Archive for Thursday, January 22, 2009

Tonganoxie sixth-grader detained after explosive device confiscated at school

A Tonganoxie Middle School student brought the equivalent of 1/3 of a stick of dynamite to school Thursday.

January 22, 2009, 12:21 p.m. Updated January 22, 2009, 11:36 p.m.


— A sixth-grade student had no intent to cause harm when he brought a dangerous explosive device to school on Thursday, school and law enforcement officials said.

“He just made a mistake,” said Billy Adcox, Tonganoxie police lieutenant.

No one was injured by the homemade explosive device, which was confiscated from the Tonganoxie Middle School student sometime before 10 a.m., officials said. The Leavenworth City/County Bomb Squad safely removed the device from the school by 11:30 a.m.

Local police said the student was showing off the small device to other students at the school, when one of them contacted school administrators. Assistant Principal Mark Altman brought the student to his office and confiscated the device, which police said was equivalent to one-third of a stick of dynamite.

Police described the device as a cardboard BB wrapper — with a fuse — that had been packed with BBs and the powder of two M-80s. Tonganoxie mayor and police dispatcher Mike Vestal said the device had the potential to injure or kill people if ignited.

The administrative offices were evacuated and the entire school was locked down, Vestal said.

“It’s uncommon, for sure,” said Kyle Hayden, assistant school superintendent. “We don’t believe that there was any malicious intent. There were no threats made with the device; just a serious error in judgment.”

Parents were notified about the situation by noon Thursday, Hayden said.

“When they said they had a bomb threat, I honestly thought they’d find a piece of plastic with nothing in it. But when they honestly had something, it really scared me because you just don’t think it’s going to come to small-town Tonganoxie,” said Teresa Sickman, parent of a sixth-grade student at the school.

The suspect student is being detained at a juvenile detention center pending charges from the Leavenworth County attorney, police said. He will be suspended from school for 10 days, during which time a mandatory expulsion hearing will take place to determine whether he’ll be banned from the school for an entire calendar year, Hayden said.

The device was safely detonated by the bomb squad at a nearby rock quarry, Adcox said.


Leslie Swearingen 5 years, 11 months ago

Vestal described the device as a BB gun packet that was packed with powder and shrapnel that had an M-80 firecracker duct-taped to it. He said the device had the potential to injure or kill people if ignited.-------------------------------------------------------------Read the article - all the way though. This is a little more serious than a prank. It was meant to hurt people and it was carefully thought though. Attention must be paid to things such as this.

staff04 5 years, 11 months ago

Where does one get an M-80 these days? I thought they were made illegal a long time ago.

TongieMom 5 years, 11 months ago

This is serious - according to the description, it was something that could have caused serious injury. As a parent, I'm VERY concerned that the entire school was not evacuated! The way the school is set up they could EASILY have done this within moments without passing the front offices. At that moment, while waiting for the 'bomb squad' to arrive, how could the administrators be certain there was nothing his locker, in another classroom, etc?? "Evacuated the administrative offices" BETTER have meant moving them to the cafeteria or library and NOT outside!

mom_of_three 5 years, 11 months ago

Wonder how he got into the vice principal's office to leave the thing? Curious,

mae 5 years, 11 months ago

Time for Tongie to reevaluate that vice principal. Tenure does not make a good teaching staff. /Time for Tongie to stop hiring Topeka people! // Couldn't help myself lol ;0

Shane Garrett 5 years, 11 months ago

"Kyle Hayden, assistant superintendent for the Tonganoxie School District, said the homemade device was about the size of a box of cards and that the student, a boy, did not seem to have any intent to harm anyone.“It was an error in judgment,” Hayden said.The matter came to the school’s attention when another student told the school’s assistant principal about the device. The assistant principal called the boy to the office and confiscated the device."It was then that the police were called. This from the KC Star.

Hawkman 5 years, 11 months ago would probably be the first at your attorney's office had your kid been injured from a stunt like this....maybe you should change your handle to MISINFORMED!

stuckinthemiddle 5 years, 11 months ago

none2small towns have at least their share of kids who do stupid has nothing to do with the size of a town...Wallythanks for the information... the whole story makes some sense now...

stuckinthemiddle 5 years, 11 months ago

"possibly trying to blow up a school"for crying out loud... it was a firecracker...

