Colorado Girl, 14, Stabbed Seven Times in High School Hallway
February 2, 2008
Friday, February 01, 2008
LONGMONT, Colo — Longmont police say a high school student has been stabbed in the back several times with scissors but suffered only superficial injuries.
The 14-year-old girl was attacked Thursday morning in a hallway between classes at Silver Creek High School. She was treated at Longmont United Hospital.
Police Commander Craig Earhart says she’s expected to make a full recovery.
Earhart says a 14-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of second-degree assault. He says the boy is also a Silver Creek student but there’s no indication he knew the victim.
Earhart says the attack appears to be random.
No names have been released.
Ephesians 5:11 - Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, rebuke and expose them.
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February 2nd, 2008 at 8:49 am
I wonder if her parents are now considering homeschooling?
-Ed
February 2nd, 2008 at 9:02 am
These kinds of things happen when we live in a fallen world. I could post several articles where these kinds of things have happened at work places, eating establishments, modes of travel. Not to mention to homeschooled children by their “teachers”. Does that mean that we should pull away from all of these as well, and cite Ephesians 5:11 as the reason for doing so? I should certainly hope not.
February 2nd, 2008 at 9:31 am
The point Nicole, is that these types of things are happening more and more often in our schools. Why would I knowingly send my child into that every day when I can keep them home with me? Besides that particular story, I read two others regarding some type of violence or abuse in school yesterday. These things are in the news EVERYDAY. Am I going to hide away everyday in fear, no? But I’m not going to send my innocent little ones into a hostile place everyday so someone else can spend the majority of their hours with my child and teach them things I disagree with. Yes, I could visit a grocery store or mall and something bad could happen, I’ll put trust in Christ. However, I am with my children and would do everything I could to protect them. But I won’t send them into the darkness everyday and say it’s “in their best interest”.
February 2nd, 2008 at 9:50 am
I don’t let my kids go to public schools, and I don’t let them play marbles on the freeway either. ;)
February 2nd, 2008 at 10:00 am
Amanda,
It’s a bit of a stretch to say that people who send their children to ps, are sending their “little ones into a hostile place everyday”. Everyday, all ps are full of hostility? That’s a very misleading statement, to say the least. Not to mention the “darkness everyday” statement. Half of my children are in ps, and I spend quite a bit of time in their classrooms and have yet to see this “darkness” that you speak of.
It seems that a lot of militant (for lack of a better word), Christian homeschoolers live in such fear. That’s very sad to see.
February 2nd, 2008 at 10:07 am
I am not in fear Nicole. I am living aware of what is going on and I refuse to put my children into that. God did not give my children to me to protect so I could send them off to someone else everyday to be their main influence. God has called parents to teach their children His ways all day, every day and there is no way I can do that if I am sending them to a place that teaches the complete opposites for 8 hours daily. As a very wise mother said, ” I am not sending my children someplace that Jesus isn’t welcome.” It’s as clear as that. If God is not welcome there and if they are trying to remove every bit of Him (light), then my children will not be there.
February 2nd, 2008 at 10:11 am
If you think your school isn’t a dark place, you just haven’t seen it yet. The world is dark. My kids will still see it and still be exposed to it, even though they are home. The difference is I am with them every step of the way and I can explain God’s Truth.
February 2nd, 2008 at 11:07 am
Nicole…5 little words for you…
Until it happens to you.
It could be expanded to 10 little words..
Until it happens to you OR someone YOU know.
I’m one that witnessed school violence first hand in the early 80s, in a small town…nothing like this EVER happened there.
It’s amazing how quickly your perspective changes.
February 2nd, 2008 at 11:33 am
If you want to homeschool your kids, that’s fine:) My biggest beef is when Christian’s throw up Scripture to support their POV, yet are not willing to apply it across the board. They always have some sort of “exclusion” as to why they don’t have to. But, they are more than willing to use that Scripture to say that those who are sending their kids to PS are not doing what God wants. That’s a bunch of bologna, to say it mildly.
Stack, please do not be so naive as to assume that you know about my life experiences :)
Amanda, I refuse to believe that you have to be with your children the majority of the time to “explain God’s truth”. If that, was in fact, a requirement then it would utterly impossible for any Christian to be ps and grow up loving the Lord. And every child homeschooled in a Christian home would grow up walking with the Lord their whole life. As we know, many homeschooled children have left their homes to walk a very different path, and many ps children have left their homes to walk with the Lord their whole live. And vice versa.
