WTNH News Channel 8 / News / 1999

	Threats and false alarms keeping kids out of class in large numbers (Hamden-WTNH) _ Getting kids to go to school can sometimes be difficult, and since the shootings in Littleton, Colorado, safety concerns are keeping an increased number of students at home and out of the classroom. But is it because of a real concern over possible violence, or is it becoming a convenient excuse to cut-class? The situation is having a major impact on the end of the school year. News Channel 8's Verna Collins reports. J. Pierre Medor, Student: "It didn't seem like it was going to be a profitable day, so I just played basketball. A bunch of us got together and made the day fun." As a senior, J. Pierre Medor should be spending his time winding down the school year in class, but because of an out of control rumor about school violence, he was among 65 percent of Hamden High Students who took yesterday off and did something else. Tommy Fedock: "It probably was a prank and all, but my mom was like 'I don't want to take a chance with you', you know." "So what did you do all day?" "I just stayed home, talked to my friends, found out if anything happened, and nothing happened so...." Still, some parents are worried that nothing "is" happening, as far as learning is concerned. But the school's principal says he refuses to let someone who pulled a prank bring an early end to education. Dick Nabel, Hamden High Principal: "They are back today, and school is continuing, and education for the next 26-27 days is going to go on." Going on under the watchful eyes of additional police officers patrolling the school grounds. West Haven High has also added officers to it's campus, after more than half of it's students took last Friday off. That means out of 1,6OO kids, 856 were absent. The reason for most was another rumor, but principal John Karajanis says he's not going to let a few students ruin the seniors' last year. John Karajanis, Principal: "The prom is coming up, the senior activities are coming up, a lot of good things scheduled, and they just want to leave here on a positive note." Students at West Haven and Hamden High have just over a month to go in school. Administrators say pranks are not going to cancel the standardized tests and finals that kids have to prepare for and have to take. As for absences at the two schools today, the numbers are back to normal. Today's News Page. WTNH Home Page. ©1999 WTNH/WTNH-DT A LIN station.

Threats and false alarms keeping kids out of class in large numbers
(Hamden-WTNH) _ Getting kids to go to school can sometimes be difficult, and since the shootings in Littleton, Colorado, safety concerns are keeping an increased number of students at home and out of the classroom. But is it because of a real concern over possible violence, or is it becoming a convenient excuse to cut-class? The situation is having a major impact on the end of the school year.
News Channel 8's Verna Collins reports.

J. Pierre Medor, Student: "It didn't seem like it was going to be a profitable day, so I just played basketball. A bunch of us got together and made the day fun."

As a senior, J. Pierre Medor should be spending his time winding down the school year in class, but because of an out of control rumor about school violence, he was among 65 percent of Hamden High Students who took yesterday off and did something else.

Tommy Fedock: "It probably was a prank and all, but my mom was like 'I don't want to take a chance with you', you know."
"So what did you do all day?"
"I just stayed home, talked to my friends, found out if anything happened, and nothing happened so...."

Still, some parents are worried that nothing "is" happening, as far as learning is concerned. But the school's principal says he refuses to let someone who pulled a prank bring an early end to education.

Dick Nabel, Hamden High Principal: "They are back today, and school is continuing, and education for the next 26-27 days is going to go on."

Going on under the watchful eyes of additional police officers patrolling the school grounds.

West Haven High has also added officers to it's campus, after more than half of it's students took last Friday off. That means out of 1,6OO kids, 856 were absent. The reason for most was another rumor, but principal John Karajanis says he's not going to let a few students ruin the seniors' last year.

John Karajanis, Principal: "The prom is coming up, the senior activities are coming up, a lot of good things scheduled, and they just want to leave here on a positive note."

Students at West Haven and Hamden High have just over a month to go in school. Administrators say pranks are not going to cancel the standardized tests and finals that kids have to prepare for and have to take. As for absences at the two schools today, the numbers are back to normal.

Today's News Page.

WTNH Home Page.