Student with knife?

[rubycshells]

Is anyone aware of the incident at Forest Hills School involving a student that went to school with a knife and a "hit" list? Apparently the student was removed from the school by the police.

Please do not mention names...I am looking for information as to what happened.

[Dan_Man]

Wouldn't the school have information?

[andrea]

i heard about that yesterday too.

[rubycshells]

They are not giving out any information. Apparently there was something on CBC this morning but I missed it.

[andrea]

then u should be able to get all the info....dont ya think
oo would i ever be puttin up a stink
today the kids were not allowed outside either because some one had a knife

[blondie04]

My younger brother attends forest hills school, apparently this is true! My father called the school this morning because he heard about this happening from another parent, the principal called him back and confirmed that it did happen, and apparently the only parents contacted directly about the incident where the kids who were on the "hit" list. It should be on tonights news, there was a news crew at the school this morning according to my brothers babysitter that lives across from the school. I attended forest hills from elementary to middle school, How scary is it to think this can happen in an elementary school! that an 11 year old girl would feel the need to bring a knife into school and a list of people she was going to kill. Its incrediably sad!

[rubycshells]

Well the problems at this school have been escalating this year. A group of parents and myself met with the school officials last month to express our concerns and what action plan the school was putting in place. Everything was very positive at that meeting and another meeting was scheduled. The principal called me the next day and said that any further communication should be through the PSSC.

I spoke with the other parents and they were as outraged as I am. Our children's safety should be priority, not going through tons of red tape and meetings. All we wanted to know was what safety measures are in place and what was being done....now look what has happened.

But according to this principal, it is only a select few that are complaining....however the police have been to the school on numerous occasions for violent incidents. I guess my next step is the Minister of Education.

Someone has to listen to the parents and kids.

[Woofer]

my daughter was in the class when it happened and she was quite scared. she didnt even want to go back but since its a new school to her. *been in it about 2 weeks* and that they removed the student we figured it should be ok to send her.

[andrea]

their should be a 0 tolerance for bulling...
my son went their and he was bullied,,,out casted for being different(into science,,learning,,go figure)
last year ended with a hematoma, or haematoma,( is a collection of blood, generally the result of hemorrhage,it was huge)
right under his juggler vein..
this happened because bullies thought it would be funny to throw rocks at my son..i spazzed!! took him to docs they could not believe that it was from being bullied..
needless to say i went straight up to forest hills school with son in tow,,
because it happened off school grounds(on that path every kid takes) they would and could not do nothing..
i just asked my son if he heard what happened he got all quiet and said i hope it wasnt_________ because she was always talking about killing her self and other people...that almost made me cry..and told him he should have told me that she needs help..he said her mom knows she thinks like that,,
i am glad we moved to rothesay,,and he loves his new school and is well liked now

[Mandi]

my daughter was in the class when it happened and she was quite scared. she didnt even want to go back but since its a new school to her. *been in it about 2 weeks* and that they removed the student we figured it should be ok to send her.

Please tell me no one got hurt.

This is so sad. :( They're all just babies there aren't they? (elementary -middle school?) so the oldest would be what, 14? This world never ever ceases to find new ways to make me sad.

[Woofer]

my daughter is 11 and was in the classroom at the time and no one got hurt, thank god.

[care1978]

that child was removed from her home as well, and placed into the provinces care until further investigations to see " what may or may not be" also going on at home.
such a shame.

[andrea]

she most def needs some help..and shes added to my prayer list...

[care1978]

my neice is also in this class, and was friends with this girl.

[space]

its sad to hear about a child that so young to do something like this. wasn't there an incident something like this about 3 or 4 years ago at this same school?

[pipeman]

My son is in the same class in grade 5. He was apparently one of the kids on this hit list and I received no call from the school. That night the City Police called me to let me know what happened.

[sarahnb]

I think it's time for a parent group to form. I've been going to Home and school as often as possible over the past three years. It's not easy when they don't announce it until the day before or the day of. So far this year there has only been one meeting. pathetic. Guess how many parents attend? 3-4. That is sad in a school of over 800+
I think it's time for parents to step up and show concern.

