just hope people wake up before its to late and the headlines in BDN never have to say 11 students killed by gunman in school.
On 11/1/08 at 11:22 AM,
Tikitorch wrote:
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Although I feel that there needs to be more security in our schools, I don't think a constant lock down is the answer. This is going to create mass paranoia with our young citizens and the people that work at the schools. This is not what we want to tach our children, this isn't Russia. There must be a better way to keep our children safe.
On 11/1/08 at 11:35 AM,
Deschain wrote:
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This doesn't happen at home school.
On 11/1/08 at 12:06 PM,
DowneastIdiot wrote:
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It could happen at home as well
On 11/1/08 at 1:26 PM,
grayson21 wrote:
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all because a female officer set him off by reaching in his moving automobile to turn his high beams off,,,what a shame,,, yes the guy is a nut,, should be locked up forever,,, my nephew was in that 4th grade classroom right next to the 5th grade,, and yes the 4th graders were forgotten about,, they were removed way after Hofland had been removed from the premises,, I went to the stockton school as a kid and live in stockton now and it did hit home,, but it should of never had to happen anyways,,, ,, and you would never think that would happen,, but what I heard yesterday was that the front and cafeteria doors were wide open,,, some high alert eh!!
On 11/1/08 at 1:59 PM,
southtexaskate wrote:
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every school should have a crisis plan, the school that my children will go to does. most parents know where to pick thier children up after the crisis occurs, and the teachers are prepared incase this happens. i am sure the school took the approprate actions to protect the children, and the teacher in the classroom with the 11 fifth graders was only thinking of one thing, i will do any thing to save these kids. it is sad that someone would be this desprate to put children in harms way.
On 11/1/08 at 2:12 PM,
BeckyBoo wrote:
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In my town the school is locked down during the day from the start of the school day until the end of the school day. No one can even get into the school without pushing a button on the outside of the building and waiting for an employee of the school to check indentification. Some people in town and complained about the lockdown but I see it as a way to prevent something like this from happening. We may live in a small town, but small town or not..it can happen anywhere! Anything to make children safer, I'm all for it!
On 11/1/08 at 2:49 PM,
Bambam1948 wrote:
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There seems to be a lot of yakking about this school not beeing locked down during the day; it is as are all the schools in the District! These kids were just arriving for the day. GIve the District and the School some credit. This jerk found the weakest point in the security and managed to penetrate it.
On 11/1/08 at 2:56 PM,
dkenzie77 wrote:
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umm grayson, all those st udents were removed before he got arrested, get your facts straight
On 11/1/08 at 3:45 PM,
Rogue_Wave wrote:
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Im not sure how y'all down there deal with riffraff like him but here in Bear Country we'd use his ol' carcass for bear bait. Might even save a goat or two.
On 11/1/08 at 3:50 PM,
Amanda1982 wrote:
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This is such a sad story. Yes, its very bothersome to parents to of heard about this. Definately being from Prospect, 5 min from Stockton Springs, and having a 7 yr old in the school system in Bucksport Im worried. The part that worries me the most is, the day after the incident with the traffic stop, Searsport schools were ordered closed, then a week later the guys goes into a school with a gun! I guess I wish I could be one of those parents that could stay home and teach my boys safely! God bless America.
On 11/1/08 at 4:32 PM,
livenlearn wrote:
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Thank god for the great work and quick thinking of everyone involved. The school staff and police officers should all be commended for their excellent work during a horible situation.
On 11/1/08 at 6:33 PM,
missym wrote:
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This guy was on the loose and they all knew it, that school should have been in lockdown or closed until he was found. High alert for recess? Those kids should never have been outside to begin with. Thank god no one was hurt. Well, they are traumatized and that could have been prevented. Every single school should have a buzzer where people are buzzed in. What will it take for people to realize this? After kids lose their lives, the schools do something, a little too late.
