school, st. john police come to a conclusion on brannock case

Story By: Danica Mileusnic

At approximately 5:40 p.m. on Friday Sept. 21, according to the St. John Police, a concerned parent called in saying a community member entered Lake Central property in the Auto Shop area and the individual had a visible hand gun on his person. A series of events after the incident also led Mr. Dennis Brannock to be suspended and later caused him to send his resignation letter.

After a student had been reportedly driving recklessly in a neighborhood near the high school, Daniel Lee Buckley thought the student was endangering the area. Students say Buckley proceeded to follow the student back to the Auto Shop where he accused the student of driving recklessly. Buckley told the police that the student was driving 50-60 miles per hour near his home in Dyer. He also claimed the student nearly ran over his five year old daughter. It is also important to note that the students are not allowed to leave school property during p.m. Auto.

“He came to talk to our Auto teacher about [the driving] and we did not know at the time that he had a gun, so our Auto teacher escorted him out and then that should have been the end of it. He drove back around, [and] kept name calling,” Cory Middleton (12) said.

The student affidavit claims that Buckley walked into the shop yelling at the students. He spotted a gun and asked him why it was on school property and Buckley told the student that he was a Sauk Village Police Officer. The student then states that he then went back to the car where he returned the gun and then came back to talk to Brannock.

“[Within] the next 24 hours, both police and school administration were notified by parents of students that were present when the confrontation occurred, expressing concern for the safety of the students that were present at the school Auto Shop. It should also be noted that many other students and adults were on school grounds for other extracurricular activities, and were not made aware of or notified of the confrontation or potential danger,” the police department press release stated.

School Board member Ms. Janice Malchow was also present at the scene. Due to a previous accident, she still showed symptoms of a concussion and thought Buckley was an old student of Brannock’s. Malchow did state though that concerned students came up to her as they suspected Buckley had a gun.

“I wanted everyone to know I am under the care of a doctor for a concussion. This gentleman walks in, he was not irate. Not once did Mr. Brannock or myself see a gun,” Malchow said on the Oct. 15 school board meeting.

Buckley is a two-time convicted felon and was questioned about the incident. Buckley claimed the gun was a dart gun and he was not charged as the St. John Police Department could not prove that there was one, but he was charged with impersonating a police officer.

“[I brought the dart gun to] shoot the student’s tires out,” Buckley told the police.

Students claim a reason for the individual walking in easily is the weakened security within the Auto Shop. In the old school building there was a fence that people entering needed to be buzzed in through. The School Board is looking into adding nuisance alarms that go off when the door is open.

“We always have the shop doors open with cars in and out. With the old campus, we had a fence where you had to get buzzed in. At that time, we had cars in and out and he walked right in,” Raymond Harris (11) said.

Since Mr. Brannock has been gone, there have been substitute teachers in the classroom. Administration is trying to find a new teacher. There was a proposal to have Brannock train the new teacher, but those proposals did not go through.

“It’s completely different [without him]. It’s not the same. We do not have a guy that we’ve had every day with us in there. I’m sorry, but we’ve been sitting here with a sub for almost two weeks now and we haven’t learned a single thing. That’s why we come here, because Mr. Brannock is such a good teacher that we want to learn from him. He has been here for so long and affected so many people that him being gone is almost devastating to all of us,” Raymond Harris (11) said.

Hundreds of current and past Auto students rallied together at every school board meeting since the incident, in support of their teacher. Mr. Dennis Brannock, Automotive Technology, started the auto class in 1973 and has been a staff member for 45 years. The students also made a Team Brannock T-shirt and Facebook page. On Thurs. Oct. 4, the students also protested on US Highway 41 in support. All over Northwest Indiana, students are showing their support by hanging 'Team Brannock' signs in their driveways.

“We are trying our hardest, going to all the board meetings to figure out what is going on and trying to help the situation and help get him back so he can teach us. There is a Facebook page [that] you can go like. I think after all this smooths over, [the banquet we’re having for him will take place]. Whatever happens, either way, that is what will happen. I really think the school has blown this out of proportion,” Middleton said.

Request for interviews with building and district administration received no response at the time of publishing. Updates may be made as we receive more information.

the province of the protectors

Story by: Charmagne Abangan, Hannah Kosinski and Morgan Taylor

Since elementary school, students have been exposed to having police officers in school settings. Student Resource Officers are proving more necessary in order to ensure student safety on a daily basis and make going to school a safer experience.