[harbourchick07]

i know a few people who go to forest hills school that are bullies. When ever i see them they try to bully me lol never works though, i have seen what these boys can do they are very very rude, and disrespectful and their parents dont give a crap about what they do. I honestly hope these boys end up in jail someday. and i hope it wasnt them that cause this poor little girl to do this, that is a sin, a little girl shouldn't feel she needs to kill people to be happy. im praying for this little girl and so is my church, we also are praying for what happened at Virgina Tech :( that was horrible to. school today are becoming less safe to send children to. I went to IVS(island view school) from K-5 and was bullied by a teacher :O she was fired because of it, and because i had a doctors not for a bladder infection and she made me stay in the class room when i really had to pee and ended up peeing myself in the class, she told all the students to point and laugh, luckily for me another teacher came in and took me to the office. Ill never forget that day. i never thought that schools would get as bad as they have. i know they can be stricter, but elementary school teachers are more worried about the child's development then anything.

[trinity]

I disagree that things are getting worse; in fact they seem to be getting better, at least in Canada. When I was in school, there was no mechanism in place for reporting taunting or bullying, you were told by principals, teachers, and parents to essentially suck it up and ignore it, it would go away. This was in the 1970s, I was in elementary school from 1975-1981, and I was in a good one. If you tried to report another student for mocking you, you were asked "Are you bleeding? No? Then don't be a baby. They didn't mean anything by it." Then you got harassed even harder for being a rat; I had kids FOLLOW ME OUT of the school yard one day yelling "rat rat rat rat." I told on a guy in junior high who yanked my chair out from under me as I was sitting down, I was pinched and poked on the way BACK to my seat after going up to tell the teacher what he did. Then later that night I was at Lancaster Mall and was pursued across the parking lot by boys saying dirty things and calling me names because I got their friend in trouble. I said my first swear word that day, I was so angry and freaked out by them.

[Mandi]

I disagree that things are getting worse; in fact they seem to be getting better, at least in Canada. When I was in school, there was no mechanism in place for reporting taunting or bullying, you were told by principals, teachers, and parents to essentially suck it up and ignore it, it would go away. This was in the 1970s, I was in elementary school from 1975-1981, and I was in a good one. If you tried to report another student for mocking you, you were asked "Are you bleeding? No? Then don't be a baby. They didn't mean anything by it." Then you got harassed even harder for being a rat; I had kids FOLLOW ME OUT of the school yard one day yelling "rat rat rat rat." I told on a guy in junior high who yanked my chair out from under me as I was sitting down, I was pinched and poked on the way BACK to my seat after going up to tell the teacher what he did. Then later that night I was at Lancaster Mall and was pursued across the parking lot by boys saying dirty things and calling me names because I got their friend in trouble. I said my first swear word that day, I was so angry and freaked out by them.

I'd much rather fall on my arse because someone pulled a chair from under me then get shot in the head... Just an idea.

[rubycshells]

I disagree that things are getting worse; in fact they seem to be getting better, at least in Canada. When I was in school, there was no mechanism in place for reporting taunting or bullying, you were told by principals, teachers, and parents to essentially suck it up and ignore it, it would go away. This was in the 1970s, I was in elementary school from 1975-1981, and I was in a good one. If you tried to report another student for mocking you, you were asked "Are you bleeding? No? Then don't be a baby. They didn't mean anything by it." Then you got harassed even harder for being a rat; I had kids FOLLOW ME OUT of the school yard one day yelling "rat rat rat rat." I told on a guy in junior high who yanked my chair out from under me as I was sitting down, I was pinched and poked on the way BACK to my seat after going up to tell the teacher what he did. Then later that night I was at Lancaster Mall and was pursued across the parking lot by boys saying dirty things and calling me names because I got their friend in trouble. I said my first swear word that day, I was so angry and freaked out by them.


Actually the statistics say that the incidents are becoming more violent.

Also this school does not have a concrete anti-bullying program.

[care1978]

I heard it was an exchange student, and she is being deported back where she came from. I believe thats what the news said. Good Luck and take care everyone!!!
not an exchange student! i know this child,she lives across the hall fro my sister....well did live across the hall until all this happened... it is a terrible thing, the child is obviously in need of some deep therapy. and i dont think it should be chalked up to "bullying" entirely.... but it most likely contributed to the situation.

[rhiley_08j]

I think that the majority of all these school shootings that occur, happen largely in part because of bullying. I knew a few people growing up that couldn't handle the pressures of bullying and came pretty close to doing horrible things because they didn't know what else to do to make it stop. Look for example at the recent incident with Virginia Tech, the kid was considered an outcast, an intrevert. We all know that when you are different from others, you become a target. Now with all the movies and newscasts depicting violence as a way to eliminate a problem, why is it so hard to believe that a child would resort to these measures?

