It was a very real two hours

Editor's Corner

By David Richards

(Updated: Friday, April 25, 2008, 5:01 PM)

It happened in our backyard.

Yosemite High School was placed on lock down for nearly two hours Tuesday following a phony gun threat that seemed very real at the time.

Sheriff's deputies and officers of the California Highway Patrol arrived on scene, while students and staff members stayed in classrooms and offices.

Many parents waited outside the school.

The lock down ended shortly before 1 p.m. with the arrest of an 18-year-old student.

Thankfully, no one was injured.

"In my day, kids would pull the fire alarm, and we'd all go out to the field," said Madera County Sheriff John Anderson. "But these days times have changed."

Yes, they have.

With all of the school shootings across the nation in the past 10 years, school officials and law enforcement are forced to plan ahead just in case a similar situation, unthinkable 20 years ago, happens here.

It was nice to see the quick response by the sheriff's department and CHP, and by school officials as well.

Parents were notified about the incident by text message and cell phone via a recorded message from YHS Principal Steve Raupp.

Also, just two weeks ago, YHS and Yosemite Unified School District school safety staff participated in a table-top disaster response drill with emergency services agencies.

The preparation seemed to pay off.

We commend our local school officials and law enforcement for their efforts and urge them to continue to work toward perfecting contingency plans just in case of an emergency.

Even if we don't use them.

The issues above are discussed and chosen by the Sierra Star editorial board, made up of Betty E. Linn, publisher, and David Richards, editor.