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> Tragedy for our High School Students, We Just Don't Get It: Alcohol Kills
John_Sode
post Jun 13 2005, 02:41 PM
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This is a difficult entry to post, but possibly one of the most important entries I will post this season. This entry deals with the everyday, non-school experiences and lives of our students, not a trip to the Arctic. Nevertheless, if we are to teach our students about the wonderful opportunities our world has to offer, we, as a society, need to make sure that our students are alive to experience those opportunities. With that as an introduction, here is the post:

This morning as I entered Marshfield High School to begin working with my summer school students and prepare them for a live Webnar, I sensed a aura of disbelief and incomprehension. I quickly observed a hall full of stunned students, many with tears in their eyes. These students were completely lost, just drifting, wondering what to do, what to feel, how to act.

I knew something serious had taken place as I quickly surveyed the scene when I arrived and walked down the hall towards my classroom and the students. The hall was filled students not even sure what to do. Students were milling about, wondering what had happened, what could they do, trying to figure out exactly what had happened, what it meant to them, and what should they do. Not until you repeatedly survey the disbelief does the depth of emotions cursing through these students become apparent.

Administrators and counselors were already on the scene dealing with students and conversing with parents. Faculty members quickly began assisting as they arrived. Each person drew upon their own strengths to assist students. Each of us began working with, listening to, and reassuring our students. Parent contacts were made, attendance requirements highlighted and additional absences approved, counseling and grief sessions were offered. Faculty and staff members facing this issue for the first time were reassured and given guidance. More experienced faculty and staff members took the lead in this emotion-charged environment. Many of our students were excused from class today to visit a funeral home. One of the faculty members, who was not even on the summer school payroll, went to the funeral home to be available to students if they felt a need to visit.


What was the issue? What had happened?

This past weekend one of our students, with two friends in the car, missed a curve on the highway after consuming alcohol. The end result? The driver has most likely spent time in jail facing one, possbily two counts of manslaughter due to driving after consuming alcohol, one student is dead, and one is in intensive care in critical condition. I wish I could say this was the first time I had ever had to deal with this issue in a high school. Unfortunately, it is not. Over the course of 17 years of high school teaching, I no longer have enough fingers to count the students who have died from alcohol, DWIs, and gunshots. (I teach in schools where safety is not an issue. I repeat, I teach in schools and live in communities that are considered extremely safe. Even so, school may be the safest place to be for some of these students. These events are happening OUTSIDE of school in our student's lives.) No matter how much we work at teaching safety to our students, we never seem to accomplish enough. Society must give us a hand in dealing with this issue. Attitudes are changing, and we, all of society's institutions, must stop a destructive trend before this trend gets out of hand.

Post script: Due to confidentiality requirements and personal ethics, I am unable to post additional details unless this information becomes public knowledge.

June 15, 2005 Update:

The following article is taken from the June 13, 2005 issue of the Springfield News-Leader page 1B under Webster County. The article is typed verbatium from the News-Leader.

"Teen killed in one-car accident

A Marshfield teenager was killed in a one-car accident early Sunday five miles north of Fordland on Webster County KK. The Missouri Highway Patrol said the driver, a 17-year-old Marshfield resident, didn't make a curve and the car crossed the road, struck a tree and caught fire at 12:13 a.m. A pasenger, Nathan S. Coffman, 17, of Marshfield, was dead at the scene. Another passenger, Kristel Oreding, 15, of Marshfield, suffered serious injuries and was taken to Cox South Hospital, as was the driver, who had minor injuries, the patrol said. The driver was arrested at the scene on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter, but Webster County officials on Sunday declined to discuss charges or whether he was still in custody."

Further Update:

Today, June 15, 2005 we start the third session of our summer school. Enrolled students are working on second semester studies. Students in our class were aware of the missing student, as Nathan was scheduled to be in our class. Many students were dismissed early in order for them to attend funeral services. As a classroom teacher of these students, I also attended the service and signed in as a representative of the High School. Staying in touch with students in this difficult time is extremely important.