I think what really needs to be taught to children is not only that bullying is wrong and that it hurts people's feelings, but also that you should be very careful on how far you push a person's limits. Everyone has a breaking point, and I think it is even less for a child who has not developed personal skills. What I don't understand is why they would take the girl away from her parents based on what happened at school, there must be more to it, I'm sure she didn't get up in the morning and tell her parents her motives, and they condoned it. Just a thought.

[Flaxie]

Please don't judge the family just yet because they took the child from her home. This is a neccissary precaution until an investigation can be completed. If this child were a year older she would be held in custody pending charges. I'm sure she is being evaluated as to the threat she poses to herself and others as well as an investigation into her family and school. Not every child removed from thier home is because of something "wrong" with the family. My prayers are with her, her family, her intended victims as well as all of the children affected by this.
P.S. no I do not know the family.

[karen]

I What I don't understand is why they would take the girl away from her parents based on what happened at school, there must be more to it, I'm sure she didn't get up in the morning and tell her parents her motives, and they condoned it. Just a thought.

In all honesty, don't you think there is something wrong with that whole parent/child relationship? If your child is acting out in an aggresive manner as I have heard that she has been doing at school, I'm sure the parents are made aware of it. Maybe they are doing something about it, but obviously more has to be done. I'm an aunt of a child that was on her hit list (and no, he had no idea that he was on the list when he looked into her backpack and saw the knife!) and find this whole situation very disturbing to say the least! From what I was told, word had spread around school in the morning and the whole situation didn't come to light until early afternoon even though several children had seen the list as well as having other children seeing the knife. Do the children in this day and age acknowledge such violent behaviour with a shrug of the shoulders? Is there so much violence in the world that they truly beleive that an incident like this could never possibly happen at their school? In my opinion, I think the principal should be holding an assembly for both the parents and students with police officals on hand and clarifying that "NO - behaviour of this magnatude is not acceptable and must be corrected. What do you think (isaintjohners in general)?

[rhiley_08j]

Please don't judge the family just yet because they took the child from her home. This is a neccissary precaution until an investigation can be completed. If this child were a year older she would be held in custody pending charges. I'm sure she is being evaluated as to the threat she poses to herself and others as well as an investigation into her family and school. Not every child removed from thier home is because of something "wrong" with the family. My prayers are with her, her family, her intended victims as well as all of the children affected by this.
P.S. no I do not know the family.

I see what your saying, but obviously the child has some serious emotional issues and I don't see why the child cannot stay in the home while they investigate, and get the child the needed therapy. I can just imagine how that little girl and her parents must be feeling.

[rhiley_08j]

In all honesty, don't you think there is something wrong with that whole parent/child relationship? If your child is acting out in an aggresive manner as I have heard that she has been doing at school, I'm sure the parents are made aware of it. Maybe they are doing something about it, but obviously more has to be done. I'm an aunt of a child that was on her hit list (and no, he had no idea that he was on the list when he looked into her backpack and saw the knife!) and find this whole situation very disturbing to say the least! From what I was told, word had spread around school in the morning and the whole situation didn't come to light until early afternoon even though several children had seen the list as well as having other children seeing the knife. Do the children in this day and age acknowledge such violent behaviour with a shrug of the shoulders? Is there so much violence in the world that they truly beleive that an incident like this could never possibly happen at their school? In my opinion, I think the principal should be holding an assembly for both the parents and students with police officals on hand and clarifying that "NO - behaviour of this magnatude is not acceptable and must be corrected. What do you think (isaintjohners in general)?



Why was she acting out in an aggressive manner? The biggest question should be "why did she feel that what she planned on doing was necessary?". Was she distraught emotionally, or perhaps does she suffer from a mental disorder?

[harbourchick07]

i think that if the police want her to talk it would be better if the child was home with her mom. they should get her mother to speak with her first. I always told my mom everything and always refused to tell anyone else until my mom was there. even till this day i do that. bullying probably played an important role in this, or maybe she just felt out casted from everyone else. She could have also been told by someone " if you do this we will like you" i have heard of that through the DARE program. I think that should be thought to students in lower grades then 5 and 6. It is a very good program that teaches children mostly the essence of drug abuse (btw DARE stands for Drug Abuse Resistance education i am surprised i still know that lol) it also tells you how and when to say no. maybe the child would benefit from some therapy and being home schooled for a while :confused:

[karen]