Eidolon 5 years, 11 months ago

Where are the parents? Why is there no mention of them? I’m not familiar with juvenile law, but wouldn’t the parents also be somehow held accountable, such as arrest or at the very least, be subject to a very heavy fine?

stuckinthemiddle 5 years, 11 months ago

Eidolonhow much is a "very heavy fine"?and... seriously? you think that the parents should be arrested? for crying out loud...

michael66086 5 years, 11 months ago

Here’s the final report on the middle school incident… A 6th grade boy had emptied the powder of two M-80’s into a cardboard wrapper that package BB’s. He also put some BB’s in the wrapper and put in a fuse. He approached another student wanting to sell the device to him. The student reported it to the principal who called in the student who had the device in his pocket. The device was laid on the vice principal’s desk and the school resource officer was notified. The SRO called city police and fire who called the Leavenworth city/county bomb squad who arrived on scene and transported the device out of the school. The device was taken to a rock quarry on K-16 and detonated. The device was equivalent to 1/3 stick of dynamite. The student’s mother came to PD and cooperated in the interrogation. The student has been sent to the juvenile detention center with three charges filed against him. The student got the M-80’s from a box of them hidden under his dad’s bed.

Eidolon 5 years, 11 months ago

for crying out loud, what was a child in school doing with a "BB gun packet that was packed with powder and shrapnel that had an M-80 firecracker duct-taped to it." ?? Who is guiding and parenting that child? There is something very wrong with this situation, and I simply believe that the child and those responsible for that child should be held accountable.

mom_of_three 5 years, 11 months ago

the story makes it sound like it was planted in the vice principals office, when they had the kid come in and leave it in there. And then called the bomb squad when it turned out to be more than they thought it could be. no intent to harm anyone - so he made a thing, filled with powder and shrapnel, attached to a firecracker....was he just proving that he could build something?

stuckinthemiddle 5 years, 11 months ago

they brought in a bomb squad...good grief...I guess if you've got a bomb squad it's kind of a use it or lose it thing...not a whole lot of opportunities...

woodenfleaeater 5 years, 11 months ago

Asking about parenting??? He found the m-80's hidden under his dad's bed. Need any more evidence his parents aren't the brightest berries in the bushel?

Jason Bailey 5 years, 11 months ago

@Woodenfleaeater: I grew up in Tongie and can tell you that I think everyone in the city makes their own M-80s or M-250s. I never did, of course, but I had plenty of friends who partook of this "fun" every first week of July.I bet if you investigated Vestal's house, he probably has a cache of M-80s somewhere. It's a god-given right in LV county.

stuckinthemiddle 5 years, 11 months ago

jason2007damn strait... they don't have the namby-pamby fascist killjoy attitude towards fireworks that is persistent here in Lawrence...

Jason Bailey 5 years, 11 months ago

@stuckinthemiddle: That's true, but Lawrence has more people with ten fingers.

stuckinthemiddle 5 years, 11 months ago

jason2007~chuckle~ yeah... but if you use more than six at a time you're showing off...

stuckinthemiddle 5 years, 11 months ago

This kid needs a good talking to...and his dad needs to find a better hiding place for his toys...

woodenfleaeater 5 years, 11 months ago

In high school, my senior year toward the end of school, two buddies and I welded all the doors to the school shut. No one could get in in the morning and the fire dept had to be called.And we also let a pig loose.

woodenfleaeater 5 years, 11 months ago

For the pig, yes. For the My friends and I did a pretty good job of keeping our mouths shut for a few years, and by the time we started telling people, no one cared anymore.For the pig, I got in school suspension for 3 days.

mom_of_three 5 years, 11 months ago

Informed says -"What an incredible bunch of overreacters. Kids do kid things. I did it when I was a kid, and if you were honest, you'd admit that you did some stupid stuff as a kid, too."You know what, informed, alot of us can honestly say we never did anything like this as a kid. yes, it was a dumb, stupid, presumably innocent, mistake by this kid, but this kind of stupid stuff is a little different than running someone's underwear up a firepole, which I never did either.

mom_of_three 5 years, 11 months ago

My late step-brother built a homemade firecracker/bomb similiar to this one, and blew several fingers off one night at a party. This was pre-2001. Then his friends totaled his car as they drove him to the hospital. Thankfully, they all survived to die stupidly another day.

