Make a big stink over a big stink?

I am troubled somewhat by something that happened inside and outside of my classroom the other day. Especially in light of what happened down in Virginia.

Someone asked whether my school has "a plan of action." Yes, we do. There is ONE entrance into the building for students and each student and his or her bag, purse, etc is searched, x-rayed and wanded down. That's the plan of action.

Last week, one of my students, a girl, S., was walking out of my room with her bag covered up. Definitely suspicious, but I wasn't worried - vis-à-vis my schools said plan of action.

Once the mob of sophomores left my room I heard a pop and then I heard yells and ultimately it hit me… the stench. She had popped a stink bomb.
















Now… on the one hand, this is just normal, teen-age mischief. I mean, in my juvenile mind, that kind of stuff is hilarious.

But its 2007. While I am not necessarily afraid of my kids, there are going to be people out there who are. ESPECIALLY considering what happened down in Virginia. People are very jumpy and they don't take kindly to the usual crap kids do anymore. If a kid even gives off a WHIFF of something which is similar to anything terrible that has happened.

(For example -

http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/news.aspx?id=18437

http://blogs.westword.com/latestword/2007/04/maxs_mouth.php

I understand this is this kid's M.O. to drop these little verbal grenades and then watch the mayhem, but it proves how little tolerance school administration has these days.)

My concern is not necessarily for the "safety" of our building, although obviously I care about that since I work there.

My concern is for kids who spout DUMB ASS comments and then get hustled into the system as a result of their juvenile stupidity. Kids do DUMB ASS things, but now, as a result of the nation's tension, a kid breaking a stink bomb could possibly - and RIGHTFULLY SO - be viewed as a terrorist!

You say, how can a kid popping a stink bomb be viewed as a terrorist? Let's say that one person panics about the smell, then another, and should a riot ensue as a result of the smell is that not the definition of terrorism? Especially if someone gets hurt as a result of the mayhem.

The other thing, I guess I am not very "over-reactionary" kind of person, but there are teachers who can be. There are definitely teachers who are afraid for their safety and they would report anyone in a MINUTE because of their own fear. Then again, there are teachers who would feign that fear because they WANT to report her. Oh, believe me, there are teachers who LOVE getting kids in trouble.

So my dilemma is where do I fall as a "responsible" faculty member? I want to keep my building safe without question. A school is supposed to be a "safe place." But I also want to keep my students safe. I realize maybe reporting it and making a big "stink" about it might in the long run make her realize the weight of her actions, but it also might destroy her.

At the same time, are kids growing up too fast? Isn't this something we as adults are CONSTANTLY complaining about? Is this something we want to do? We say how kids are growing up too fast, well aren't we causing that to happen? If we are expecting them to act like adults, then they will, right?