MURFREESBORO, Tennessee (AP) -- Staff members of an elementary school
staged a fictitious gun attack on students during a class trip, telling
them it was not a drill as the children cried and hid under tables.

The mock attack Thursday night was intended as a learning experience and
lasted five minutes during the weeklong trip to a state park, said
Scales Elementary School Assistant Principal Don Bartch, who led the
trip.

"We got together and discussed what we would have done in a real
situation," he said.

But parents of the sixth-grade students were outraged. (Watch student
recount incident, mother react )

"The children were in that room in the dark, begging for their lives,
because they thought there was someone with a gun after them," said
Brandy Cole, whose son went on the trip.

Some parents said they were upset by the staff's poor judgment in light
of the April 16 shootings at Virginia Tech that left 33 students and
professors dead, including the gunman.

During the last night of the trip, staff members convinced the 69
students that there was a gunman on the loose. They were told to lie on
the floor or hide underneath tables and stay quiet. A teacher, disguised
in a hooded sweat shirt, even pulled on a locked door.

After the lights went out, about 20 kids started to cry, 11-year-old
Shay Naylor said.

"I was like, 'Oh My God,' " she said. "At first I thought I was going to
die. We flipped out."

Principal Catherine Stephens declined to say whether the staff members
involved would face disciplinary action, but said the situation
"involved poor judgment."

-------
WTF?....this is education?...they should be fired...

OMG!!! FIRE THEM ALL...

They may of just seriousely emotional scard those poor kids.

What idiots!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WTF thats insane god dammit, great school system

sounds like a class action law suit to me.

They should be fired. No ifs, and, or buts. No Sorries, just fired, and
maybe made to be blindfolded, and terroized a bit by the children and
their parents.

Who knows what kind of emtional damage they did to those children.
There is a definite law suit and some firings in repercusion for their
stupidity.

M'boro's about 25 miles "up the road" from me. And yes, they are nutz. I
know this from a first-hand perspective, as I'm a resident here and can
attest to that fact.

I agree that very poor judgement was used & action should be taken to
better educate teachers & staff on how to prepare students for something
like that without scaring or terrorizing them. But, I guess being the
devil's advocate here ~~ consider that this could also save their lives
should this ever really occur. I was entirely too close to the school
shootings in Jonesboro, Arkansas & had some sort of plan be in place
maybe one of my best friend's daughter would not have had to see her
best friend's brains blown out as she stood right next to her wondering
if she would be next. I would rather my child be frightened for a few
moments & be alive than the alternative. We buried a beautiful &
exceptional young lady that was taken way before her time because of
people that were really "nutz".

Rest now beautiful Paige & know that we all love & miss you!

Im sorry about that Ghost

fear begets more fear....accomplishes nothing...

Hmmm, yeah, that is about the craziest thing I've ever heard.

Still, in the spirit of making lemonade out of lemons, I can't help but
remember that scene in "Fight Club" where they threatened the store
clerk...that DID have a positive effect...

Fire them?

Charge them with child abuse...that IS criminal, what was done.