Breaking: Explosion at Detroit elementary school

[proud2BlibKansan]

Just heard on CNN.

It was a K-8 elementary school. A 14 year old student brought a homemade explosive device and set it off in the school. No injuries.

Our district went to the K-8 configuration as well and it has been a disaster. Next year we are back to K-6. Phew.

[MineralMan]

1. Hmm...when I was 16, my friend and I made a substantial

quantity of a very unstable contact explosive in the chem lab after school. It's stable while in solution. We took a mop from the janitor's closet and mopped the entire hallway floor with the solution, then went home. We arrived back at school early, and took great pleasure at the crackling sounds made by the students walking down the hallway.

We were caught, of course, since it's no fun if nobody knows who pulled the prank. We got a very stern lecture from the Assistant Principal, who was also the chemistry teacher. A stern lecture, indeed. He could hardly keep from laughing.

I guess pranks like that are right out these days.

[leftofcool]

4. We just got caught up in the smoke

from the cigarettes we tried to sneak in the girls bathroom

[MineralMan]

6. Well, our little explosion experiment made clouds of purple

iodine vapor. We hadn't counted on that. The janitor had to put a fan in the hall to blow it out the door. Of course, the breeze from the fan set off the rest of the stuff on the floor that hadn't been stepped on. Hilarity ensued, and first period was delayed for about 20 minutes.

In retrospect, it wasn't our brightest prank. We improved our skills and took more care thereafter, while expanding the size and effects of our pranks without any dangerous activities.

[leftofcool]

9. LMAO!

School pranks used to be fun and the teachers and principals enjoyed them, secretly of course. We used to laugh our asses off in the teachers' lounge at some of the pranks the kids pulled.

[Igel]

15. My chem teacher avoided that problem.

He let us take the materials home.

My best friend's dad was less than pleased when the thermite made a hole in his new sidewalk, his ma was upset when she came home to find that nobody could go downstairs until the NO2 cleared out, she was wildly displeased when the white phosphorus we'd made started to combust (so that even though it didn't destroy anything, it did create a bit of an odor and white film on stuff). Etc.

We were not well behaved kids, and it's good that we did such stuff at home.

Although we did have the occasional in-school goof-up: A classroom filled with I2 gas after school, which caused us to open the windows. We left without thinking to close them, but the police noticed the open windows that night. Not good.

[Atman]

20. When I was 16, I brought a homemade bong to school.

But it was the seventies, after all. I think my art teacher helped me test it out.

.

[frazzled]

2. Well, the kid just would have exploded it at middle school

rather than a K-8 school if the configuration were different.

I agree that K-8 is a bad configuration, but I don't think it has anything to do with this story particularly.

P.S. My kids were lucky enough to go to an anomalous elementary school in our district that (for reasons too complicated to explain here) that was actually two schools: one K-3 only, the second 4-6 only. Wow, was that ever great. The tenor of the K-3 school was so sweet and focused, and ditto for the 4-6 school. It allowed for really smart use of resources, too. (Library resources, for example, didn't have to be spread out over six grade levels, so more choices could be purchased that were grade appropriate).

[proud2BlibKansan]

3. Mixing kindergarteners in with 14 year olds has been a disaster in our district

First thing I thought of was how scared the 5 year olds at this school must be.

[MicaelS]

5. I would think it would be a disaster

I remember how cruel middle-schoolers can be, glad to know someone has come to their senses it will change back.

[4_TN_TITANS]

16. I've been thrilled with the k-8 school that my girls have gone to.

At least here, the kids seem to do better if they are still in a familiar environment when the hormones start to go off, instead of being shipped to a new middle school.

[SharonRB]

7. Kind of ironic that it was a school called Phoenix Elementary

I agree 8th graders shouldn't be in the same school as K-6. When I was in school it was K-6, then junior high was 7-9 and then high school was 10-12. That configuration made a whole lot more sense.

Guess I know what's going to be all over the local news tonight.

[proud2BlibKansan]

8. I hate to slam the K-8 model because it works well in Catholic schools

I am a proud graduate of a Catholic elementary school and I taught in 2 different very successful K-8 Catholic schools.

But in the urban public school district where I work now, it has been a disaster.

[Dappleganger]

11. The two K-8 models in our county are segregated.

I certainly wouldn't want my elementary-aged kids being able to mix it up with the middle schoolers. No way.

[liberal_at_heart]

10. Very sad.

I'm glad to hear there are no injuries. Our district has a ninth grade campus. We love it, but land is expensive and the district needs to build a new middle school. So, next year ninth graders will go to the same school as the 10th, 11th, and 12th graders. Personally, I think it is the 12 graders who should have their own campus. They are practically adults. They are adults by the end of the school year. I don't think that 14 and 15 year olds need to be in the same school as 17 and 18 year olds.

[proud2BlibKansan]

13. Our district is moving to a 7-12 model

So 12 year olds will be in school with 18 year olds.

[Froward69]

12. every semester in HS

the HS i attended would be rocked by an explosion emanating from the science lab. Hydrogen filled soap bubbles, + a flame. (everyone in the Lab wearing ear protection.) One year, the soap bubble tower got a bit big and when it detonated it blew out a window.

never made the news.

Now if this kid were trying to hurt someone or make a point then this would be news.

[proud2BlibKansan]

14. Were there 5 year olds in your high school?

There were in this school in Detroit.

Since this kid blew up this device in the hall I would imagine his intent was far from educational.

[951-Riverside]

17. These days an "explosive device" could mean a cherry "bomb" or a firecracker

:eyes:

or WORSE ...a dry ice bomb or... a soda bottle filled with mentos *SCREAMS IS TERROR*

[proud2BlibKansan]

19. I had a student who lost 2 fingers from a cherry bomb explosion

[seabeyond]

18. we have K-4. 5-8. i love it. they keep the 5th 6th in one area.

7th and 8th in another. i love it.