Do you think bullying pushed the child to this point? Open you eyes! She's the one displaying the aggressive physical behaviour. I have heard of other incidents where she has been the one inflicting physical harm on other children not the other way around. This child needs help!
From some of the posts on this thread, I am actually getting the impression that people feel sorry for this child. How do you feel about the other children in her class and school that went through this ordeal? Imagine yourself as an 11 year old child in that school, how would you feel knowing that a classmate of yours planned on stabbing you with a 12 inch knife? Now imagine yourself as the parent of the child on the hit list, how would you feel?
This incident is mere peanuts compared to the Virginia shooting, but who do you think of when that even comes to mind, the boy who shot everyone and how he must have been bullied or had emotional problems or his victims that had absolutely no clue that when they went to class that Monday morning, that that would be their last?
When this girl went to school with a list and a knife, she knew exactly why (in her mind) and what she was doing. Her classmates had absolutely no idea!
This child needs psychological help and I honestly and truly hope she gets it.

[vanessalynn5484]

Perhaps she suffers from a mental disorder and her parents have no idea how to handle such a thing in a child so young. I was depressed at a young age and my parents would tell me it was "all in my head". I was never bullied and always turned to my peers as an escape or for support, so I can not say I understand what the girl is going through.

There needs to be more education for parents about mental illness in young children. If it goes untreated from such an early age it will be a huge challange to overcome in adulthood and much harder to deal with then if it was treated when the problem presented itself.

I was 12 and didn't want to get out of bed to go to school in the morning. My mom thought I just hated school, when actually I had chronic depression. There are signs that parents ignore because they do not want to believe it could happen to their child. Or perhaps admitting their children has a problem is admitting that they made a mistake.

[karen]

Hopefully the authorities will do a psychiatric evaluation and be able to come up with a course of action suitable to her needs.

[vanessalynn5484]

It should be stated that as far as mental illness is concerned there is a different degree of seriousness between threatening to hurt someone with a knife and actually doing it. When I was a teenager I contemplated suicide. I had the materials at my disposal and I even wrote a letter. I couldn't go through with it.

A psychologist shed light on this for me as I struggled with that memory for a long time. He said I should be aware of the difference between going through with it and not. It may seem simple, but the two solutions are very different from one another.

This may have been a last ditch cry for help from a desperate child.

It does not make it any less scary or wrong and my heart goes out to the children and families on the "list". It's seems to be a very sad and tragic series of events leading up to this. It does not sound like the school or the parents did their job.

Maybe it's time to have more efficiently trained guidance counselors and peer mediators. Maybe a teacher should have power and be able to refer a child for evaluation. It was a teacher who helped me get the help I needed, sometimes they pay more attention to a child than their own parents.

[rhiley_08j]

Do you think bullying pushed the child to this point? Open you eyes! She's the one displaying the aggressive physical behaviour. I have heard of other incidents where she has been the one inflicting physical harm on other children not the other way around. This child needs help!
From some of the posts on this thread, I am actually getting the impression that people feel sorry for this child. How do you feel about the other children in her class and school that went through this ordeal? Imagine yourself as an 11 year old child in that school, how would you feel knowing that a classmate of yours planned on stabbing you with a 12 inch knife? Now imagine yourself as the parent of the child on the hit list, how would you feel?
This incident is mere peanuts compared to the Virginia shooting, but who do you think of when that even comes to mind, the boy who shot everyone and how he must have been bullied or had emotional problems or his victims that had absolutely no clue that when they went to class that Monday morning, that that would be their last?
When this girl went to school with a list and a knife, she knew exactly why (in her mind) and what she was doing. Her classmates had absolutely no idea!
This child needs psychological help and I honestly and truly hope she gets it.


I completely understand what you are saying, and I feel sympathy for all who are involved. It's just that the kids that were on the "list" are home with their parent's love and comfort. That little girl, who obviously has some deep-rooted issues, has been taken from her home, her parents and all that she is familiar with. Sure some of you might think, "she's getting what she deserves" but I think that the thing we need to remember is that it is a child that has obviously lost her way, and how can you not feel sympathy towards a "lost" child. I think it's an absolute sin that a child would even have these type of thoughts within what is supposed to be an innocent heart.

[ryder]

I feel that all schools sould be equipped with metal detectors, I know this wont solve the problem but is a good start. Really just the tip of the iceburg solution. I know the goverment would say there is not enough money to put them in every school, but when is a childs safty about money. This is happening way to often around the world to ignore. Imagine "What if" this little girl went through with it. Something needs to be done before there are more sensless deaths.

[vanessalynn5484]

If you install metal detectors you also are going to need someone to police them. Just because a school has metal detectors does not guarantee there will be no violence. If a child is desperate enough to act out in this way wouldn't she just find another outlet to do so?

