Florida Chick on Lockdown

Seriously, I swear that stuff like this only happens in South Florida. I know that ever since Columbine all teachers, schools, and administation have rules and regulations, drills, and such for emergency situations - but I still can't imagine sweet little Grand Haven schools ever really being in lockdown - that's when I start to wonder what on Earth compelled me to taking a teaching job in Broward County, Florida.

It happened last Tuesday. There we were, minding our own buisiness, reading A Wrinkle in Time, when the intercom calmly but firmly advises us that we are under a lockdown...this is not a test. It's interesting to be in a classroom with 15 12-year olds who are all expecting you to be the calm one. It is also interesting to realize that if there happens to be a madman on campus you probably won't be in the newspapers as a hero...more like the headline would read, "Teacher breaks leg as she pushes students out of the way and jumps out a second story window trying to reach safety." I know you've seen the George Costanza/Fire episode...really, who here isn't a little bit like George but doesn't want to admit it.

Anyway...I was in lockdown. Fortunately I'm a rule breaker and I have my cell phone on at all times in my classroom. Chris called me to let me know that there was an escaped convict/police killer/armed and extremely dangerous running around Fort Lauderdale (oh, is that all?!) and his van had been left near our school. I wasn't really worried until the helicopters began circling our school and my students, who I forced to continue reading their sweet little novel, kept running to the windows to see what was going on. At one point one of my students yelled, "Ms. V...there's a guy in the yard next door...he's looking at us...maybe it's him...maybe he's going to get in and shoot us." Turns out, it was just the neighbor outside on a cigarette break.

ANYWAY, the guy was finally caught (thank goodness) but not before I played 532 games of hangman, answered 38 emails from concerned family members, the 6th graders graffittied my whiteboards with "I love Ms. V." in all the colors of the rainbow, and I allowed one game of tag (which was quickly ended when I realized someone might need first aid and wouldn't be able to leave the room.)
Teaching certainly is not what it used to be, but in the end, I'm grateful we are all safe...and this experience did in fact give me the opportunity to pick out the window, which I will push my students out of the way to get to, just in case it happens again...

Lots of Love!