As a student at Moravian College, whenever a possible crime or something of note occurs on or near campus, they send out an email called a timely notification. They are usually muggings, breakins, flashers, things of a relatively minor nature. Yesterday, a timely notification was sent out about a poster hanging in an obscure hallway in the art building that was considered offensive, threatening, containing images of graphic violence, and had been taken down in light of recent events at VTech. Authorities later sent out another email saying that anonymous callers had helped them find the creator of the poster and had him in custody for interrogation.
Now, since the art and music facilities are connected, I had seen this poster. It had been up since at least last week, before VTech occured. It looked more like fingerpainting and crayon than threatening, and the closest thing to graphic violence in it were students sitting at their desks. It said 4.20.07, Typical MoCo [a common abbreviation of moravian] student transform, para, and 8 days on the poster.
For me, I think this was an intense overreaction caused by campus safety wanting to show some force in order to show parents and students that they are competent. Because of the events of this week, they thought 4.20 was referencing the anniversary of the Columbine attacks, but it just doesnt make any sense. I dont think the poster was threatening a violent act at all--I certainly didnt feel scared by it. I think its really just a comment on 4.20 being notorious as a pot-smokers holiday, it was probably hung up on the 12th (hence '8 days'), and para probably means drug paraphernalia. The student transfrom comments on the effects of marijuana.
To top it all off, all professors with classes today were instructed to contact their students to see if they felt safe having class today. They actually gave us the option to cancel class!! In my early early class this morning, 2/5 of the class stayed home in their dorm rooms. Ridiculous! Knowing them like I do, I think they jumped on the opportunity to sleep in.
Am i totally off base on this? I really think the school overreacted.
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i think you are right that it is the school wanting to take action. it makes people feel helpless when they see acts of violence popping up in different areas. so they try to feel helpful and instead overreact. thanks for posting this...its interesting to hear what is happening in different areas as a result of the tragedy at vtech.
Yeah, we actually had another big issue resultant from vtech....they sent an email saying they would have a banner in one of the buildings with a basket of sharpies so people could sign it, which we ended up sending down to vtech. A professor suggested that we do another banner to send to a state senator to ask for more gun control--some of our more conservative students sent some of the most nasty emails out--and it was all campuswide. some of them thought he was going to shoot up OUR school in protest! It was a big deal, he had to send a campuswide apology because students were asking for him to be fired. I cant believe how jdoifiewajfawjfpoij people get sometimes!
Hug a musician, they never get to dance.
Our city did that (the banner thing). Unfortunately, they had the signing when I was in class. I believe they were going to send it to the mayor, instead of the school. City council to city council thing.
~C
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We did end up sending both banners--they had them side by side in the student union building for a whole day, and we express shipped it at the end of the day.
Hug a musician, they never get to dance.