Connect with us

Oklahoma

‘I am not going to be armed in my classroom’: Oklahoma teacher speaks out after Texas shooting massacre

Published

on

‘I am not going to be armed in my classroom’: Oklahoma teacher speaks out after Texas shooting massacre


OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – Someday after the devastating information of the Ulvade, Texas faculty capturing, Duncan, Oklahoma trainer, Jami Cole sat in her residence, nonetheless processing the lethal mass capturing.

In an interview by Zoom with KFOR, Cole was nonetheless visibly shaken by the information.

“Two lecturers misplaced their lives yesterday shielding their kids of their classroom,” mentioned Cole, trailing off.

Within the newest mass killing within the nation, authorities mentioned the 18-year-old gunman who murdered the 19 kids and two lecturers at Robb Elementary College barricaded himself inside a single classroom and “started capturing anybody that was in his method.”

Advertisement

“If I’m put in that place, do I go away them in that classroom or do I open that window [in my room] and inform them ‘Run, the satan’s chasing you,’” Cole mentioned.

Based on regulation enforcement, officers had been ultimately in a position to breach that classroom, killing the gunman.

Following the Uvalde bloodbath, the Texas Lawyer Basic was extensively cited with a name to arm lecturers with weapons.

Oklahoma’s Secretary of Training additionally took to Twitter Wednesday afternoon with an analogous stance, telling followers in a video that “gunmen ought to know that they will be unable to enter our faculties, that we are going to have armed assist at our faculties.”

Jami Cole, a fifth grade trainer in Duncan, Oklahoma mentioned she’d be keen to do something to maintain her college students protected, however wouldn’t decide up a gun.

“I might take a bullet for any of my college students. And I feel most lecturers would inform you that,” she mentioned.

“[But] you’re anticipating a trainer to take down an lively shooter…how [are] the police going to know after they are available in? Who’s the unhealthy man [and] who’s the great man?” she added. “What for those who hit a scholar with pleasant hearth? Arming lecturers actually not even be on the desk. We aren’t educated to try this.”

Because the nation grapples with tips on how to navigate mass shootings, faculty districts across the area mentioned they’re actively coaching college students and employees with lively shooter drills and response coaching, or growing police presence at their faculties.

“There’s been a variety of tears final night time and a variety of tears right this moment,” mentioned Jennifer Newell, Director of College Security and Safety for Mustang Public Faculties, telling KFOR her quick response was to begin wanting on the system’s present plan and make changes as crucial.

Advertisement

“We’re an choices primarily based faculty and we use [the tactic] ‘run, ‘conceal, struggle’,” she added, additionally sharing a number of drills the varsity district is required to work by way of often, in keeping with state regulation.

Newell mentioned the district prioritizes all efforts to mitigate violence, however encourages using bodily preventing again – as a last choice.

“We would like [staff] to know that [physical fighting] is the very final thing, that we have now a variety of choices earlier than we get to that time,” she mentioned.

“We [also] need to be sure that our employees understands that typically the perfect factor they’ll do is get out,” she added, additionally saying one of the crucial efficient techniques they train is to ensure doorways are locked.

“One of the essential issues that we are able to do is to lock our classroom doorways and hold them closed,” she mentioned. “We all know that there’s not been a state of affairs the place anyone has gotten by way of a locked classroom door and damage anyone on the opposite facet or killed anyone on the opposite facet.”

Advertisement

“That [compliance] is without doubt one of the issues that we’re specializing in, and can proceed to deal with,” she added, additionally citing frequent communication and group planning as profitable methods they depend on to keep up a protected environment.

“My opinion is, if we armed faculty employees right here, considered one of our employees members [could] get damage as a result of they’re not going to have the ability to inform between who’s the employees member and who’s a foul man,” she mentioned. “So I’m going to belief our [local] regulation enforcement companions.”

“We will forestall much more violence if we as a group determine to not promote gun possession as an answer,” mentioned Wayland Cubit in a partial assertion to KFOR.

The recently-retired Oklahoma Metropolis Police Lieutenant will be part of Oklahoma Metropolis Public Faculties on July 1st as their Director of Safety.

“Stopping one thing like this right here in OKC is feasible with a collective effort and dedication to peace. If we proceed to imagine extra weapons and extra armed residents is the answer, we can have a troublesome highway forward.“

Wayland Cubit, (Ret). OCPD Lieutenant

Advertisement

Reflecting on the 21 lives misplaced, Jami Cole mentioned the mass capturing highlighted a rising trauma in faculties that has develop into commonplace.

“Once I first began educating, [active shooter] wasn’t even in our vocabulary… [ until] Columbine,” she mentioned. “[Now,] children are getting conditioned. They’re beginning in pre-Ok, in Kindergarten, studying tips on how to do lively shooter drills.”

