Not a happy post

Around 2:00 today we get this call from the school- an automated call telling us that an unstable individual was spotted "on the school grounds" and, in order to take every precaution to enforce security, the school went on lock-down, and called the police. They canceled after school activities, and walked every class of students to the bus one by one.  

(I'm thinking gee, that's a lot of caution, for just spotting someone on the grounds who may have looked suspicious)

Then around 5:30 we get another call- automated- thanking the parents for doing a wonderful job being patient at dismissal time, and also telling us that there are a lot of rumors floating around right now, and that we shouldn't believe them because they are only rumors, with no truth to them.

So at this point, red flags are popping up for me.

So I asked a friend of mine, who subs in the school.  This is 3rd hand information, but supposedly she talked to a cop who lives in our neighborhood who told her that what REALLY happened was that a mom came to the front desk and asked to pick up her children.  The front desk lady told her, I need to see your id (We have this computer system, that checks everyone for criminal records and also for custody purposes)  I don't know what exactly happened at this point, but she ran from there into the main office and PULLED OUT A GUN and demanded her children.

The office and clinic and speech rooms are all right there.  There were several children in the office area. (my kids went to the speech room today, earlier in the day)

They called 911 and at some point she took off and at this point, has NOT been apprehended.  The school was covered with cops today, and the plan is to have school tomorrow, on lock down, and with cops present.  

Assuming this information is true- and it may not be, but the school certainly isn't giving out any useful information at this point- 

This woman has a child in 1st grade.  Just like mine.  What if she had run to the classroom- rather than the office? She also has an older child, but I don't know what grade.

Connor's class is out in the trailer, and had to come inside, and will again tomorrow.  He is upstairs totally freaked out, refuses to sleep, has his game boy and ipod and every light on. And he doesn't even know what happened.  Just the general atmosphere was enough to freak him out, and his imagination has probably taken over.

And I am totally freaked out too.  Totally freaked.  I may just keep everyone home tomorrow. Although this may be a rumor and have no truth to it.  Although they could possibly catch this woman over night. Although if it is true, and they don't catch her she would probably not ever dare to go back to the school.  However, just thinking that some mentally imbalanced woman was THAT close to my children with a gun in her hand.  Oh my God.  

This is crazy that the school expects to conduct school tomorrow, business as usual, with the shades down, doors locked and cops all over the place. People say it all the time, but seriously, what is this world coming to? And by what right does the school withhold this kind of information from the parents and community?  Maybe it is all a rumor, after all.  I am sure the truth will come out eventually.