EDITORIAL: HFCC tragedy cause for safety review
M.J. Editorial Board
Issue date: 4/21/09 Section: Perspectives
On Friday, April 10, our neighboring campus at Henry Ford Community College became the latest member of the small fraternity of schools whose reputations are tarnished by violence. In what was described as a murder-suicide, HFCC student and Detroit resident Anthony Powell shot student Asia McGowan with a sawed-off shotgun and proceeded to take his own life afterward.
Sadly, after the fact, it has been observed that Powell was desperately in need of psychiatric help, but refused multiple offers for it. Such instances of violence, especially so near the tenth anniversary of the Columbine High School shooting, remind us to be vigilant for those amongst us who may be reaching out.
We at The Michigan Journal would like to extend our condolences to the family and friends of the two students involved, as well the HFCC campus as a whole. The shooting was a tragedy in the truest sense. Our campuses are very close, both geographically and socially, and many students are wondering what if it happened here?
What if it happened here? Would we be ready in the event of a shooting? Although the new text-messaging program was unveiled with a great deal of promise, it was not activated during the incident.
The only people notified were those who were conveniently in front of a computer and in their UM-D e-mail accounts at the time. The new emergency text message system was tested again and again and proved to be an effective system. But when it was really needed, why wasn't it utilized?
By not initiating the emergency text messaging service, the campus was putting our students at risk. The text messages should not be sent out in the event of an internal threat only, but rather used when any event could threaten the health and well being of any student on campus.
The shots were loud enough to be heard on campus, yet many had to find out what was going on through half-truths, news reports and gossip. If the intent was to prevent panic, anyone on campus that day can say that the opposite occurred.
The idea that keeping information from the student population to prevent panic is absurd. Panic comes from a lack of information, not a wealth of it. Many students were still fearing for their safety long after the sad crime had been contained to the HFCC campus. If we had been kept updated, via the text messaging system, from the beginning to the end of the shooting the school could have spared us a lot of panic and confusion.
We at The Michigan Journal have to question the decision to not use the system. Was it a reckless disregard for our safety, or was there some reason that isn't clear to us, but clear to the administration? Granted, the shootings took place on an entirely different campus from ours, but as the old cliché goes, it was too close for comfort.
Sadly, after the fact, it has been observed that Powell was desperately in need of psychiatric help, but refused multiple offers for it. Such instances of violence, especially so near the tenth anniversary of the Columbine High School shooting, remind us to be vigilant for those amongst us who may be reaching out.
We at The Michigan Journal would like to extend our condolences to the family and friends of the two students involved, as well the HFCC campus as a whole. The shooting was a tragedy in the truest sense. Our campuses are very close, both geographically and socially, and many students are wondering what if it happened here?
What if it happened here? Would we be ready in the event of a shooting? Although the new text-messaging program was unveiled with a great deal of promise, it was not activated during the incident.
The only people notified were those who were conveniently in front of a computer and in their UM-D e-mail accounts at the time. The new emergency text message system was tested again and again and proved to be an effective system. But when it was really needed, why wasn't it utilized?
By not initiating the emergency text messaging service, the campus was putting our students at risk. The text messages should not be sent out in the event of an internal threat only, but rather used when any event could threaten the health and well being of any student on campus.
The shots were loud enough to be heard on campus, yet many had to find out what was going on through half-truths, news reports and gossip. If the intent was to prevent panic, anyone on campus that day can say that the opposite occurred.
The idea that keeping information from the student population to prevent panic is absurd. Panic comes from a lack of information, not a wealth of it. Many students were still fearing for their safety long after the sad crime had been contained to the HFCC campus. If we had been kept updated, via the text messaging system, from the beginning to the end of the shooting the school could have spared us a lot of panic and confusion.
We at The Michigan Journal have to question the decision to not use the system. Was it a reckless disregard for our safety, or was there some reason that isn't clear to us, but clear to the administration? Granted, the shootings took place on an entirely different campus from ours, but as the old cliché goes, it was too close for comfort.
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