February 2nd, 2008 at 11:51 am
Nicole…I certainly don’t think that I know your life experiences…but if you’d seen it intimately you’d know exactly how dark the schools can be. Greater is HE that is in me than he that is in the world…but make no mistake…the devil is still out there…and once you’ve actually SEEN it, you can’t deny it exists.
Secondarily…while you may not HAVE to be with your children the majority of the time to “explain God’s truth”…it certainly makes it easier…and I believe that was what was meant by Deuteronomy 6:7 “You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.” Granted it doesn’t say, “All day, every day”…but it does seem the intent, at least to me.
As to homeschooled children or public schooled children walking a different path…free will and grace have to fall in somewhere. The fact is I was public schooled all 12 years…my folks had no idea that hs was an option…was I christian…NOPE…not until the grace of God found me when I was 19…and I praise the LORD. But I am an exception to the rule and the ONLY one that I still speak to from my class who actually still claims God.
Could homeschooled children walk away? ABSOLUTELY. Could they then return…SURE! Their free will isn’t the question here. Our personal responsibilty as parents is. The reality is that MORE homeschoolers stay with the faith…MORE public schoolers leave the faith…I think that we have to try, where we are able, to give them the best CHANCE of staying with the faith. The rest is up to God.
February 2nd, 2008 at 1:03 pm
My 8 year old daughter told me in a recent discussion that Christians should not send their kids to public school. When I asked her why she told me “Because you cannot talk about Jesus there”. I did not plant this idea in her head. The only reason it came up is because she asked about a school building and I told her that was where she would go to ps if she were not homeschooled. From her own interaction with public school children at church, etc, she had figured out on her own there was a difference. Perhaps our children are way more perceptive than us adults?
February 2nd, 2008 at 1:05 pm
For the parents that do send their children to P.S., what exactly are you doing to counteract the things that are going on in the your child’s school? I mean, it’s obvious that it is an establishment that is Anti-God. It’s obvious that they teach the children things that directly attack the existence of God. Let’s not forget the influence of ungodly lifestyles, drugs, etc.
Are you going to every school board meeting and PTA meeting? Do you fight against the things we have spoken about in the political arena? Do you spend time with your children on a daily basis unraveling the untruths that were taught to your child? When evolution is taught, do you teach them about creationism at home?
I just don’t think I could sit still for one minute if my children were in the p.s.
February 2nd, 2008 at 2:07 pm
In response to Christa’s comment:
Christa, you already know that very few Christian parents that send their kids to public school spend little, if any time trying to undo what the public schools teach. You and I both have lived in several neighborhoods where we knew Christian parents who made statements such as “I can’t wait until _________ vacation is over so the kids will go back to school. I can’t stand it.” They would turn to us and say, “I don’t know how you do it!” Then they would follow up with, ” Well your kids are good kids, that makes it easier.” Easier?!?!? We work hard and by the grace of God they are well behaved kids!
Theses Christian parents would raise their kids almost exactly the same way as the other parents who didn’t go to church on Sunday. You couldn’t pick the Christian Family kids out of the crowd. They all acted the same. However, parents throughout the neighborhood would ask us how we do it. What did we do to get our kids to act so well? They would ask, but when they found out it required some effort that was the end.
You know that most of the times when we go out to eat that people would come to our table and compliment us on how well behaved our kids are.
We know that are children are like all other human beings and sin, but we teach them differently. We don’t let their minds get infected by the filth that public schools so freely give out. We don’t let them watch TV where some much filth is dispensed! We teach them God’s point of view.
Quite frankly, the others refused to turn off the TV, open the Bible occasionally, and bring their kids home where they can be properly raised.
February 2nd, 2008 at 3:26 pm
It could be worse. She could have been stabbed 8 times.
Nicole, If I knew that statistically I had a 85% chance of being sexually harassed (65% chance of being groped) at work, at a restaurant or in a plane I would reconsider visiting those places. And if the public schools your kids are in are so great why do you have to visit so often?
