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Thursday, May 24, 2007
Portland Lockdown at Benson High School?
Posted by on Thu, May 24 at 10:54 AM
This just in from a Benson “whistleblower,” who says a senior prank led to a lockdown, but then administrators “went too far.” (It says there was a lockdown today, but it also says May 24, so it’s unclear which day this happened…)
To Whom it may Concern:Today, May 22, Benson Polytechnic High School was locked down due to a bomb threat in a wing of the building. This was later found to be a senior prank that was not intended to be a serious disturbance. The four suspected students involved constructed a noise-making, electronic device from a buzzer and a car battery in which emitted a noise meant to annoy other students and faculty. The device was placed inside a locker, and the locker was then sealed with a pad-lock, making it slightly more difficult to get to and disable.
When the noise was first discovered, the school immediately went into lock-down, and students and teachers in the immediate area were evacuated. The identity of the student whose locker that held the electronic buzzer was found, and he and a few of his friends were soon detained.
All this is expected, and hoped for by parents to ensure their students’ safety. However, the school’s administration and police went too far.
It was quickly determined through interrogation of the suspected students involved, and from the opening of the locker, that this was not intended as a threat, or to be even taken as a threat, but simply as a mild annoyance intended for students and faculty members of the school. It is expected that the students involved should pay any fees warranted by an electronic device, and the arrival of emergency services created from the disturbance.
That is is not what is happening, however. The students involved must face a court date, and are looking at a prospective year in jail for their harmless, albeit stupid actions. On top of this, the penalty of not being able to walk at graduation is being waved in front of their faces. This is a gross interpretation of what justice should be. It is an every-day occurrence that students have contact at school with violence, various forms of harassment, and narcotics, yet some students get multiple chances, with the all-too-commonly used phrase, a slap on the wrist. These students intend their actions, and are well aware of the consequences, even when the third strike of the ‘three-strikes’ rule is met, and even when the ‘60-day rule’ is in action (if a student commits an offense within 60 days of graduation bad enough for suspension, he or she is not allowed to walk in the Graduation ceremonies). These students still roam the halls and intend to walk at the Graduation ceremonies due to administrative favoritism. One such case involving the recent suspension of the school’s student body president.
So why are students who put an electronic buzzer in a locker facing possible jail time when they didn’t harm, or even intend any harm?
The double-standard for students at Benson High School is evident to anyone who goes there, and this is the most publicly it has ever reared its head.
Sincerely,
Benson Whistle Blower
The whistle blower sent this email to a few news outlets, and a few school district officials—one of whom replied, suggesting the pranksters be sent “off to Guantanamo”! That’s after the jump.
Benson Whistle Blower,I agree with you wholeheartedly.
However, these are troubling times. We need to be vigilant against the threat of worldwide terrorism. It could strike in many disguises. The "Benson Four" could be a small cell of a larger organization of high school prankters around the world. We should be swift and brutal with our punishment in order to send the proper message..... This type of behavior will not be tolerated in a democratic society! I say off to Guantanamo for the "Benson Four".
Wow! I do understand the scare and the seriousness. Yet, if it was a prank, do we have room for mercy?
Comments
Who wrote that reply? Was that a "school district official"?
No, just someone who went to Benson eons ago.
I remember a lot more dangerous pranks being played when I went there (For example stealing the senior couch and lighting it on fire in the middle of the football field comes to mind). But then again, there wasn't an atmosphere of fear of terrorism back then.
The reply was from a "Mike Ryan" with a Portland Public Schools email address. I haven't figure out what he does for the schools.
Who wrote that reply? Was that a "school district official"?
Oh stupid me I thought "no one in particular" was asking about the comment I posted.
The incident occurred Tuesday.
not all of the four were completely "in the know", some of them didn't even know that they were participating in a prank. Just harmlessly letting a friend use a locker, or a lock.
In the 70's some of my senior classmates put the shop teacher's car on the roof. They didn't put a loud buzzer in it though, so it was not consider a terrorist act.
