Wheeling Park Principal Apologizes for Content material of Lively Shooter Coaching | Information, Sports activities, Jobs

photograph by: Alan Olson

A whole lot of recent college students and their households filter into Wheeling Park Excessive Faculty for the Freshmen & New Scholar Tailgate occasion.

WHEELING — Wheeling Park Excessive Faculty Principal Meredith Dailer apologized Thursday night time for the content material of an energetic shooter coaching presentation for college kids on the primary day of faculty — a part of which was a violent excerpt of a film.

Dailer posted a video on the college’s Fb web page explaining why the college gave the presentation, apologizing for the impact it had on college students and describing measures the college will take sooner or later to maintain that from taking place.

Dailer mentioned that, on the primary day of faculty at WPHS on Tuesday, faculty officers instructed all college students in energetic shooter coaching, as mandated by state authorities. Certainly one of Wheeling Park’s prevention useful resource officers led the coaching, one which Dailer mentioned he had carried out quite a few occasions at quite a few faculties and schools.

The movie excerpt proven was from the final minutes of the 2003 film “Zero Day,” a movie about two youngsters that plan and execute a mass taking pictures at their highschool.

The movie’s subject material mirrored the Columbine Excessive Faculty taking pictures in 1999. Within the excerpt, the 2 teenagers shoot college students within the faculty’s cafeteria and library earlier than committing suicide by taking pictures themselves within the library. The occasion is proven by the attitude of the college’s safety cameras.

Dailer didn’t point out specifics of the presentation within the video, however did say that components of the presentation upset college students.

“The presentation itself, I perceive, upset a whole lot of youngsters,” Dailer mentioned, “and for that … I’ve been sick over that, the concept one thing we did upset our youngsters. The energetic shooter coaching isn’t meant to try this.

“It’s a fantastic line that now we have to stroll,” she continued. “It’s a scary time. These shootings are taking place extra ceaselessly and we’d like our college students to take this severely, and we would like them to really feel protected, we would like them to really feel ready and we would like them to pay attention to their environment.

“It’s by no means our intention to upset and set off youngsters with damaging ideas,” Dailer mentioned. “That’s by no means our intention and if you already know me and you already know my workers, it’s the furthest factor for the reality and we’re so apologetic that any college students in any of our trainings would really feel that manner.”

Dailer mentioned she has had a number of conversations over the previous couple of days and “higher plans” are in place. She mentioned she received’t conduct the energetic shooter coaching on the primary day of faculty sooner or later. Dad and mom, she mentioned, can be notified upfront when delicate conversations can be going down. The varsity will use an opt-out coverage for college kids shifting ahead. Additionally, faculty counselors can be prepared to assist if any college students are upset with delicate subjects.

She additionally mentioned she can be out there at present to speak to anybody who desires to debate the coaching or the video or must “speak it out.”

“Once more, I can’t apologize sufficient,” Dailer mentioned. “I’m a mother. I by no means need to see my youngsters come house from faculty upset. … Please know we have been devoted to doing higher in supporting our youngsters at Wheeling Park Excessive Faculty.”