Two of the conversations that took place following the service merit mention on this post. One of those involved a teacher who worked with many of the students attending the funeral and her efforts to make sure that she made contact with each and every student to let them know of her presence. Another conversation was with a teacher experiencing this event for the first time. The conversation was about reassurance. I remember leaving that conversation calculating the number of students I have known who have passed away in this manner--3 from gunshots-(two from self-inflicted wounds), 6 from car accidents involving alcohol-(two were hit and killed on the shoulder as they tried to drive their car away from a drunk driver), and 5 from car accidents. The number is not complete without mentioning the two law enforcement officers who died trying to apprend a bank robber in a field nearby my own high school or the student who was involved in a multiple suicide. This is way too many young people from a 17-year high school and 5-year post secondary teaching career. These are societal issues that all of us must try to address together, as team.

Update: June 16, 2005

The following article is the lead front page feature on the June 15, 2005 issue of the Marshfield Mail, Volume 114-Number 12 in a bylined article by Mike Cullinan, Marshfield Mail Associate Editor. The following post is entirely Mike Cullinan's work and is reproduced here as a continuation of this story. Repeat: Mike Cullinan is the author and creator of the article, "Teen killed in wreck on Hwy KK."

"Teen killed in wreck on Hwy KK

Driver hit with criminal charges


One Marshfield teen was killed and another was seriously injured as the result of a one-vehicle crash early Sunday morning that has led to criminal charges against the driver. David Todd, 17, Marshfield, has been charged wtih involuntary manslaughter and second degree assault, both class C felonies. His bond was set at $40,000. According to a Missouri Highway Patrol report, a 1992 Cheverolet Beretta, driven by Todd, was northbound on Highway KK, five miles north of Fordland, when he failed to negotiate a curve. The vehicle crossed the roadway and crashed into a large tree, causing it to catch on fire. Webster County Coroner Michael Taylor responded to the scene, where he pronounced passenger Nathan S. Coffman, 17, Marshfield, deceased. The vehicle's other passenger, Kristel Oreding, 15, Marshfield, was critically injured in thewreck ans placed in the neuro-intensive care unit at Cox South Hospital in Springfield. None of the three vehicle occupants were wearing a seat belt, the patrol said. Webster County Prosecuting Attorney Cynthia Black said the manslaughter charge stems from the fatality that resulted from the wreck. The assault charge is connected to the injuries inflected upon Oreding from the crash. According to a probable cause statement from Cpl. Steve Donnell witht he highway patrol, Todd "was belligerent and appeared very intoxicated at the scene." He was taken to Cox South Hospital for treatment of minor injuries and was later released. Approximately four hours after the incident, Tood's blood alcohol content was tested at the Webster County Sheriff's Department, with a result of .099 percent, Donnell said. Missouri's legal limit is .08 percent. In his statement, Donnell said Todd admitted the vehicle belonged to him and that he was to serve as the designated driver for the night. He further admitted that prior to the wreck, he had consumed beer and vodka at a creek party. According to the statement, Todd said, "It is all my fault because I was driving too fast and I'm not a good driver anyway."
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Janet_Warburton
post Jun 15 2005, 11:37 PM
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Dear John and students. We are all very sorry for your loss. I was just getting to the journals and saw this today with no idea during the webinar. It is never easy to cope with such tragedy and even harder when lives are just beginning.

My heart goes to you, staff, students, and families of the young man and many prayers to the one in the hospital.

Janet
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John_Sode
post Jun 16 2005, 04:09 AM
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QUOTE(Janet_Warburton @ Jun 15 2005, 11:37 PM)
Dear John and students.  We are all very sorry for your loss.  I was just getting to the journals and saw this today with no idea during the webinar.  It is never easy to cope with such tragedy and even harder when lives are just beginning.

My heart goes to you, staff, students, and families of the young man and many prayers to the one in the hospital.

Janet
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Thank you for expressing your concern. I will post the reply in the classroom. I am sure that it will have meaning for our students.

John
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Shavon Henson of Marshfield High
post Jun 16 2005, 07:08 PM
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Dr. Sode, Thank you very much for expressing your feelings and giving support to those who needed it in a time of need . we just hope and pray that Nathan's girlfriend makes it . again thank you !
please thank janet for me too!
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John_Sode
post Jun 17 2005, 05:42 PM
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QUOTE(Shavon Henson of Marshfield High @ Jun 16 2005, 07:08 PM)
Dr. Sode, Thank you very much for expressing your feelings and giving support to those who needed it in a time of need . we just hope and pray that Nathan's girlfriend makes it . again thank you !
please thank janet for me too!
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You are welcome, Shavon. I hope everything goes well for you.

Dr. Sode
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