A blog I wrote upon reading the foxnews.com article on Friday, June, 2008
I can't even begin to tell you how disgusted, angry, and heartbroken I am right now.
Please read this news article:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,366104,00.html
I have to face the reality of John's death every day. His picture is on my wall. Memories of him are on my street and in my workplace.
To the idiots who schemed this up and everyone who supported it, HOW DARE YOU. HOW DARE YOU try to hurt anyone the way that I have been hurt and then tell them it was all a joke. HOW DARE YOU try to defend this ridiculous charade by saying:
"They were traumatized, but we wanted them to be traumatized," said guidance counselor Lori Tauber, who helped organize the shocking exercise and got dozens of students to participate. "That's how they get the message."
HOW DARE YOU disrupt education to break hearts. HOW DARE YOU say that you got the frickin job done. HOW DARE YOU lead students into a state of shock by throwing this crap on them at school. HOW DARE YOU use the names of real people, probably without their consent, and stage a part of their lives that has not yet come but very well COULD come. HOW DARE YOU.
Ever heard of the little boy who cried wolf? The state of shock one enters upon hearing such news is real, hurtful, and confusing. Now how are you going to get them to believe it at all? Facing death is going to be even harder than before now that they have to find out whether or not you're JUST KIDDING.
I can't even... I don't even... ugh...
http://www.examiner.com/x-300-Fatherhood-Examiner~y2008m6d4-Madd-Lying-t...
Every time I read more about it, I get angrier.
I have written a strongly worded letter that I plan to send to anyone and everyone who had something to do with this incident that I can possibly get a hold of. I am still revising my draft but I promise to post it here also when it is ready to be sent.
I miss you, John, and I love you truly.
http://progressiveu.org/213445-john-walked-away
I would like to say that though what they did was wrong... it did show students the even more real horror of death from drinking and driving.
A couple of years ago there were 4 students in a car driving after prom and they ran into a semi, all four were drunk out of thier minds... but what if they were affected by the event that the people put on. How do you measure the precautions one takes to ensure the saving of a life, where should it stop. Though the measures were overkill how else do you really shock students my age...that's the age of 16-19. I can see where it would seem to be a good idea.
Saint O Nothin' Says
PEACE
OH and see what GOD and the J-Man really thinks of you at
http://progressiveu.org/093043-god-does-not-love-you
High school students are already at a vulnerable age and do not need help in becoming an “emotional wreck,” as California Highway Patrol Officer Eric Newbury so quaintly worded the state of mind reached by several students at El Camino High School on that day. I cannot imagine being put into that unnecessary confusion and not even having the guidance counselor to go to because this person has lied to put them in this terrifying state.
Their “good intentions” have been completely overshadowed by their insulting malpractice. Schools all over the country have used other methods to address the reality of the consequences of drunk driving and some of these methods have proven to draw real emotions from the students without lying to them. For example, our high school has conducted a program called “Prom Promise” several times. Students gathered in the football stadium and the members of Boaz High School’s SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) club would stage a car crash as a narrator described what was happening with each character. The driver walked away with a few scratches. The two passengers in the back seat were pulled out only when the roof of the car was removed with the Jaws of Life. One of them was taken away in an ambulance to a local hospital. The other, with more serious injuries, was airlifted to a bigger hospital. The passenger in the front seat died on impact. We saw the fire fighter pull her from the car. We saw her put into a hearse. I saw some of her close friends tear up as they saw a performance of her death, even knowing that it wasn’t real.
Death and the emotional trauma it causes to the surviving loved ones are real. Death happens even without drunk drivers, and it is just as painful and irreversible either way. I played the blame game for a while after John’s death but finally I realized that condemning those responsible could not change the fact that he was gone. When it all falls down, it doesn’t matter how it happened. It happened. If they're going to mess with students feelings about death by drunk driving, they should be prepared to deal with those students feelings about death. Everyone will have to face the reality of the death of a loved one someday. The question is this:
When that day comes, will they believe it?
"High school students are already at a vulnerable age and do not need help in becoming an “emotional wreck,”"
You make us all sound so Mello-dramatic. How vulnerable are we really, we don't handle death from a day to day thing, I am a teenager and have to say that Teens have it easier than most adults. We don't actually have to much hardship unless in a completely disfunctional situation.
now Sadly i know people who have suffered through the same thing. One kid was hit by a car and died instantly while on his skateboard. And i hope that if someone told you there was a crash and your friend died you would believe it every time. This goes on once, a single time, this is the only time i have ever heard of an event going on like this. and i can't think of an occurence in life where someone will intentionally lie to you about a crash and death to get a reaction. It was too drastic and over the line. but in the end it might of saved a life. i would rather have someone cry over a Lie than a Death (real one).
and by the way most of our stupid students laugh at the SADD programs and say "We drive better when we're drunk." This utter stupidity (by the way i have heard that sayed before) is almost impossible to fight against.
Saint O Nothin' Says
PEACE
OH and see what GOD and the J-Man really thinks of you at
http://progressiveu.org/093043-god-does-not-love-you
Well it's true. Teenagers react wildly to even the smallest things. Big things create serious permanent damage to a young person's psyche.
Some teens may not have to deal with as much hardship as many adults.... SOME. But that doesn't make it easier for them to deal with what DOES come up. If anything, it makes it harder.
I hope people would believe it every time too. But you know the first thing is shock. My best friend Lindsey was told about our friend John by her mother and she had to call me to confirm it because she just couldn't believe it. Now imagine if her mom had told her someone died before and it was a lie. Of course she wouldn't be able to believe it AT ALL. How can these students trust their teachers, guidance counselors, and law enforcement officers?
Your right some people laugh at SADD presentations.
But you should also know that people here haven't changed their driving (and/or drinking) habits in spite of all the accidents and deaths that have hit close to home.
So the "utter stupidity" is just as "impossible to fight against" as before.
I wrote a blog about this a couple weeks ago. You may be interested in reading it.
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