Page 66 - Security Today, March/April 2024

CAMPUS VIEWPOINT
PARENTS ARE PART OF SCHOOL SECURITY, TOO
BY BRENT DIRKS
O n Nov. 30, 2021, Ethan Crumbley killed four students and wounded seven other in a school shooting in Oxford, Mich. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole in 2023 after pleading guilt to four counts of murder, one count of terrorism, and 19 other charges.
But the story doesn’t stop there. In February, his mother Jennifer Crumbley was found guilty of four counts of involuntary manslaughter in a Michigan courtroom because of the shooting. She is the first parent ever to be convicted in a
school mass shooting.
Her husband, James, is set to go to trial on the same charges.
During the trial, prosecutors accused Jennifer Crumbley of negligence in multiple
instances. Both parents bought their son a firearm for an early Christmas present just days before the shooting and took him to a shooting range multiple times.
Ethan’s mother was also aware that he was struggling with mental health issues and even contemplating violence. In text messages, Ethan told friends that he was experiencing hallucinations and hearing voices and asked his parents to take him to a doctor.
MARCH/APRIL 2024
On the day of the shooting, a teacher found a drawing with Ethan showing a gun
and a person bleeding along with phrases including “the thoughts won’t stop help me”
and “my life is useless.” Both parents were called into a meeting about the drawing and didn’t inform the school about the gun and didn’t take him out of classes for the day.
Later in the day, Ethan opened fire.
While this case is first of a kind, it sends a strong message to parents. If you have firearms in the home, they must be safe and secure at all times. And get your children help with mental health issues. Parents are part of the school security equation.
Brent Dirks bdirks@1105media.com
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