February 2nd, 2008 at 3:51 pm
Ed
Yes, for the most part they are good boys. However, I forgot to tell you what happened yesterday. ;)
I do remember a great majority of our past neighbors reacting that way when their children would be off cycle or on vacation. I remember being stunned that they couldn’t stand being around their children all day. It was sad and I believe that’s another reason why their kids were acting up.
I always thought it was interesting that most of the kids on our block would spend a great majority of their time at our house during their school breaks. They were also very eager to be helpful to me around the house. I also remember them telling me that they wished their parents would homeschool them.
February 2nd, 2008 at 6:26 pm
Three of four of my kids are currently in public school, even though it breaks my heart. We talk to them all the time about the Lord and pray with them at every opportunity. In the evenings we talk about what happened during the day, we also take turns reading from our Bibles and discuss what we are reading. We talk about current events and compare it to what the Bible says. We sing worship songs together and then have a time of prayer. We are very active in church. All of my kids serve at church willingly with me in the children’s ministry. We also like to play games and do puzzles together.
We have people tell us all the time how wonderfully polite and courteous our children are. The teachers love them and tell us they wish they had 20 more just like them. My son who is in the third grade brings his Bible to school and reads it during his free time. My daughter who is in 7th grade is currently working on a report that she will be reading in front of the class. It is a personal history museum. She had to pick 5 things that represent her, and she picked the Bible for one of them. She was not coached by me or my husband to do this. We are not quite sure how well it will be received, but I welcome them to try to challenge her bringing a Bible to school. My son’s teacher is a believer, my daughter’s claims to be, but we shall see.
I would love to pull them out of public school and I would in a heart beat, but my husband is not on the same page as me quite yet. We did homeschool in the past, but our circumstances were different at the time. I am pretty sure I will be able to homeschool them after this school year. My husband does not want them taken out in the middle of the year, unless of course they challenge my daughter bringing her Bible in, then I might be able to get them home sooner.
I am definitely not one of “those” who likes it when the weekend or any breaks are over. I usually get a letter every year because of absences. I have a habit of keeping them home sometimes when they aren’t even sick . I keep them home after a hectic weekend or if I feel we haven’t had enough time together. I miss them so very much when they are away.
Your sister in Christ,
Donna
btw..If those of you who homeschool could go to my blog by clicking on my name. I have a post with homeschooling questions. I am trying to find out more about different styles of homeschooling and such. Any input would be helpful. Thanks!
February 3rd, 2008 at 2:44 pm
Katie,
Because I love being involved at their schools. I enjoy the friendship I have with their teachers, and fellow parents. Imagine that. ;>)
February 3rd, 2008 at 2:50 pm
Katie,
I also want to clariy that volunteering at schools, churches, whatever doesn’t mean that there’s something wrong with those establishments, which makes it a necessity to be there.
I really got the feeling that you were trying to make it seem that that’s why I’m at the school so much.
February 3rd, 2008 at 3:15 pm
Jeff,
Here’s yet another school story for your collection:
http://www.todaysthv.com/news/news.aspx?storyid=59906
It was downplayed in the news.
I personally think that collecting these kinds of stories is good in that i can pull them out when i am having one of those “why do i bother homeschooling these kids” days or start to question what i am doing. It reminds me of one of the reasons we keep them home. Protecting them from school violence is just a small part of the equation, though. It is a negative reason. Really, we keep them home because we love them, we want the best for them, and we want to know them as they grow up. We want to enjoy them and know who they are and marvel each day at how the Lord has created them. There are many, many days when i marvel at the sin nature that is within them, too! We are all sinners in need of grace.
February 3rd, 2008 at 6:58 pm
Well, I am a Christian, and I am a homeschooler, but I am NOT a “Christian homeschooler”. Why? you may ask? Well, my dh doesn’t want it that way ;o) I am a “rabid, critical, over protective homeschooler”…why? again, you may ask ;o) It took my 5 year old child in Kindergarten just one 20 minute recess to learn about sex. It came from someone in her class who had learned from an older brother. That brother had just had “sex ed” in his grade. My dd is forever changed, her innocence lost on that playground. I was there a lot. I volunteered all the time. Being there, in and of itself is not good enough. You have to be RIGHT there with your child to protect them from the dangers that lurk. This was in a small school…just 30-35 kids per grade. The teachers are known by their first name when not in the classroom or at school. These are the people you see at church, the clinic, the grocery store. We are small town America. That doesn’t change the dangers of schools one bit. Yes, they are all there to protect our children, but some things they don’t see as a need the way we do as parents.
