Iowa mock high school shooting drill to highlight racism against Latinos

A high school “mock shooting crisis drill” scheduled for this weekend in Iowa has created a big brouhaha, one that might cause the event to be canceled all together, according to the County Board of Supervisors spokesperson.

This Saturday the Pottawattamie County planned to conduct an exercise with the Treynor, community schools that would simulate a school shooting. According to an email the premise of the “mock shooting” suggested that a student, whose parents oppose illegal immigration (amnesty), would arrive at school with a gun and shoot a Latino student.

The “mock crisis drill” event has been confirmed by the Treynor High School as well as the Pottawattamie County Board of Supervisors who said the impending large protest rallies and community concerns may alter or halt the planned weekend drill.

Multiple calls to Doug Reed, the coordinator of the “mock drill” went unreturned.

The following was sent from Joan and Michael Becker, whose child was sent home with a permission slip to participate in the “mock school shooting drill.”

“Pottawattamie County Emergency Management Agency Homeland Security Exercise & Evaluation Program (HSEEP)-

Please read this entire email. There has NEVER been an incident such as the one they are manufacturing here in the State of Iowa or any other for that matter. This is highly politically motivated, racially inflammatory and completely egregious.

What message does this send to those students and families in that school district? It very powerfully suggests that any students with parents that have a certain viewpoint are racist and dangerous. It is completely politically motivated unbelievable egregious and has no place in any school.

I would love to organize a protest rally for that day but will be in Des Moines for the CPAC conference. I am urging everyone to at least email and call the organizer of this exercise, the superintendent, and the school principle to let them know how unacceptable this is on many levels.

Attached is the planned mock school shooting exercise scheduled for Saturday, March 26, 2011, at Treynor Community Schools. The premise is that a white teen boy, whose family is involved in anti-illegal immigration rallies and favor guns, goes to school and shoots a Hispanic in a rural school.

This premise is politically motivated, as it is the view of the Democrats in power that white American citizens who believe in all of their Constitutional rights are extremists and terrorists. It is an act of silencing my family, and it is an act of intimidation of all American citizens who believe in our rule of law.

Details: My teen daughter had signed up to participate in the mock school shooting with the approval of my husband, who is in law enforcement. He thought it would be good for her to know what would happen in the event of a school shooting.

Today, he received the attached e-mail and attachment outlining the details of the exercise. Upon calling Mr. Reed, the EMS coordinator in charge, my husband used facts as the basis for requesting that the scenario be changed. My husband was told that my daughter was no longer able to participate in the exercise and that they were not welcome to be one site on Saturday!

As I said, this is government intimidation; it is framing white people as crazy racists and Constitutionalists as extremists.

I have forwarded this information to U.S. Representative Steve King, who has fought against illegal immigration and values our Constitution. I am contacting all of you to let you know of this travesty so you can spread the word. I am also going to contact Greg Forristal, my Iowa Representative. I do not know what else to do other than notify the local newspapers of this event…

Please respond so I know if you got this in its entirety, what you can do to help spread the word, what else I or we can do, locally and nationally in bringing attention to this attack of American citizens and our liberties.

Joan Becker Sent: Wed Mar 23 10:24:55 2011

***

Douglas C. Reed, IACEM County EMS Coordinator Emergency Management Specialist

Subject: Exercise Plan and General Info

Good morning. Attached you will find the most current version of the exercise plan for this Saturday.

Please forward it or have it available to any of your staff you feel should see it, either in part or the entire document.

Particularly note: the plan contains the weapons policy, the staff assignments and the current schedule.

If you have been assigned a staff role your name is on the staff list with what your assignment and location is.

If you have a question about your assignment that needs addressed before Saturday, please email me. I will be in and out making final arrangements for this weekend and email will be the best method of contact.

MAJOR REPORTING TIMES:

All Staff report to the Treynor Fire Station no later than 0700 hrs. All Actors & Players report no later than 0730 hrs. (Actors-Treynor Community TR / Players-Treynor Fire)

[Actor = registered volunteer playing part as a victim or bystander]

[Player=someone responding to the emergency as part of an agency, organization department]

*** If you are participating as a player at either of the hospitals or 911, report directly to that location ***

*** Controllers and evaluators for ALL locations should report to the Treynor D at 0700 for briefings ***

Observers & VIPs will report by 0800 hrs to the Community Ctr.

Please pass this info to anyone in your agency/dept you want to have this information. I may have missed a few email addresses so double check with anyone you may assume may have also received this.

This information is intended only for those participating in this exercise. Predistribution to those not participating is prohibited unless otherwise approved by the Exercise Planning Team.

I appreciate your cooperation and assistance. If you need further info or I have forgotten to distribute something, let me know as soon as you can. As of the drafting of this email we have a tally of: 42 agencies / organizations participating in this exercise, 357 emergency responders, school officials, community volunteers, and support staff participating in the exercise.

Your cooperation and patience is appreciated.

Douglas C. Reed, IACEM County EMS Coordinator Emergency Management Specialist.”

For more information about the event Mr. Reed can be reached at 712-328-5776.

For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak

© Copyright 2011 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.