I'm sorry. I didn't know you were on the newer side to the forum. Welcome.
Posted on 10/07/2004 10:14:24 AM PDT by crushelits
WASHINGTON - The Education Department has advised school leaders nationwide to watch for people spying on their buildings or buses to help detect any possibility of terrorism like the deadly school siege in Russia.
The warning follows an analysis by the FBI (news - web sites) and the Homeland Security Department of the siege that killed nearly 340 people, many of them students, in the city of Beslan last month.
"The horror of this attack may have created significant anxiety in our own country among parents, students, faculty staff and other community members," Deputy Education Secretary Eugene Hickok said in a letter to schools and education groups.
The safety advice is based on lessons learned from the Russia incident. But there is "no specific information indicating that there is a terrorist threat to any schools or universities in the United States," Hickok said.
Federal law enforcement officials also have encouraged local police to stay in contact with school officials and have encouraged reporting of suspicious activities, the letter says.
In particular, schools were told to watch for activities that may be legitimate on their own — but may suggest a heightened terrorist threat if many of them occur.
Among those activities:
_ Interest in obtaining site plans for schools, bus routes and attendance lists;
_ Prolonged "static surveillance" by people disguised as panhandlers, shoe shiners, newspaper or flower vendors or street sweepers not previously seen in the area;
_ Observations of security drills;
_ People staring at or quickly looking away from employees or vehicles as they enter or leave parking areas;
_ Foot surveillance of campuses involving individuals working together.
The effort is the latest by the Education Department and other federal agencies to encourage school officials to maintain and practice a plan for responding to emergencies.
After the terrorist takeover of the Russian school, President Bush (news - web sites) asked his top advisers to review their strategies for dealing with hostage situations, Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge has said.
The federal government is advising schools to take many steps to improve the security of their buildings. Those include installing locks for all doors and windows, having a single entry point into buildings and ensuring they can reach school bus drivers in an emergency.
The Education Department sent its letter by e-mail Wednesday to school police, state school officers, school boards, groups representing principals and many other organizations.
The Homeland Security Department also sent a bulletin Wednesday to federal, state and local emergency officials to provide fresh guidance based on the review of the school siege in Russia.
folks with children - keep them home from school the last week of October and on 11/1 and 11/2 - don't take a chance.
I'm sorry. I didn't know you were on the newer side to the forum. Welcome.
what we need to do is demand the local authorities pull police from speed trap duty and have them start patrolling around the schools.
California has tons of illegals doing construction work in all areas.
Culled directly from John Kerry speeches. You're pathetic and you're using this website to campaign for John Kerry.
"Islamofascists should know that if American school children are targeted Mecca will be vaporized."
Sorry Doc. It won't pass the "global test."
Besides, half of the country will be screaming there's no connection between Mecca and the school bombers, despite any clear evidence to the contrary.
and police will provide more security to islamic centers and mosques if such an attack were to occur, then they would at the schools. we can't have any hate crimes you know.
Out here in Ca it would be very easy, we have open campuses where there are several buildings. The whole school isn't under one roof. I most certainly could wander my son's campus and no one would stop me. I know, I've done it. They are way too cavalier about security. No one stops me and asks me if I need help. Fortunately I live in a semi-rural area. It still doesn't quell my fears for my son's safety.
Not to worry. If they even tried it at one school, the people would make damn sure no muslim was safe. And probably lots of vigilante groups out there would make sure they wouldn't want to be here in the USA. It would be very scary being muslim if the terrorists did that. God willing, it will never come to fruition. I personally am much more aware of people around me than I ever was, and I grew up in so. ca.
Bull puckey. If Kerry wins it'll be because of the stupid Iraq war that you support. I oppose it 1) because Iraq didn't attack us and wasn't a threat to the US, and 2) precisely because of 1), it's unpopular and could make the GOP lose. Your supporting of Bush in this disastrous policy is about as "friendly" as kids who urge some friend to play a game of "chicken" with a hot rod. It's the guy who says, "hey that's stupid, don't do it," who's the real friend. -- That's me, telling Bush that the Iraq invasion is bad for the GOP. I hope Nov. 2 proves me wrong, but there are signs that your Iraq policy is so unpopular that it might let the Democrats take over the White House. Congratulations if that happens, jerk.
Everything you say about me you also say about the man who founded and operates this website.
Statement by the founder of Free Republic:
In our continuing fight for freedom, for America and our constitution and against totalitarianism, socialism, tyranny, terrorism, etc., Free Republic stands firmly on the side of right, i.e., the conservative side. Believing that the best defense is a strong offense, we (myself and those whom I'm trying to attract to FR) support the strategy of taking the fight to the enemy as opposed to allowing the enemy the luxury of conducting their attacks on us at home on their terms and on their schedule.
Therefore, we wholeheartedly support the Bush Doctrine of pre-emptive strikes on known terrorist states and organizations that are believed to present a clear threat to our freedom or national security. We support our military, our troops and our Commander-in-Chief and we oppose turning control of our government back over to the liberals and socialists who favor appeasement, weakness, and subserviency. We do not believe in surrendering to the terrorists as France, Germany, Russia and Spain have done and as Kerry, Kennedy, Clinton and the Democrats, et al, are proposing . . .
Boy just Mecca but I believe that the Hotels and Convenience Stores in this country would be unmanaged cause the managers would be drug out into the streets I do not believe Americans will not tolerate an attack on our Schools.I am not saying that those reciprocal actions would be right but they will happen.
Schools all across our country are always involved in construction projects. When the libs are wasting our tax money on actual education benefits they are constantly dumping money into mostly unnecessary "face-lifts" of the buildings.
Since they can't always come up with valid ways to spend the excess budgets, they find they can hide the money in construction until they come up with more waste.
The motto - don't ever end up with left-over funds - you might get lose the funds - spent it, whatever it takes
The pantywaist educrats won't have jobs if an incident happens because public education will end as we know it.
Schools are offering on-line courses now, taken in the privacy of your home.
You wanna vote - leave your gun home - no place for self-defense at the polls. Convienent that most polling places ARE schools. Thanks feds for this one.
Hey feds - exempt the election day from the gun ban on schools. These schools all have the day off from school - shouldn't be a problem.
thanks for the ping ad, I wish I was surprised about this story...
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