I have sat back and skimmed most of the responses, but I can tell you that those who send their kids to ps and think they are safe or that they are doing enough…you are wrong, and I just hope that you don’t ever have to regret it. I know that many dh’s are against homeschooling, and you have a tough choice there. I have fought long and hard to protect my children from having to go back, even at the cost of a blissful marriage. We are happy, but I know it would be so much better if I just did as he wished in this area too.
Oh, and should I mention again? the 14 year old pg by the 11 year old at my dd’s friend’s school? My nieces and nephews are in that school and the stories of stuff in the bathrooms and locker rooms is horrendous..and it is also a “small” school by American standards. No thanks, I will keep my kids home.
February 3rd, 2008 at 7:22 pm
Stacy,
What do you mean by you are “NOT” a Christian homeschooler, your husband doesn’t want it that way?
Donna
February 3rd, 2008 at 8:24 pm
sorry, I didn’t think that comment would need explaining in the whole scheme of things ;o) It was sort of in reference to the other posts on homeschooling, but most directly at this line of comments. My teaching and my Christianity are totally separated.
My dh is not a follower of “organized religion”. I chose to homeschool because of problems with the school like I mentioned in the above post, not at all because of my faith. In fact, religious teaching was part of the reason we didn’t like them being there. Our school is small enough, that it is a part of who the school “people” are, and how they teach. Our kids were expected to go to Religious release for an hour each week, even though we didn’t want them to go, but that is another tangent that we don’t need to address here, LOL!
When I started this journey as a homeschooler, it wasn’t with my dh’s blessing, or even his approval. It was because I wanted to do it to protect our children and he tolerated it. Our marriage is much different now ;o) and I am a wife who knows how to honor her hubby, even though I still make mistakes. Hubby has asked that I use no religious materials at all in our education. I cannot use A Beka or Rod and Staff or any of the materials from Christian publishers. I cannot and do not even use my/any Bible in our school time. My children are to be afforded an “equivalent education” at home, without having the rolled up routine or schedule or even text books (we lean towards unschooling more than anything). So, while I am a Christian, and I do homeschool, those 2 issues are kept completely separate :o)
When people lump Christians who homeschool into that category of “Christian homeschoolers” and say that they use the Bible to support their choice or actions without seeing other options, or that they are closed minded or legalistic or whatever they want to say, they are making a judgment that does not fit all as they tend to think. I am a person who strongly believes that the Bible is “pro” homeschooling, but the Bible is not why *I* started, it is not even why I continue. It isn’t even because of my faith that I started. It isn’t because of my faith that I continue, honestly. It is because of issues like these and the government control of our children…but again, that is another rabbit trail ;o) I know that my children could get a great education at our local school. I know that they would be taught by men and women who are Christians and who care about them…but they would not protect them, and are not truly able to do so in the way that we would like done. I think it is unfair for the comments from public school parents who say the things they do about homeschoolers being “inflexible” or “judgmental” or whatever other comments have been made in these responses that I can’t even remember at the moment.
Just because I am a Christian and I homeschool, doesn’t mean that I am one of “them” that must be so legalistic and biased. I have seen both sides, I read and have read about both sides. Anyone with a brain can see that schools are dangerous places if they choose to open their eyes and listen to what is going on. Yep, that probably just ticked off a few people, but it is the truth…and not because I am a Christian or a homeschooler, but because I have paid attention to the actions of students and parents in the schools. I have read the arrest reports and the obituaries, the birth records (gotta love those small town newspapers!). They all tell the stories for themselves.
February 3rd, 2008 at 9:40 pm
Stacy,
Thanks for explaining your position. I wasn’t quite sure what you meant, now I do.
Donna :-)
February 3rd, 2008 at 10:35 pm
You are welcome, Donna! I struggle sometimes to get the right words out or to make myself understandable. I live a sleep deprived life, and the words in my mind don’t always make sense the way that they come out, LOL! They often move faster than my fingers and I lose my train of thought or am thinking 10 things while trying to type one…scary mix! :oP