Christine Pennewell Davis 5 years, 11 months ago

off subject here but how come the most discussed section has not updated in at least a day?Now this is serious but over reaction should not happen. to jump to any conclusions about the kid or what should be done about him should wait till all involved have stepped back and taken deep breath and gathered all facts.

1029 5 years, 11 months ago

They need to waterboard this kid and find out what he knows. He could be part of a much larger network. You know, with all that internet communication and the myspace and all.

Christine Pennewell Davis 5 years, 11 months ago

thanks for the update on story and most discussed ljw.

TongieMom 5 years, 11 months ago

Stimulus_Man you're entitled to your opinion. I'd prefer MY child not be locked down in a room with a child that may or may not have a similar item with them. There was no way to know at that moment whether or not another child (who you possibly just locked in a room with other students) had the same thing. It's the flip side of the coin. Evacuating students does not lead to mass chaos and confusion for trained authorities. Those children have practiced that drill many many times and are VERY efficient at it. It's a 'what if' situation we could banter all day...but let's not. Like I said - your opinion and you're entitled. The fact this was a 6th grader (11-12 year old) is disturbing. The fact the school district ONCE AGAIN uses terms like 'he had poor judgement' (really???) and 'he never meant to harm anyone' (who wouldn't say that sitting at the police station with your parents/cops???) and 'it was a minor explosive' (um, not so much) to the media is embarrassing. P.S. Any other Sunflower Cable users in Tonganoxie notice that Channel 9 was here to cover some 'local news' and we can't even get their broadcast. Made me giggle a little as I watched the three big news vans huddle on the cul-de-sac across the street from TMS.

denak 5 years, 11 months ago

I think it is possible that the kid didn't know the potential impact of his actions.I doubt when I was 11-12 years old, I would have understood that I was making the equivalent of 1/3 a stick of dynamite and how much damage that could or could not have done.I think it all rests on what he meant to do and if he understood the consequences.There is a big difference between a kid who thought he was being a bad a** and trying to sell what he thought was a glorified firecracker and a child who intentionally means to bomb his school.Dena

fatheadff 5 years, 11 months ago

“He just made a mistake,” said Billy Adcox, Tonganoxie police lieutenant.This kid must be related to one of the officers in this town. They always try to cover up things like this... Right it was all a big mistake that it took the lives of our children. I sure am glad my tax dollars are being put to use by our "Super Sleuths"

Christine Anderson 5 years, 11 months ago

Oh boy. I personally don't believe this kid had no clue that the device could have harmed others. However, if the child really WAS that clueless, so?? That does not change the fact that person(s) could have been hurt or killed.Make the consequences damn good and stiff, and let's all hope and pray this same child doesn't make another, bigger "bomb" later in life.I have to ask what is wrong with people who think this was nothing more than an "error in judgement" or the prank of a bored sixth-grader. I don't even have kids in the Tongie schools, and the whole thing scares the bejeezuz out of me.

persevering_gal 5 years, 11 months ago

These are the exact same things that begin to happen with other threats at schools. One begins talking about certain scenarios occurring or by bragging about guns and other weapons. The same thing happened at Columbine. The two shooters talked for weeks about possible scenarios and other violent behaviors and even discussed their plan. People overlooked it. I don't know if this was an honest mistake by the kid, but I do believe that this should be an eye-opener for parents and school staff to keep a look out on every child's behavior. It's better to be safe than sorry. I'm glad the school took proper action.

SpeedRacer 5 years, 11 months ago

Ok, my kid is in 5th grade and is entering into the "brain damage" phase of life that lasts for about ...well I don't know when it ends, but they are dunderheads who do stupid things. I am sure that he was clueless as to what he was doing, but I do know that the kids are warned about it constantly, and I also know that they don't hear a word.

cutny 5 years, 11 months ago

I think a better discussion would be where the kid got the information to build his explosive "device," or bomb.Speed Racer--Sounds like you're really involved in your kid's activities and decisions!!!