“The main thing in the morning is supervision, just making sure stuff doesn’t happen. Anything I see I have to make the paperwork for. I’m more busy here than I was out on the street, and I’ve been on for 15 years with the St. John Police Department. I love it, I’m definitely glad they let me come in here,” Officer Mike Moffitt said.

Implementing police officers in schools provides a sense of protection from possibly dangerous situations and helps keep students in line. From fights in the halls to not wearing one’s lanyard, school police officers are vital for keeping schools free from harm.

“I think it’s a good idea to have police in the school because they keep our school safe, break up fights and protect us from danger. I think we have a good amount of police at our school,” Morgan Lareau (11) said.

Students and staff members depend on police officers working in their school to provide safety and reassurance throughout the day.

“I do think that our school has done enough in a sense of bringing in more officers. We used to have just one resource officer and now we have actual policemen. It’s scary no matter what because you can plan and plan and plan, [but] when it comes down to it, it’s just going to depend on the situation,” Mrs. Amy Wilkins, Social Studies, said.

Due to the recent tragedies in schools across the nation, people debate on whether or not teachers should be armed with guns in order to further protect students. While some may agree that it would be an extra step to help keep out harm, others rebut that involving weapons is not appropriate in a teaching environment.

“Teachers are not here to carry guns, they’re here to teach and help students, not defend them. There are other people for that. As long as there’s always one or two [officers] patrolling the building and the outside, [I feel safe]. I always feel the danger comes from the outside. I feel secure inside, it’s the outside that scares me,” Mrs. Blandine Baldwin, World Language, said.

Another teacher, however, is for the implementation of some teachers being able to carry guns on them for protection of themselves and students.

“I think that certain [teachers] with proper training could have, should have, and may have access to weapons that would protect the students. My concern was ‘What is the difference between a police officer and a teacher?’ [The answer is] simply training, and the desire to do so. I am not saying that every teacher [should carry] because there are some teachers that do not want to, and that is fine. The safety of our students is paramount," Mr. Jeffrey Rhody, Science, said.

Q&A: officer jerry patrick

Video By: Grace Bentkowski and Ariana Kanaya

*time stamps below*

stretching the situation: a new "dress code" implemented

Story by: Emily Bell and Danica Mileusnic

A new change to this year’s dress code requirements is an identification card [I.D.] visible on or above the waist. Now like many neighboring schools including Merrillville and Andrean High School, Lake Central students are required to wear an I.D.

“Lanyards are fine in theory, but in practice are pointless," Catherine Economopoulos (11) said. "They haven’t been enforced enough to be effective, and something like this needs to be used 100 percent of the time to be practical. Instead, they provide the illusion of safety, and do nothing else at all.”

Lanyards are mainly being used to quickly identify students. Along with identification, having I.D.s in close proximity can help students with attendance issues as well as help them buy lunches, check out books at the library and give them easier access into sporting events.

“It serves its purpose as being able to identify our students quickly. If you look at things law enforcement would want to do, they want to be able to identify somebody. They want to be able to know who you are,” Mr. Sean Begley, Principal, said.

In the eyes of Begley, the future of lanyards could possibly include medical information on the back of the I.D. in case of an emergency and need for medical attention. Being able to identify students efficiently and help them could possibly save someone’s life one day.

“I believe that providing medical information such as allergies can be very useful and would actually be more useful than the lanyard’s original intent,” Brianna Clarke (12) said.

In many colleges, professors require identification to be able to take tests, exams and even quizzes. According to Mr. Begley, learning to always have an identification card on or nearby is a lesson that can be taken throughout your life.

“We have a discipline committee that meets every year and reviews the student code of conduct. They look at it and suggested [lanyards], and I accepted it. Things evolve. We always think ‘What is the best practice and what [are] things we can do to better position ourselves?’ That was the intent of it. Do we think it can help make us safer [and] does it reduce risk? After the proposal, we went with it,” Begley said.

Metal detectors have been brought up in recent school board meetings by parents, but the administration does not see that as a possibility in the near future due to there being too many entrances to the building.

“The state gave us handheld [metal detectors], but quite honestly it does not help as much. We’ve used them before in some certain cases, but we have not been able to process 3,331 students. There’s a lot of people who bring us metal detectors. Okay, is that it? Whats the staff, the training and locations?” Begley said.

A Change of Code

Story by: Scott Daniels, Matthew Mergenthaler and Sabina Solarczyk

Security measures and building access have been a centerpiece of discussion due to past events throughout the school and country as a whole. Safety discussion has led to safety ideas that would then be put into safety regulations added and updated to school policies.

“Our [event protocol has] changed over time. The big thing for us is to go to standardized response protocol: lockdown, lockout, shelter, evacuate and hold,” Mr. Sean Begley, Principal, said.