“It’s all the time good to be ready. We put together for a fireplace drill, we have now a twister drill,” she added, pausing on a query – if drills had been sufficient.

She contemplated the query.

“I don’t know. Was it sufficient yesterday when 19 children at the moment are lifeless?” she responded. “I actually hope the powers that be come collectively and determine this out.”

Advertisement





Source link

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Oklahoma

Gophers help fill need on defense with Oklahoma State linebacker

Published

on

Gophers help fill need on defense with Oklahoma State linebacker


The Gophers football program addressed a need in the middle of its defense for the 2025 season with Oklahoma State linebacker Jeff Roberson on Thursday night.

The 6-foot-2, 225-pound graduate transfer from Choctaw, Okla., totaled 58 tackles, including 8.5 for lost yards, three sacks and one interception in 12 games in 2024. He had a middling 57.7 grade from Pro Football Focus, along with 19 pressures, but also 11 missed tackles last season.

Roberson played 670 snaps last season, but only 107 across 2021 and 2023. He played special teams as a freshman in 2020 and missed the 2022 season with injury.

Roberson will help fill the void left by leading tackler Cody Lindenberg; the Anoka native declared for the NFL draft after the regular season and skipped the Duke’s Mayo Bowl. Maverick Baranowski and Devon Williams top the U’s depth chart at linebacker going into next season.

Advertisement

The Gophers have added 15 total players via the NCAA transfer portal since early December and are still looking for help at cornerback and possibly defensive line.

Originally Published:



Source link

Continue Reading

Oklahoma

Ole Miss Linebacker Transfer Trip White Commits to Oklahoma State

Published

on

Ole Miss Linebacker Transfer Trip White Commits to Oklahoma State


TRANSFER PORTAL TRACKER

The Cowboys went to the SEC to pick another linebacker out of the portal.

Ole Miss transfer Trip White, who was listed at 6-foot-3, 220 pounds last season, pledged to Oklahoma State, according to CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz. White played in all 13 of the Rebels’ games this past season, his redshirt sophomore year. He made one tackle, primarily playing special teams.

White played in three games while maintaining a redshirt as a true freshman in 2022. He appeared in five games in 2023, and to this point has totaled nine career tackles.

Advertisement

Out of Parkview Magnet in Little Rock, Arkansas, White was a three-star prospect in the 2022 recruiting class and chose Ole Miss over offers from Arkansas, Kansas State, Baylor, Louisville, Oklahoma State, Indiana and others. The 247Sports Composite system tabbed White as the No. 1,103 player in the class, the No. 109 linebacker in the class and the No. 12 player from Arkansas in 2022. He also started as his team’s quarterback as a high school senior, throwing for 2,035 yards and 19 touchdowns to go with 445 rushing yards and seven more scores.

White becomes the third linebacker the Pokes have grabbed out of the portal, joining Bryan McCoy (Akron) and Brandon Rawls (Saginaw Valley State). White’s addition comes a few days after Jeff Roberson hopped in the portal. With Roberson, Nick Martin, Collin Oliver and Kendal Daniels all gone from last season’s squad, OSU’s linebacker room — like most position rooms — will look quite a bit different heading into 2025. Kap Dede is set to coach that group, with new OSU defensive coordinator Todd Grantham bringing him in from Western Kentucky.



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Oklahoma

Trio of Oklahoma Sooners selected to preseason All-American teams

Published

on

Trio of Oklahoma Sooners selected to preseason All-American teams


The Oklahoma Sooners will open the 2025 softball season on Feb. 6 against the CSUN Matadors in San Diego. After a historic season, Oklahoma faces a lot of turnover after losing a number of fixtures in the lineup to graduation.

The Sooners certainly aren’t lacking for talent, however, as a trio of players were named to Softball America’s preseason All-American teams on Tuesday.

Sophomore outfielder Kasidi Pickering and Utility/DP Ella Parker were named to Softball America’s first team. Newcomer Abby Dayton was named to the second team.

Parker led the Oklahoma Sooners with a .415 batting average from the utility role. She also had 13 home runs and 62 RBIs as a true freshman. Parker hit .500 over Oklahoma’s final four games to clinch their fourth-straight national title.

Advertisement

Pickering hit .389 with 12 home runs and 51 RBIs as a true freshman for the Sooners. In the Women’s College World Series final against Texas, she had home runs in both games against the Texas Longhorns to win the championship.

Abby Dayton is one of a number of impact transfers for the Oklahoma Sooners this season. She led the Pac-12 in batting average, hitting .431 and also had an on-base percentage of .510 for the Utah Utes.

The Oklahoma Sooners will have a new look, but led by this trio of stars, the defending national champions will be ready to compete in the SEC.

More: 5 Oklahoma Sooners included in Softball America’s top 100

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on X @john9williams.

Advertisement





Source link

Continue Reading

Trending