Angie Dick 5 years, 11 months ago

My goodness. it is a what an 11 yr old? They don't know that ya can't do that. I so understand, you have to be aware but I think that was a lil overboard! Give the kid a brake. He thought Man I got a big boomer check it out. It's not like he lit it. It of been cool if it was the 4th of July. So what is the big deal? Bomb squad???? Give me a brake.. Think about it, How many parents buy fireworks for their kid's every yr? All. Go blow it up. He didn't know no different, Just thought it would be cool to show his friends.

OIfvet1021 5 years, 11 months ago

For all of you who think this kid was just being a kid or havng fun and joking around .....YOUR WRONG. This device is is the exact type of device that is being used to kill United States Service Memebers in Iraq and Afghanistan. I know becuase i am currently their. This Device was created for no other purpose but to cause bodily harm to people. I have nephews that go that school and this ridiculous that some of you dont grasp the idea of what heppened. Bottom line is this kid brougth and IED (improvised Explosive Device) to the school...we have a word for those people who emplace IEDs,,, they are called terrorist. And personnaly i dont want to get a phone call from my family saying my nephews or any other child was killed because people didnt take this seriously.

OIfvet1021 5 years, 11 months ago

Oh and one more thing just so everyone is aware that amount of explosives as well as the added fragmentation will cause just as much damage as a standard issue military grade M67 FRAG Grenade.

leadstone 5 years, 11 months ago

An M-80 only has a powder capsule smaller than a Tylenol pill.. I'ts power comes from how it is packed, with the capsule being surrounded by sawdust. An M-80 can be dangerous on it's own, but replacing the sawdust with BBs sounds like a bad move. And he probably should have saved it until after school. Ahhhhhhhhh youth. And now to the bowl cleaner /foil story.....

moveforward 5 years, 11 months ago

had Opie been caught making one of these in Mayberry, Sherif Taylor might have been a little concerned. But he would have also understood, having once been a boy himself. Home made fireworks are part of being a kid.

formerksteacher 5 years, 11 months ago

Woodenfleaeater: Are YOU the one behind that pig and welded door legend at LHS!? Cool! I always heard it, but never realized it was true. Hats off. : )

domino 5 years, 11 months ago

friend73 - I might give you a "brake" if you could type complete sentences, spell and use proper grammar and punctuation.

grammaddy 5 years, 11 months ago

How can anyone know what this kid intended before he got caught?I'm with you OLvet1021, I don't want to hear about my grandkids being injured by a kid just being a kid. 11 is a little old for being " just a kid" . He damn well knew better!!!Denak , too many things have changed since you were 11 or 12. 9/11 changed everything. Bring the parents up on charges.

redmoonrising 5 years, 11 months ago

I'm, guessing that this school has a handbook or has somewhere posted the rules for students. And I'm also pretty sure that not bringing anything that can cause bodily harm to school is one of those rules. Here's my biggest assumption yet, by the sixth grade, if a student can read how to make this device, he can read the rules. He went to some effort to make this so he probably had an idea of what it could do. I'm not familiar with the blast power of dynamite but I'm guessing the equivalent to a third of a stick can so some serious damage. I don't buy the innocent 6th grader who didn't have a clue.So I also don't buy that this was a harmless prank. or a stupid mistake on his part. He made it, he brought it, knowing it was illegal, and he tried to sell it. Maybe he had no intent of hurting anyone but he knew it had the power to do so. I have a kid in school, as a teacher, and just as vulnerable to the stupidity of students. I applaud the student who turned him in. If the kid gets off lightly for this, what will he try next thinking there will be no consequences?

beagledog 5 years, 11 months ago

I salute you olfvet 1021. The kid should be kicked out of school for at least a year and seek counseling. What was his intent? This could be viewed as a terroristic threat, according to Kansas state board policy. Obviously his parents need to wake up and pay attention to their kid. While no one got hurt, they could have. Wait till the story about a Lawrence High student who brought a gun to school last week hits the fan. That'll get people talking!

