The dismissal bell rang and the hallways became a streamline for the exit doors. Students were already out the door when instructed to return to their last-hour classroom, via the intercom, due to an issued weather emergency.
Kennedy Staff forced students already walking to the cars of their moms or dads to go inside. Parents were forced to wait in the dangerous weather while their children were locked up. School buses already en route to students’ homes turned back as well.
Should shelter have been an option, not given by force? What about the parents left outside or the siblings forced to drive home and leave their sisters and brothers?
For the students who made it out of the building, the start of sirens acted as a signal to send those in the parking lot home–separating kids from their siblings or carpools. However, if you are a licensed driver, you are still qualified to drive in the rain. Students drive to school in ice and snow, rain or shine–so why was this occasion different?
Disdain was held among Torch members with little siblings at the middle and elementary schools.
“My stepmom had no information about what to do with my little sister at Viola,” senior Copy Editor Jersey Bilyeu said. “Their website said they’ll hold the kids till the watch goes away but at that point it was going until 6 p.m. and we didn’t know if she would get fed dinner while she was there.”
Younger children need someone to keep them safe–but for high school students who can drive, did the school have the right to hold them back?
During the weather emergency, some students believed their right to leave after school hours was violated. However, students are also conscious of the tough choices schools have to make regarding safety.
“I understand the decision made,” junior Writer Samuella Kasha said. “I saw a little crash on 42nd Street with a Jeep and the airbags were out when I left.”
In past weather warnings, such as blizzard conditions, Kennedy students were dismissed early. Why was this not a forethought for the school district before the situation occurred as a tornado was predicted that morning? The Kennedy Track teams’ meet was canceled the day before because they looked at the weather forecast. Parents called students out of school early this day as well. A weather situation was expected, but the school failed to plan for students until we were dismissed.
Depending on the classroom people sought shelter in, students had very different experiences. The Torch reflects on playing games after school, eating snacks or just being on their phones. Others were forced into the emergency protection position–under desks with their hands over their heads–while the teachers barricaded the door.
Frantic teachers proved that staff and students were unprepared to handle this situation. Tornado drills and practices were deleted from memories and chaos broke loose. After the storm, students discussed storm phobias that were heightened further due to scared teachers. It was clear staff weren’t trained on how to handle this situation and the children with phobias suffered from it.
Beginning in elementary school, kids are instilled with the fear that if a tornado hits their school, everything and everyone will be destroyed–that an emergency protection position is the only way to survive.
“School is the last place I would ever want to be during a storm,” senior Videographer Alyx Goldensoph said. “I would feel better at home because I know I’m safe. I have really bad storm anxiety and at school, I don’t feel safe.”
The main divide in the student body regards whether Kennedy handled this situation with the best integrity. Understandably, mistakes were made and flaws in drill planning were exacerbated. It was an emergency situation the school had never handled prior, however, it could have been better prepared for.