Missy
www.bullypolice.org
On 11/1/08 at 10:52 PM,
grayson21 wrote:
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dkenzie,,, I was there with my brother to pick up my nephew,, yet again 4th grade,, I dont care what you say,, the 4th graders were removed after the guy was arrested and gone,, the last bus to searsport was the 4th and 5th grade class room,,, yet again you dont live in stockton springs like I do ,, do ya.....the class room was right next door to the 5th grade class room,, so they were not removed,,,, its over and one with,, im glad nothing bad happened,, I love my nephew and I take great pride in my community,,, im just stating the facts,,
On 11/1/08 at 11:35 PM,
dkenzie77 wrote:
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take a chill pill grayson, i am just stating what i heard and how do you know where il ive you stalking me
On 11/2/08 at 12:13 AM,
2close4comfort wrote:
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Thanks to all whose careful and courageous actions avoided making a trauma into a tradegy. Parents and teachers can try (instead of thinking how they can never feel safe again) letting their children -- as all involved -- feel even more confident in themselves, that even in such a dangerous situation, they handled themselves so well, helping all to end well.
On 11/2/08 at 9:52 AM,
knine620 wrote:
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thank god no one was hurt!!! home schooling looks better and better every day!!!
On 11/2/08 at 11:49 AM,
markko wrote:
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I don't think of myself as a Midcoast Chief Inspector Jaques Clouseau, but has anyone else here wondered why schools played such a big role in this whole story from the very beginning?
The police couldn't find him after searching all night, and then, at dawn, they decide to close ALL SAD 56 schools for the day. Why?
Are fugitives from justice known to invade schools at any given moment? Why the schools in particular? Why this class in particular? The school was on a "vigilant" watch for unusual behavior, and were told to be on the lookout for anyone attempting to enter the school.
It just seems like the man had some sort of motive to go to the school.
On 11/2/08 at 12:08 PM,
bewest wrote:
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My daughter is a fourth grader at Stockton, and as a poster on here said, the fourth grade students were huddled and hiding the whole time the gunman was in the building. Two of her classmates ran into the classroom screaming there was a man with a gun and he had grabbed them in the gym/cafeteria and they got away. Code blue came over the intercom and the teacher ran in yelling for them to run and hide in a certain area of the classroom. She locked the door, shut the lights off and told the class how she would hide them by moving things in the room that would shield them from view. Their classroom is next to the fifth grade classroom separated only by a curtain room divider. My daughter and all her classmates were terrified. They had to be still and quiet to not call attention to them. They could hear voices including a teacher crying out for help. Mrs. Gooch, fourth grade teacher, is to be commended for locking the classroom down and hiding the children as well as she did and for helping to calm them. My daughter said she started to cry, shake all over and even vomit a little, and her teacher was very protective and reassuring as best she could in that traumatic situation. My daughter said she was afraid Hofland would come in and shoot them. A while later they could hear the police talking to Hofland urging him to come out. Then my daughter said she could hear police tackle him and all the commotion that went with it. She heard police tell him to put his hands out during the arrest. After Hofland was taken away, the fourth grade was told it was safe to come out. The fourth grade students were the last to leave the building and taken to Searsport. A lot of details were left out of the news stories including Hofland putting his gun in the faces of two school employees, including the fifth grade teacher who was trying to close/lock the classroom door when Hofland overpowered her and pushed his way in and pushed her out. School staff and police are to be commended for averting tragedy.
On 11/2/08 at 1:10 PM,
Todd007 wrote:
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Reflecting on Friday, 31 Oct 2008: Thank god! Thanks Glenn, Jason, Rory, Bryant and all the Police! Thanks to the school staff, bus drivers, and parents.
Thank you student heros!
It is now over. We'll now look at our communites diffently, wondering about safety and how this could have happened . I myself, look back and say it was a day to be remembered for a very long time and so thankful of the outcome.
With all the posts (pro and con) on Hofland, we now see what a nutcase animal he is. The hardest part is knowing he will be exercising his constitutional rights throughout his prosecutions and appeals.
For most of us, he's been convicted in the court of public opinion. To bad he can't receive the sentence he deserves.......................
On 11/2/08 at 2:37 PM,
critter wrote:
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I think all teachers should be supplied cell phones with "911" programed into them , pick up in the am and drop off when leaving the building in the pm,,
On 11/2/08 at 2:43 PM,
BarbaraM99 wrote:
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I would like to know this..With all the tech here in this nation. Why was there not a means to get in touch with school for that tacher that she or he would have remaned with the class, Teacher walked out of class to call 911,the kids still in the class room. I was educated in Maine schools years ago.I know the have a pa system in most schools. Surely a cell phone could be used. Yep schools ban them and should not for this reason. Yet in class they should be turnt off but allowed. Teachers should never leave the class in the hands this person, Hope he is locked for life. The brave kids.Hope are doing well after all this. He needs to be put away so he can't pull this. He has issues that need to be dealt with. I am applled he could just walk into a class room. The school office should be the first stop so that staff know who is in the building and where.