OIfvet1021 5 years, 11 months ago

I think people are keying in to the fact that THIS time nothing happened, but what about the next time. What happens when this kid gets upset and decides to act. He has already showed he has the knowledge and the ability to create a weapon that is capable of killing multiple people in a matter of seconds and the ability to get it into our schools. I dont know about everyone else but i dont want to wait around and see if he tries it again. This child should be permanently banned from the school district.

grammaddy 5 years, 11 months ago

Exactly Olfvet1021, how many times did the kids at Columbine "get their brag on" before they decided to take lives. As a parent of 5 and grandparent of 7 I am very concerned about the safety of our children.

arizonajh 5 years, 11 months ago

It seems to me the only thing that has changed is the times. I went Tongie in...well let's just say Carter and Reagan were the Presidents back then, and I remember M-80's and larger being sold in the hall ways and parking lots at school. I remember in grade school going into another 5th grade class and seeing piles of live ammo on the shelves of the class room including a military issue metal box of belted 50 cal ammo. It seemed to be a class competition to see who could bring in the largest caliber round. I remember switch blades and pocket knives in pockets and guns on racks in the back windows of trucks in the high school parking lot. I even remember a 12 inch metal pipe bomb that someone brought to show off. No one was out to hurt anyone, though I guess the potential was always there, we just didn't think of it like they do now. I realize this was decades before 9/11 and things are different now but it's the rules that changed not the actions. I'm 1300 miles from there now and don't know who this kid is or who his parents are and I sure don't know the details of the situation but I do know Vestal and Addcox and I know that the safety of the kids and the community is their highest priority. If he is a "troubled" kid, had been in trouble, had been in fights or was carrying an enemies list, I know it is something that they will address with the full force of the law, but if he's basically a good kid and his only problem is he wanted impress somebody and did something dumb then they'll make sure he knows he did something incredibly stupid, slap his wrist hard and then I'm sure they will cut him a little slack. One thing I'm 99% sure of is that he is not a 11 year old terrorist bent on jihad so let's make the punishment fit the individual not the individual fit the punishment.

LawmomX3 5 years, 11 months ago

So how come Tongie's explosive made the paper but the potential gun @ LHS last Friday is no where to be found...

OIfvet1021 5 years, 11 months ago

OK apparently the word terrorist i used is being misconstrude due to the current global situation the word terrorist means a person who terrorizes or frightens others. and i believe that is exactly what this kid has done.

Jonathan Kealing 5 years, 11 months ago

Lawmom--I assume you mean this story: was posted online yesterday afternoon.Jonathan KealingOnline editor

coolmom 5 years, 11 months ago

oh this kind of stuff is so hard. i also have a 5th grade student and he is going through his military stuff is really cool phase. i know he couldnt find m80's under his fathers bed here and i honestly hope he was making that to be cool and it was really a stupid move. that said i think some time out of school and counciling etc and a big kick in the butt for dad like maybe a little time in jail as well. (wonder where junior got the know how? want to bet he has watched dad create this kind of stuff as well?) sad that this action will probably have a huge negative effect on this kid but i can see the point of the people who are afraid for their kids. sigh.

stuckinthemiddle 5 years, 11 months ago

"This device is is the exact type of device that is being used to kill United States Service Memebers in Iraq and Afghanistan"hogwahs... pure hogwash...

Chris Golledge 5 years, 11 months ago

Quite a spectrum of responses we have here.Couple of themes are bugging me, 'In this day and age' and '9/11 changed things'.It did not change the fact that boys like things that go bang, and sometimes dumb things are done without meaning or causing harm. Things changed after 9/11 because we changed them; the terrorists didn't change them; we did. They scared us and we responded. Not that it wasn't tragic, but a lot more people die in car wrecks every year and we still drive to work or out to a show.Does the boy deserve some form of lesson? Sure, but he isn't a terrorist and let's not make a federal case out of it.

Chris Golledge 5 years, 11 months ago

I'm just wondering what kind of discussions are happening between Mom and Dad at this moment. I don't think I'd want to be in his shoes.

stuckinthemiddle 5 years, 11 months ago

cg22165well said at 9:51...and there is some really fine examples of the kind of absolutely ridiculous "be afraid, be very afraid" ignorant rhetoric that made the 911 attacks far more damaging than they ever should have been...