Mike Ryan is the Junior US History teacher and Senior Gov./Econ. teacher. It's obvious that his statement was meant sarcastically.
this is bull jail time for just a stupid prank give them a brake there just trying to have fun
I find it funny how so many students can get away with
open use of negative racial profiling and overall vulgar behavior in open grounds at Benson. I have repeatedly heard the word nigga in the halls, and yet, no backlash. I have seen students pushing each other into lockers and shoving them into different places. But when a couple of kids put a friggen buzzer in a locker they are being threatened with a YEAR in prison?
What isn't told in the article is that the locker was located in the electronics wing of the school. Students learn to MAKE steady-hand games which emit a buzzing sound when you lose. This is the Boston Bomb scare all over again. Trust me, if this is how you fight terrorism, we already lost, because we are more afraid then ever, and thats just what they wanted.
I completely agree with Chris. I know Mr. Ryan, and that is just the kind of thing he would say. SARCASTICALLY. As for the students, I understand that Benson wants to make an example of them, especially in these times with the threat of terror still around. And the students really could have chosen a better prank. And just so theres no confusion, this lockdown was on tuesday the 22nd (the seniors last day of school). And there was another lockdown on thursday the 24th. But that lockdown was an accident. Someone left their dying ipod in a locker and it started beeping.
Your all on CRACK!!!....... (the Administration and ploic that is).................. Have some balls!!!!........
I think the lock down was in order but that any jail time or fines should be waved after it was made clear that it was a prank meant to bring no harm. Come on now everyone messes up sometime. Let the 4 be free.
while it may not have been in good taste to have a prank of that nature at least no harm was intended...unlike walking around the halls and getting threated to be stabbed in the neck with a pen
plus not all bad came from the prank, i didnt fail math because of a shortened final!
I was there during this ordeal. I was in the hall during lunch period. I walked up to the locker with the device in it with a padlock on it. Yes I stuck my ear to it to see how much I could make my head spin with the ringing sound of the buzzer charming my head to ache. I loved it.
I found the prank to be very entertainging, annoying and harmless. I know the four and would gladly serve with them when the Zombies invade. Two of them I would say are some of the brightest and talented students you might come across in any hall of a PPS district high school.
Not having the oppurtunity and privallege of graduating with these fine youths tarnishes the day I have worked for since 14 years ago when I first attened a PPS.
Not to mention the irony of a nearly cloned incident a few days later; a freshman's iHome (some sort of music device) went off in his locker. The alarm, as to be expected, sent the school into lockdown(I was stuck in the library, the sci-fi section -_-). What most concerns me is that the owner of the device was let free and went home with little scorn -- this is unacceptable since we all know devices creating sound in lockers are all malicious acts of terrorism with the intent to destroy/murder.
Shame.
--Free the 4--
Is anyone else reminded of the Salem witch hunts? Substitute "witches" with "terrorists" and there you go.
I pretty much agree with Scott, Chris, and Josh on this.
Double standards not only pervade our schools but also our society as well. Will we ever get rid of them?
I agree about the double standards, How can the school tell the 4 from tuesday they might face jail and charge them with such a harmless act but let the kid from thursday go home free without any troubles?
A prank or just a mistake, both days it was the same problem: a noise going off in a locker that annoyed those who could hear it.
I say if the 4 have to pay for what they did the freshman should too.
You guys need to leave it alone no one even cared about the situation and i wasn't intended to kill anyone so get off their backs and let them graduate okay. I was among the students at school that day and didn't even hear it and all of a sudden we have a lock down.
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The double standards, the terrorism witch hunts, the unfairness in punishment, I agree with it all.
ALL schools have senior pranks inflicted on them in the last precious days of class. I remember when my fellow seniors and I, on a sunny June 2003 afternoon, ran through halls and classrooms with a boombox blasting such songs as KISS's "School's Out" and other anthems of being finally free our high school responsibilities. The teachers either laughed or gave us harsh looks. When we had waged enough terror on the students and faculty, we ran outside and had our picture taken by a teacher we had let in on our l'il scheme.
Though lucky for us, we attended an alternative school, so no one even thought of punishing us. (It was quite literally the entire graduating class, so it wasn't like they could stop us all from walking.)
Nonetheless, I send my sympathies to the Benson Four, and I hope someone in the judicial system is wise enough to see through all this terrorism hype and view the situation for what it really is; a harmless little senior prank.
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Hmm seems the pranks at Benson have become rather mild. Kids just are not a surly as they used to be.