In the past four weeks, three threats of violence have been found in bathrooms around campus. These threats, though likely non-credible, are impacting every pocket of our community. Every time one of these notes is found, the Chadwick community is shaken.
When I first entered this community in the fall of 2020, I was surprised to find that although we were online, we didn’t feel isolated. Once we returned to in-person learning, I noticed that Zoom classrooms and breakout rooms simulated a similar level of engagement to Roessler rooms and conversations on the Main Lawn.
This was not a shared experience among high schoolers during this time, as in nearby public schools, my friends would tell me of unproductive classes and unavailable teachers.
I believe our success through the pandemic and the connections we were able to make during these difficult times speak to the culture that the Chadwick community cultivates. This culture is why these threats came as such a surprise.
Chadwick prides itself on its Core Values. Honesty, respect, responsibility, fairness and compassion are qualities I have seen in every Chadwick student that I have had the pleasure of meeting. Those qualities are what is going to lead us through this stressful period.
It’s not fun to get our bags searched every morning, or to see security guards and sheriffs nearby, but it is a burden that we as a community must bear in order to ensure our community’s peace of mind and physical safety.
–Abby Luong
For many students, especially Chadwick students, the idea that a student would bring a firearm to school never crossed our minds. These crises have happened at schools closer than we’d expect, but there is something in my head that keeps injecting, “But not Chadwick. It couldn’t happen at Chadwick.” And it hasn’t, but students are far from unscathed.
Although the threats may not be “credible,” they felt credible to many students and parents on the day that the first note was found. About 58% of American adults or someone they care for have experienced gun violence in their lifetime. Triggers aren’t always related to specific events, so the stress of the shelter-in-place may have elicited strong emotions for students.
I don’t love watching violent movies, but I don’t get triggered from gun violence on the television. When I got home after the first note was found, I wasn’t feeling emotional. My parents asked how I was, and I honestly felt fine. I was in a classroom in Roessler, and while we did hear many false rumors via texts and social media, we knew that we were participating in a shelter-in-place and were not in immediate danger.
Later that night, I was watching television and there was a scene that had gun violence in it. I started crying hard and didn’t really understand why. Yes, the scene was sad, but my reaction felt exaggerated.
I didn’t even think that my reaction could be in part due to events that took place earlier in the day, but I now know that the threats had a greater impact on me than I thought. I can’t imagine the emotions that other members of the community are going through, especially as each additional note was turned in.
Some Village families have pulled their kids out of Chadwick entirely and some have kept their children home since the first threat. I do not fault these parents’ reactions, especially those who don’t have kids in the Upper or Middle School. When you fear that your child’s safety is at risk, it is easy to pull the “dangerous teens” card. We need to continue to support each other and hope that weary families see the power of our community.
–Parker Albarian
We all must keep in mind that our actions, or inactions, affect
every member of the community. As Upper Schoolers and the oldest members of our K-12 school community, we must constantly remind ourselves that our roles as examples to our juniors are ones to take seriously.
While at the moment there doesn’t seem to be a credible, violent threat toward our community, it is up to us to stay vigilant and keep in mind the Core Values. That includes being mindful of what we say. Spreading dramatic rumors and baseless speculation is not productive, and could end up being harmful to people’s mental health.
Nevertheless, if you have any evidence-based information whatsoever, please use the resources available (i.e., Anonymous Vector Reporting, Honor Council members, etc.) and let someone know.
Honor Council members addressed us a few weeks ago, saying our respect and responsibility as community members outweigh the ties of our friendships. Even the smallest action can lead to a return to normalcy for the entire community.
As seniors, we have spent the past almost 13 years living a similar experience to each one of you. We have learned addition and subtraction, how to make friends on the playground, and how to write compelling essays, intriguing articles and professional emails. While we haven’t been at Chadwick for as long as some, we are proud to have adopted the values and lessons that this school has taught us.
We hope that during this stressful time, we will not lose these lessons and all of us can persevere through this challenge. Our community is struggling, but we will come out stronger together.
The second semester of our senior year is one to be treasured and enjoyed, so, to end on a lighter note, we would really appreciate to treasure and enjoy some time off campus (we really want our senior privileges back :).
Sincerely,
Abby & Parker
The Mainsheet 