On 11/2/08 at 2:44 PM,
stocktonmomof2 wrote:
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I think that everyone needs to get their facts straight before they start posting comments. I had a meeting yesterday with the superintendent and the Cheif of Police and I have no question what so ever of their capabilities and am pleased with how well things were taken care of. My issue is the fact that the school should have taken more precautions if they felt that there was any chance that Hofland would come into the school. Obviously they thought that it was a possibility seeings how they shut the school down the previous Friday. In my opinion there should have been an officer present outside when children were arriving at school and departing. If an officer couldn't be present then there should have been adults standing watch outside for Hofland. THE SCHOOL WAS NOT IN LOCKDOWN. I don't care what anyone says. I was told by several parents that at several different times throughout the day the front doors to the school were NOT LOCKED. Then we were told yesterday by the superintendent that the doors weren't latching. I was also told by several other parents that the doors were latching. I believe that the school needs to take some of the blame for what happened on Friday, there just weren't enough precautions taken to ensure the safety of our children that day. I do give kudos to the teachers for being able to execute the safety plan effectively. And thanks to Glen Larrabee the bus driver to getting the children out of harms way quickly and safely.
Oh and to dkenzie77: Grayson21 does have his facts straight. I was told exact details BY THE CHEIF OF POLICE HIMSELF, and Grayson21 is correct. The fourth graders were left behind because NO ONE KNEW THEY WERE THERE until the principal called the cheif and asked where her fourth graders were after all of the other children were brough to her.
PEOPLE NEED TO GET THEIR FACTS STRAIGHT BEFORE THEY GO SPOUTING OFF AT THE MOUTH.
On 11/2/08 at 3:22 PM,
bewest wrote:
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BarbaraM99 - to clarify your statement that a teacher left her students in the classroom with Hofland while she called 911, that is not what happened. She was in the process of locking her door when Hofland got there and struggled to get in. She was pushing the door to try to get it to latch and lock when he overpowered her and got inside. He put a gun in her face and forced her out of the room.
On 11/2/08 at 3:53 PM,
dkenzie77 wrote:
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wow you talked to cheif of police, woo big girl or boy you are. I dont know where ya all get your facts, but obviously not from the police. They didnt have a gun to her face, are you stupid. Read the paper, god your a idiot. Oops sorry your not, the cheif of police told you all the facts, when they were keeping it quiet
On 11/2/08 at 7:50 PM,
momof2 wrote:
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why is there a need to argue about all the little details of this, and to call each other names?? why can't you all just be greatful that nobody was harmed?? these were small children some of them yours! none of us will ever know exactly how everything went down we were not there, just count your blessings and stop arguing
On 11/2/08 at 8:42 PM,
dkenzie77 wrote:
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im not arguing momof2, i just think its stupid that they would lie. You wanna teach your kids to lie then that is fine but i can tell you this my kid will never lie
On 11/2/08 at 9:01 PM,
jake04743 wrote:
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dkenzie, you sure do like to stir the pot huh.... Just yesterday, on another post, I felt a bit unsettled about our comments to one another( which I feel we ended cordially), and I see you here. I guess maybe I might have a bit of a problem with the way you converse with other people. I must also state: It is impossible for you to even think that your child will never lie. Cause I'm pretty sure even God gives us all free will. Remember if you don't have anything kind or constructive to say, shushhhh.
On 11/2/08 at 9:14 PM,
dkenzie77 wrote:
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again jake im ss that i have offended you or anyone. But everyone is putting this stand off at a big issue. Yes its a big issue but come on you all are taking it so serious. He is in jail, he will be charged. He will go away for some time, unless the judge is lenient. I Hope so for the judge he or she is nto so easy on him
On 11/2/08 at 9:17 PM,
jake04743 wrote:
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As he should. This is why we have a legal system. Lucky for him teachers aren't allowed to carry concealed weapons. Outcome for the perp may have been a bit more painful.
On 11/2/08 at 9:35 PM,
dkenzie77 wrote:
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yes i agree with you and i will settle down on my comments , maybe im just a little over bit tired from working 12 hour shifts daily. it kills me. Ty for understanding and have a great week
On 11/2/08 at 11:36 PM,
applebottom wrote:
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All schoolchildren in the state need to be given a parachute for things like this and TAUGHT TO USE THEM!!! Regardless of how much it costs. We cannot allow 4 more years of failed republican policy!! My prayers.
