“A Student [Came] Down and Said ‘There’s a . . . Guy in the . . . English Classroom With a Gun’”: Recovering From Violent Invasion

Abstract

On the morning of September 27, 2006, a 53-year-old drifter with no ties to the community walked into Platte Canyon High School in Bailey, Colorado, with several firearms, taking a college-prep English class hostage. After a 4-hr stand-off, one 16-year-old student—along with the drifter—was killed in subsequent police action. This case study examines the recovery prioritization and leadership foci of the school’s administration throughout the year immediately following the shooting. Crisis recovery lessons—particularly those involving school violence—are presented and explored. The case study is presented from the perspective of Principal Bryan Krause.

Keywords

crisis preparation school violence school recovery

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