The standardized response protocol replaces the color-coded protocol from before. Rather than color memorization, these new event titles focus more on direct, widespread communication, which is the main reason for these changes in particular.

“We changed it from the different colors to standard response protocol because we want to speak the same language. We’ve been successful [with] getting this to the different departments in the county, so when you’re saying ‘lockdown’ in Griffith, it means the same thing in Lake Central or Crown Point,” Begley said.

One of the new changes is the new lanyards required to be worn by students and recommended to be worn by staff on campus. This change was made with the idea of student and faculty identification in mind.

“We are making the changes that [keep] the students and teachers, faculty and staff safer. We’ve got to do something to help keep intruders out of the building. [The lanyards] are one of the best things we can do for intruders,” Mr. Darrell Wierzal, English, said.

While the lanyards do not necessarily fix every security problem the school is facing, the purpose of having them is to take a step in the right direction.

“It [may] not prevent every problem, but it’s just one more safety measure. I see it as if you know you have to wear it, then just keep it in your bag, find a solution to the problem that you’ve been having. I feel that in any event, wherever you go, in the future you’re going to have to wear a badge, key, or ID. You have to make adjustments, so I think it’s helpful for you to learn [habits] like that,” Mrs. Jennifer Blackhurst, Guidence, said.

Safety protocol is always developing to better fit emergency situations that can occur. While the new protocol can use improvement, the Lake Central School Corporation is working toward the safety of its students, staff and community.

“I think safety’s an ongoing process. If things happen, then we adjust what we need to adjust, but I do have trust in the way that people do look out for all of us,” Blackhurst said.

emergency exposed

Story by: Scott Daniels, Matt Mergenthaler and Sabina Solarczyk

Security measures and building access have been a centerpiece of discussion due to past events, throughout the school and country as a whole, of that protocol being broken. Safety discussion led to safety ideas that would then be put into safety regulations being added and updated to school policies.

“Our [event protocol has] changed over time. The big thing for us is to go to standardized response protocol: lockdown, lockout, shelter, evacuate and hold,” Mr. Sean Begley, Principal, said.

The standardized response protocol replaces the color-coded protocol from before. Rather than color memorization, these new event titles focus more on direct, widespread communication, which is the main reason for these changes in particular.

“We changed it from the different colors to standard response protocol because we want to speak the same language. We’ve been successful [with] getting this to the different departments in the county, so when you’re saying ‘lockdown’ in Griffith, it means the same thing in Lake Central or Crown Point,” Begley said.

Safety protocol is always developing to better fit emergency situations that can occur.

“I think safety’s an ongoing process. If things happen, then we adjust what we need to adjust, but I do have trust in the way that people do look out for all of us,” Mrs. Jennifer Blackhurst, Guidance, said.

poll: do you feel safe at school?

Page By: Frida Arellano and Kiley Szatkowski

editorial

“School safety” is a phrase that has been tossed around heavily in the past ten years. From Sandy Hook to Parkland, school safety issues are all over the mainstream media.

In today’s society, we have to be fully aware of our surroundings and it is sad to think that that this extends to the school setting.

With the widespread impact of social media, students threatening one another has become a significant problem amongst various schools. A threat that was supposedly a joke can terrify a school corporation and even cause school to be cancelled at times.

Metal detectors, although smart, are virtually impossible. If the school wanted to implement metal detectors, they would have to place them on at least 26 doors around the school in order for them to be effective.

Everywhere you go in school, you are constantly being monitored. The new lanyard system was implemented this year to increase safety, but let’s face it, the rule is not enforced very efficiently. The idea is smart, but it needs to be enforced more so that it works.

Students are constantly in and out of the school. People come back after doctors appointments and old students come to visit. The school has worked to improve on the building access. Lanyards make it easy to identify teachers and students. In the auto shop, nuisance alarms will be added to improve safety at the auto shop. The gate connecting the neighborhood to yellow lot will only be open in the morning and after school most recently.

The gate will be closed during the school day and after school.

Students are in the school all day long. After the 2:09 p.m. bell, many students stay after school for athletic events, club meetings and theater rehearsals. Making sure things are reported are important as there still is many students on campus at the same time, no matter what time of day.

Generation Z is a generation that takes a stand and is very vocal. After the Parkland shooting, Lake Central students led a movement and it was truly amazing. This generation is going to be the one to really make a change and will teach its children in the future. A possible anonymous hotline could be the start to this. If students could anonymously use a hotline, this could help them feel more comfortable reporting incidents.