The following report is by NBC 5:
The Burlington Police Department has issued an apology to students following a controversial high school presentation that involved a mock shooting.
Department officials released a statement on Thursday about a recent presentation given to Burlington High School students who were part of the Year End Studies, or YES, program.
According to police, the presentation utilized fake firearms to simulate a shooting.
The Burlington School District said that about 20 students in a Forensics program witnessed a “realistic demonstration” during their trip to the Burlington Police Department on Wednesday in which members of the department enacted a crime involving a shooting.
While the gun was fake, the enactment involved screaming and fake gunshot sounds, taking place without warning and behind where students were seated. As a result, some students believed the demonstration was real and were left feeling scared and confused.
a letter sent to families in the Burlington School District details.
BSD school officials said that teachers were aware that a demonstration of a gunshot-related crime might occur because the point of the presentation was to prove how witness statements can be unreliable.
“We didn’t realize the demonstration would happen without warning or a chance to properly prepare students to understand what would be taking place,” school officials said.
Police decided to issue a statement because a subsequent social media post following the presentation said that students who were in attendance for that presentation were reportedly upset by what occurred.
The Burlington Police Department apologizes to any students in attendance who were upset by the specific scenario and crime scene portion of the presentation. The role-playing scenario only involved three department personnel simulating a robbery scenario and was not directed at any students or faculty.
the statement reads in part.
Burlington School District officials said that it was clear that students and staff were frightened by the presentation, and both detectives and the teachers apologized. The families of all the students were also notified.
“We take our responsibility to keep students safe very seriously, and we are deeply sorry that this event occurred,” school officials said. “We understand the impact this incident may have had on the mental health and well-being of students, and we let parents and students know that staff in both our counseling and mental health support offices will be able to provide support tomorrow if needed.”
Police said Burlington District staff associated with the YES program had reached out to the BPD back in April about conducting the presentation after a previous successful presentation between police and the BHS Science in Society program back in fall 2023.
The BPD said they spoke with staff about the specific details of the scenarios in the presentation in May, which included “using fake firearms in a mock shooting.”
Police provided a portion of their discussion with the program staff.
“Do you think that sort of incident would be ok for your group of students? It is about as real life as you can get and is certainly exactly the sort of thing we deal with most frequently,” police said in their correspondence.
Police said that the YES program staff agreed that students would be OK with such a presentation.
“I think these students will be fine with this simulation. We will give a heads up to parents and students,” they responded, according to police.
Police said they are taking the complaints in the social media post seriously and the BPD supervisor involved in the presentation has already reached out to YES program staff to discuss the matter further.
Members of the department are scheduled to meet with BSD students and staff on Friday to discuss the presentation and its impact. Meanwhile, school officials said they are reviewing the incident and will work to ensure that similar incidents do not happen in the future.
Burlington Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak said she’s disappointed by the incident.
She advises police to take a different approach.
“I would much prefer an anti-violence and trauma-informed approach in exposing kids to law enforcement careers,” Mulvaney-Stanak said.
She said she hopes the police department and school district learn lessons from this moment.
“Instead of talking about general scenarios, I would be very specific about what entailed in the learning scenario,” Mulvaney-Stanak said. “I hope the school district could ask more questions and learn from this as well.”
Mulvaney-Stanak plans to meet with Burlington police Chief Jon Murad on Monday.
AUTHOR COMMENTARY
Wowsers, what a great idea: let’s the scare the snot out of unsuspecting teens by faking a shooting and not tell them about it, that’ll teach ’em! And just imagine for a second if one of those kids was armed with a gun or another weapon and had the courage to takedown the ‘criminal.’ What would have happened then?
I agree that kids need to be taught how to handle these types of intense scenarios, but I don’t think this is the way to go about it.
[7] Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? [8] Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also? [9] For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? [10] Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. (1 Corinthians 9:7-10).
The WinePress needs your support! If God has laid it on your heart to want to contribute, please prayerfully consider donating to this ministry. If you cannot gift a monetary donation, then please donate your fervent prayers to keep this ministry going! Thank you and may God bless you.
“BSD school officials said that teachers were aware that a demonstration of a gunshot-related crime might occur because the point of the presentation was to prove how witness statements can be unreliable.” BS! IF that were the concern of the school, they could have (and should have) requested a police presentation to be held in a specific area with it advertised in advance exactly what to expect allowing those interested to attend. Police know how to do this – PROPERLY.
The intent of the school is patently clear. They want students on campus, fearful and obedient. They want them to not feel safe ANYWHERE.
Mission accomplished. At the ages of these students, they will be traumatized for LIFE.
Those school officials are a steaming bag of you know what!
Not away to go about helping kids and having them prepared in case it really happens; it should have been to know how to act and not not scare the crap out of them.
Somebody ain’t getten an gold star for this en.
Rorn again is right. And guess who ‘educated’ the up & comers in the Burlington Police Department. Creating a society of armed, cruel, self-justifying, self-righteous elites (socialist right: fascist & CRAFT) versus disarmed, impoverished, traumatized & mind-controlled serfs. IF they decide the cost & profits ratio of said tokenized serf is such to allow them to live at all.
–
Evil all wrapped up in pretty, self-excusing, self-deceiving, self-justifying & self-righteous philosophical blather. Belial 2024 style. The challenge is to resist without becoming like them & giving over to the same spirit. Without the Lord Jesus Christ, his word & mortifying the flesh & pride: it ain’t gonna happen, & judgment is coming: even for the Christian.
Cop hiring intentionally seeks dummies who don’t think. Dummies like this follow orders regardless of the insanity of the orders and always tell their victims they were “just following orders” Think THIS was bad?????? REMEMBER MAUI where massive fires of questionable cause forced residents to “try” to escape. The local Smart Cities Directive” hired moron cops CHASED RESIDENTS TRYING TO LEAVE BY THE ONE AND ONLY TWO LANE ROAD TO FORCE THEM BACK INTO THE BURNING FIRES MOVING FAST BEHIND THEM AS THEY TRIED TO LEAVE. COPS SAID THE SAME THING “JUST FOLLOWING ORDERS”
These same idiots hired as cops WILL FOLLOW ORDERS TO; take your guns, lock you down when the avian flu blows up, shoot at you with rubber bullets like the MInnesota Police and National Guard scumbags did with paint balls did when moving through a neighborhood in Minneapolis after the Floyd death
Watch these psychotic out of control CARTEL formerly called COPS scream at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0zeauprMJ0 THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE. x-files
THIS IS THE FUTURE BEING CREATED BY THE MARXIST MONSTERS RUNNING THIS COUNTRY! COMING TO YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD VERY SOON.