TongieMom 5 years, 11 months ago

Come on - he most certainly had the knowledge of the power behind a M80, especially if they were readily available at his home. Surely he's seen them explode before...possibly even placed inside something before being's all the fun around the 4th of July (or midnight New Year's Eve). He's also old enough to figure out what NOT to say at the police station with his parents and police standing over him.Regardless of his 'intent', one flick of a lighter and this would have been an entirely different story. People need to wake up that an 11/12 year old today is NOT the same as an 11/12 year old 15-20 years ago. We live in a different society. They have different experiences, access to the internet and in reality...many have a lot less parental supervision/control or concern. He built an explosive device...and according the LvCo bomb effective one. Notice the bomb unit didn't think it was such a 'minor' explosive. Tonganoxie needs to make an example (for once) of this sitaution. The administration passes things off in the district as a 'minor' incident and as just 'bad judgement'. Granted, he probably didn't even have a lighter with him...maybe that's why it's a 'minor' incident??? However, he'll probably end up with a little suspension and then be back in school in no time. Next thing you know they'll be spending more class time defining what NOT to bring to school because apparently the handbook doesn't clearly define any homemade explosive devices.

OIfvet1021 5 years, 11 months ago

I am in the military and currently in Iraq I work with members of EOD (explosive Ordanance Disposal) I have talked with them and they said based on the amount of explosives and the addition of BB for fragmentation this device WOULD have KILLED anyone with a 10 to 15 Meter radius of the device. I just want everyone to keep that in mind when thinking this was just a kid being a kid.

stuckinthemiddle 5 years, 11 months ago

Olfevet1021I'm sorry that you're in Iraq... but regardless of who you work with and what they say it's hogwash... absolute hogwash that this "device" would have "killed anyone with a 10 to 15 Meter radius”...truly unbelievable…

jonas_opines 5 years, 11 months ago

Kids like things that go boom. Since no threats were made, there's no reason to assume that this kids motivations were anything truly malicious or destructive. As teenagers me and my friends made one or two devices similar to this, for the terroristic purpose of blowing up an old stereo. Regardless, it's the height of stupidity to bring this thing to school, even more so to show someone else when you get there. While I find the claim of DEATH to anyone within 10 meters to be wholly exaggerative, it is not speculative to say that a detonation in the school could have seriously hurt or potentially killed somebody. I'm sure Tonganoxie's school board will handle it better than anyone on here, with our limited knowledge of the situation and the motives.

TongieMom 5 years, 11 months ago

Stimulus_Man...maybe you have anger management issues...or wait...maybe bullying issues (sense the slight edge of sarcasm in that) with your 'shut up or move' comment. Waaa, I'm scared. Not hardly.Appreciate your wide angle twisting of comments into something you can further rant on about. I never said anything about being traumatized so your reading comprehension leaves a little something to be desired.NEWSFLASH - Everyone is entitled to their opinion and doesn't have to agree with yours. Apparently, you're in the arena you're always right and no one else can have an opinion or it's 'stupid'. Kick the sand all you want, I'm not the only parent concerned about the way things are handled up at TMS under that administration. I'm NOT saying we don't have good administrators in our district because we do, so don't skew the comment. Appreciate the sarcasm about the domestic terrorist comment because I NEVER ONCE implied that is what it was. Saw a sign once that said something along the lines of "National Sarcasm Society - like we need your opinion anyway". Seems to fit, don't you think?

OIfvet1021 5 years, 11 months ago

JONAS....Not that i want to turn this into a gripping arena between indivdual posters i just want you to be aware the assessment of the explosive capabilities as well as the destructive abilities came from trained professional who deal with this every single day. and i assure you they have alot more experience in this matter than you or I which is why i contacted them for the information in the first place.

TongieMom 5 years, 11 months ago

Vertigo - you excel at the sarcasm, but you've got it a TAD misdirected as I am not on the 'he's a terrorist' bandwagon nor did I ever say that.