On 11/3/08 at 2:14 PM,
stocktonmomof2 wrote:
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I thought that it was pretty evident that I am a female as my screen name is stocktonmomof2 (which also means that I have a child at the school). My question is, are you an adult? Cause I mean name calling is a bit childish. I took the time to attend a meeting to get FACTS about what happened and you're criticizing me for it? Do you have a child at Stockton Springs Elementary? I would guess not as grayson21 stated you don't live around here.
The MEDIA (newspaper and television) is not the place to get COMPLETE truthful answers and if anyone else wants truthful answers and does not want to accept embellishments and rumors as fact can call Chief LaHaye and get those questions answered.
A man with a gun in a school is a BIG ISSUE. And I am sorry to say that our legal system doesn't always work the best. I hope that he will be locked away for a long time, but the truth of the matter is that there are a lot of loopholes in the leagal system that quite often benefits the criminal.
On 11/4/08 at 9:38 PM,
PeytonPlace wrote:
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To dkenzie77: You stated that 'everyone is putting this stand off at a big issue' and 'you all are taking it so serious'. Did you have a child in the Stockton Springs Elementary School that day? I have two kids in that school and one of them happened to be in that 5th grade classroom. Do you know what it's like to see your child jump when someone knocks at the door or when a loud noise occurs? Or how about doesn't want to sleep in her own room at night because she's scared that some man with a gun is going to climb in her bedroom window and get her. Therefore her and her sister bring their sleeping bags into my room and pretend they are having a campout on the floor because they are scared to be by themselves. Do you have the answers to these kids questions when they want to know why someone would do this? It seems that you have an answer for everything else. I guess it's not a big deal to you is it? Why would it be right? It didn't happen to you. So maybe you should watch your cruel and unfeeling comments. These kids didn't ask for this. What started out to be a happy day for them turned into a nightmare that no one had any control over. These kids started the day off all excited because it was Halloween and they couldn't wait to be in the Halloween parade and go trick or treating with their friends. Do you know what it's like to get that call at work that there is a hostage situation at the school and a man with a gun has your child and her classmates hostage? No you don't because if you did, you wouldn't write such assinine comments and then blame it on 'your heavy work schedule and lack of sleep'. Everyone is different and different situations affect people in different ways. Not all these kids will handle this the same. Some will have a quicker recovery than others.
And another comment that has bothered me is about the 5th grade teacher, Mrs. R. She DID NOT walk out of that classroom. She was forced out and threatened with a gun. She did everything in her power to try and get that door shut but she was overpowered by Hofland. She did not leave those kids in there willingly. Anyone who would suggest otherwise is an idiot. And before you question me dkenzie77 on how I know that.... I know that because that is what my daughter told me and she was there. That is the statement that she gave to the state trooper who interviewed her. That is also what Chief Lahaye told the parents of the 5th graders. So the insinuation that you made about 'teaching kids to lie'. No one taught anyone to lie. You should really think before you throw a comment out there. This is a serious situation and it should be taken seriously. Your flippant comments are just plain ignorant.
On 11/8/08 at 4:12 PM,
TammiB wrote:
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I know this situation is done and over with now but I just registered and feel I have to say something. My cousin was suppose to be in that 5th grade classroom. However, she was late to school that day and was sent home instead. I live in Mass right now but I grew up in Frankfort, which is a part of SAD 56 for those of you who may not know that. When I went to the Frankfort Elem. School so many years ago (I graduated high school in 2000) there were door that lead outside in every classroom. I haven't been there in years so I don't know if they changed the design of the school or not, but in my opinion having those doors there could have helped at the Stockton school (I don't know if they have them there or not. I have barely ever been to SSE.) I had not heard about the 4th grade class until reading the comments here. Thinking about it, if there were doors that lead outside from the classroom than the teacher could have slipped the children out from that door so they wouldn't have been stuck in the school. I am just hoping that all the students of SSE are getting what help they can to overcome the fears they endured due to this situation. I hope that the school systems keep up with their emergency plans. And for those schools that have weak spots in their plans that they fix them as soon as possible. We definitely need to keep the kids and school staff safe in situations like these.
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