[hyjack]

i think all kids in every classroom should watch freedom writers it has changed my point of view

[vanessalynn5484]

Is that the one where the teacher helps the students find peace amongst one another despite racial violence and stuff?

I seen the Oprah where they were talking about that, but I have not seen the movie.

[karen]

It should be stated that as far as mental illness is concerned there is a different degree of seriousness between threatening to hurt someone with a knife and actually doing it. When I was a teenager I contemplated suicide. I had the materials at my disposal and I even wrote a letter. I couldn't go through with it.

A psychologist shed light on this for me as I struggled with that memory for a long time. He said I should be aware of the difference between going through with it and not. It may seem simple, but the two solutions are very different from one another.

This may have been a last ditch cry for help from a desperate child.

It does not make it any less scary or wrong and my heart goes out to the children and families on the "list". It's seems to be a very sad and tragic series of events leading up to this. It does not sound like the school or the parents did their job.



Maybe it's time to have more efficiently trained guidance counselors and peer mediators. Maybe a teacher should have power and be able to refer a child for evaluation. It was a teacher who helped me get the help I needed, sometimes they pay more attention to a child than their own parents.


very well put vanessalynn5484!

[karen]

I completely understand what you are saying, and I feel sympathy for all who are involved. It's just that the kids that were on the "list" are home with their parent's love and comfort. That little girl, who obviously has some deep-rooted issues, has been taken from her home, her parents and all that she is familiar with. Sure some of you might think, "she's getting what she deserves" but I think that the thing we need to remember is that it is a child that has obviously lost her way, and how can you not feel sympathy towards a "lost" child. I think it's an absolute sin that a child would even have these type of thoughts within what is supposed to be an innocent heart.

I think the child is where she needs to be right now! Obviously she wasn't getting the help or therapy that she needed at home and I'm sure that her parents are still permitted to see her and spend time with her.

[harbourchick07]

i have seen both movies (Freedom writers and the older on i forget the name) and the thing from Oprah. That movies was a really good movie and i think it would be a good idea to get students to watch...If you could find an edit version, i don't think it would be good to let 4th graders watch the movie, but i am totally with you hyjake. Also the metal detectors are a good idea but like Vanessalyn said they would have to be policed. My school has cameras and they don't get half the violence and bullying in my school. They don't even watch the cameras lol. They have only got one thing off of them and that was someone pulling the fire alarm and they let him back in the school, and not only has he pulled the fire alarm he has a mental disorder and has been cought numours times with stuff he shouldn't have ( controlled substances, weapons etc.) some times the school have a lot more things to worry about. I feel bad for the students that were on this girls hit list. We discussed this today in class and i was shocked at how many people didnt know about it, but the majority of the class believed it has something to do with bullying but it really is hard to say and we probably shouldn't go making up stuff like she was bullied, she has a mental disorder or she was the violent one because we really don't know. I think she was bullied some and turned to violence as a resort kind of like people ( some kids in my school say emo people i think that is rude) with an emotional disorder or eating disorder they find something to turn to or against. and hers seems to have been towards violence and away from people.

[vanessalynn5484]

Funny when I think Emo I think of a sad Jared Leto with too much eyeliner.

[Mandi]

Funny when I think Emo I think of a sad Jared Leto with too much eyeliner.

ooooo0000000000o me too.

[vanessalynn5484]

Habourchicky you seem to be under the impression that saying someone has a mental disorder is some type of insult. Well it's not and it doesn't make someone bad or evil. I do not think there is anything wrong with saying that in this situation this young lady possibly suffers from a chemical imbalance or personality disorder.

Making a hypothesis is not starting rumors.

[harbourchick07]

no i don't think it is an insult, i think it would be better if we paid attention to what we hear about it before we all make a bunch of decisions, there are people on here saying different things, and yes they could all have possibly played a part which they probably did. I dont think there will be much on the news or anything, not very many people know about it that i know, my mom didn't and she watches the news 24 7 lol. i think that the fact that the girl brought a knife to school in the first place it should be on the news, i mean do you think parents want to here over and over about how their kid (if their kid was) killed at Virgina tech. i would really like to know what happened to children, i dont even back talk my mother let alone think about bringing a weapon to school:eek:.

[rubycshells]

There will be a meeting at Forest Hills School on April 30 at 7 p.m.

The meeting will deal with bullying at the school and will be hosted by the PSSC.

If you can, please attend....finding out about this incident from the media is totally wrong. A talk mail was sent out today...a week after the incident.