TongieMom 5 years, 11 months ago

Stimulus_Man.........excellent validation for what I said previously.P.S. Bon Bons & Oprah - that's funny stuff, but unfortuantely don't apply here.

nowandthen 5 years, 11 months ago

I don't know about any of you people, but I know that when my brothers were younger they would have made something like that and took it to school. They would have thought it was cool. They would know it's wrong but that would be part of the fun of the mischief. They never would have wanted to actually blow it up, but just to show it off and prove to their friends they could really make something like it. I don't know this kid's background and if he really wanted to do something with this "bomb", but if he intended to blow it up wouldn't he have brought a lighter or some matches or something too?

tbaker 5 years, 11 months ago

Comparing the “device” the child brought to school as something equivalent to a “1/3 of a stick of Dynamite” is irresponsible. The police officials who the reporter was quoting were either seriously ignorant, or deliberately hyping what was nothing more than a youngster bringing a homemade firecracker to school. Shame on them. Parents (I am one) with children in that school deserve rational professionalism, not someone trying to make a bigger deal out of a situation that should have been handled without any hype. For example, the robo-call I got yesterday should have said “homemade firecracker” instead of the more ominous “small explosive device.” I expect cool-headed, just-the-facts behavior out of my child’s school officials and police – not some clown looking to be something more than he is.Dynamite is a “high explosive” with a rate of detonation in excess of 3000m/ps. Black Powder, of the sort used in fireworks, is a “low explosive” with a rate of deflagration (it doesn’t detonate) of around 400m/ps. Therefore, if one were to construct an explosive device using black powder that would produce the explosive energy equivalent to 1/3 of a stick of Dynamite (roughly .7 million joules of energy) then said device would be orders of magnitude larger than the small cardboard cylinder that BB-Gun BBs are sold in.Explosives of any kind don’t belong in our schools, and I’m quite sure the young man has had that made abundantly clear to him by now, but the headline-grabbing behavior of the officials involved with this situation make the kid with the firecracker look good.

jonas_opines 5 years, 11 months ago

olfvet: Perhaps I'm questioning your interpretation of what they said, or your interpretation of what is in this case that you passed on to them, rather than the expertise of your friends. Whatever their experience, the claim you posted here is wholly exaggerative. And since they are getting the situation 3rd-hand, through your questionable interpretation, the chance of misinterpretations happening is quite probable.

rachaelisacancer 5 years, 11 months ago

Oh Multi, so true.I think we should beat them all the time. They're horrible "these days."

sundancewierdo 5 years, 11 months ago

i blame the internetand parentingand teachersand mtvand the disney channeland srs for not letting us spank our kidsand parentingand again the internet

OIfvet1021 5 years, 11 months ago

Jonas it is very possible that the information i am going on could be misinterrprited since i am only basing it on what i am reading. Thier are alot of factors that go into explosive for instance the way they are packed i am basing all of this on worst case scenerio. so yes i doubt it is as bad as i am making it out to be but im the better safe than sorry type of person.

junco_partner 5 years, 11 months ago

For crying out loud, he is just being a boy. That is what most young boys do, they are fascinated with fire, water, motors, all sorts of things like that. Back when I was growing up in the 70's this would never had made the news. The teacher would have probably taken it away from the kid and that would have been the end of the story. That is part of what is wrong with this country, everyone over-reacts to minor events and blows them way out of proportion. I'm glad I got to grow up when you were still allowed to be a kid.

woodenfleaeater 5 years, 11 months ago

Good point junco....Society is turning kids into a bunch of tatle telling babies. Don't hurt anyones feelings, don't keep score in games so no one loses.Ridiculous.He was a being a young mischevious boy...end of story.

jonas_opines 5 years, 11 months ago

"He was a being a young mischevious boy…end of story."Well, only since the bomb didn't go off.

persevering_gal 5 years, 11 months ago

Jonas - So in regards to the boy who brought a gun to school, are you saying the same thing? "At least the gun didn't go off?"I don't care how old this kid is, he knew it had to be dangerous in some way. The article even quotes, "Local police said the student was showing off the small device to other students at the school, when one of them contacted school administrators."He was showing it off to other STUDENTS and one of them knew it wasn't appropriate to bring to school, so why shouldn't this kid? I do blame the parents more than anything, but this kid still needs to learn. Everything is different now after Columbine, Virginia Tech, etc. I'm glad no one was hurt, but sometimes there are accidents and sometimes there is revenge. I don't want to read an article about a bomb accidentally going off or coming to school with a bomb as a form of revenge. We don't know the full story behind this, but I do believe some action should be taken against the kid and/or parents. A kid doesn't learn without guidance or without making mistakes, hopefully the guidance can come into play before the mistake in this situation.

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