The El Camino High School in Oceanside California designed what they labeled the scared-straight exercise. The Highway Patrol visited classrooms early Monday morning telling students that several of their classmates had been killed in car wrecks over the weekend. The students were all traumatized by the news and some became so upset that counselors had to tell them the truth, that it was only a hoax. It was originally planned for students to be told the truth in an afternoon assembly, but after counselors revealed to those upset students the news began to spread. While some were relieved, many other students were angry saying that the school went too far. The school stands behind their decision to conduct the exercise. Superintendent Larry Perondi says only a few parents had called and the PTA said there had been no complaints regarding the exercise.
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4 comments:
Absolutely irresponsible. this boarders on criminal. It is very telling that officers of the California Highway Patrol would participate in FRAUD. A reasonable person must draw from this situation that the CHP has no problem lying when it suits their purpose. Disconcerting, yet not particularly surprising that the school administration would perpertate something as low as to intentionally bring harm to the student in order to make a point. This is the "ends justifies the means," propoganda approach that is to be expected of California officials. This is a form of Child Abuse, plain and simple. The fact that it is not sexual abuse must make it justifiable in the minds of the low life adminstrators, teachers and the lying garbage that is the CHP, as well as in the minds of all the parents who did NOT complain. I hope that anyone who gets a ticket from the CHP will get a good lawyer, present this situation as a defense, showing that the CHP has no problem lying to children, and as such would have no compunciton about lying about anything else. The only way the CHP could possibly restore any semblance of honesty or believabilty is if all the officers involved be summarily dismissed, along with their supervisors who approved of this, and the head of CHP, who did nothing to dicipline those who perptrated this act of abuse. In terms of the school admininstration and the teachers involved, all should be summarily brought up on charges for fraud, and those who were complicit shoud be dismissed. For both the CHP filth and the corrupt "educators", there should be a way to make sure that they never get a chance to work in law enforcement or education, as the case may be, for the rest of their lives. All who have been incarcerated using "evidence" garnered by CHP investigation and testimony should get an immediate review of their cases as well. Of course that is a bit much to expect, as that would be JUSTICE. Perhaps the best that can be expected is that the school system post a warning on a sign outside of all their buildings stating something like: WARNING, The Administration and The Teachers in This School may be lying to you at any moment. There is no reason for you to believe anything said in this building. In terms of the CHP, all the vehicles should have any reference to "SERVING THE PUBLIC," and be replaced with the motto, "To do harm at our discression." Another great reason to hope that California will slide into the sea, and that the innocent will have enough sense to get the hell out!
"Irresponsible" is about the nicest way to describe this cruel hoax.
A bunch of academics playing fast and loose with truth is one thing: what upsets me more is that at least some officers of the California Highway Patrol participated in this fraud.
I've had personal contact with law enforcement quite a few times, one way or another, and by and large they're people with a sense of honor and honesty which is radically at odds with this despicable stunt.
As for the staff of El Camino High School, I'm afraid that they may have taught the wrong lessons.
Brian, I too have many friends in law enforcement and in corrections. They are very fine and honorable people, but they aren't in the CHP. Perhaps I am a little to condemnatory here, but suffice it to say that the CHP has a an extremely well deserved shadow of doubt cast on it. Not every officer deserves approbrium, but the department does. Amongst my friends in law enforcement, nobody would consider particpating in what went on in El Camino. That is because my friends do not consider themselves above the law, and they also know that law is about keeping order, and participating in such destroys the trust of the people. The Highway patrol officers must have picked up the sense that what they were doing was warranted from someone. They got their attitude from somewhere. What happened there was not CHP and the Schools teaching the wrong lesson, they taught the children a very important lesson about the nature of the school system and the CHP in their area. The bigger question is whether or not the parents learned a lesson, and if they are willing to take action to rid themselves of the vermin who did this, and demand that the CHP be reformed.
Thank you both for your post. First I would like to say that as a student of criminal justice I have yet to read of today's law enforcement using any tactics such as this. Many law enforcement agencies have worked hard to develop programs to change the misconception that youth have of law enforcement.
This however was not a hoax, it was an premeditated act of psychological abuse !
Our youth are not puppets that we can manipulate whenever we feel like it. Teachers are often the only positive influence a child has in their life and to break that bond and trust by telling them that their classmates had been killed cannot be justified under any circumstances. The last time I checked we did not send our children to school to be traumatized. While there were only a few of these students parents who spoke up, I do believe that the El Camino school officials and the Highway patrol will find the rest of the nation won't be so silent!
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