BRODHEAD - Brodhead High School is still facing widespread backlash after school announcements were used to falsely report that four students had died in a car accident as part of a drill about safe driving more than a week ago.
In a morning school-wide announcement made Oct. 26, students heard that four of their classmates had died in a crash caused by texting and driving. Details were given, including how one student was rushed to the hospital. Students were understandably upset and some texted their parents to tell them the sad news.
The accident "victims," however, were all alive and well and attending school that day.
Brodhead superintendent Lenny Lueck said the drill was conceived by the school's Student Council, which proposed it to advisers and ultimately to principal Jim Matthys.
The drill, which was intended to warn students of the risks of inattentive driving, was based on similar drills held in other schools, Lueck said.
However, Lueck said, they were not expecting the level of backlash the drill received.
"A lot of parents thought it was in poor taste, a lot of students were upset," Lueck said.
"But, this was the first time we've attempted something like this," Lueck said.
Lueck said the intent of the drill had been poorly communicated to school authorities.
"I wouldn't propose to do it again," Lueck said.
Lueck said he was "still dealing with" the fallout of the drill, as coverage of the drill went national after a story was published in the Washington Post Tuesday.
In a morning school-wide announcement made Oct. 26, students heard that four of their classmates had died in a crash caused by texting and driving. Details were given, including how one student was rushed to the hospital. Students were understandably upset and some texted their parents to tell them the sad news.
The accident "victims," however, were all alive and well and attending school that day.
Brodhead superintendent Lenny Lueck said the drill was conceived by the school's Student Council, which proposed it to advisers and ultimately to principal Jim Matthys.
The drill, which was intended to warn students of the risks of inattentive driving, was based on similar drills held in other schools, Lueck said.
However, Lueck said, they were not expecting the level of backlash the drill received.
"A lot of parents thought it was in poor taste, a lot of students were upset," Lueck said.
"But, this was the first time we've attempted something like this," Lueck said.
Lueck said the intent of the drill had been poorly communicated to school authorities.
"I wouldn't propose to do it again," Lueck said.
Lueck said he was "still dealing with" the fallout of the drill, as coverage of the drill went national after a story was published in the Washington Post Tuesday.