Parents are Part of School Security, Too

On Nov. 30, 2021, Ethan Crumbley killed four students and wounded seven other in a school shooting in Oxford, Mich. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole in 2023 after pleading guilt to four counts of murder, one count of terrorism, and 19 other charges.

But the story doesn’t stop there. In February, his mother Jennifer Crumbley was found guilty of four counts of involuntary manslaughter in a Michigan courtroom because of the shooting. She is the first parent ever to be convicted in a school mass shooting.

Her husband, James, is set to go to trial on the same charges.

During the trial, prosecutors accused Jennifer Crumbley of negligence in multiple instances. Both parents bought their son a firearm for an early Christmas present just days before the shooting and took him to a shooting range multiple times.

Ethan’s mother was also aware that he was struggling with mental health issues and even contemplating violence. In text messages, Ethan told friends that he was experiencing hallucinations and hearing voices and asked his parents to take him to a doctor.

On the day of the shooting, a teacher found a drawing with Ethan showing a gun and a person bleeding along with phrases including “the thoughts won’t stop help me” and “my life is useless.” Both parents were called into a meeting about the drawing and didn’t inform the school about the gun and didn’t take him out if classes for the day.

Later in the day, Ethan opened fire.

While this case is first of a kind, it sends a strong message to parents. If you have firearms in the home, they must be safe and secure at all times. And get your children help with mental health issues. Parents are part of the school security equation.

This article originally appeared in the March / April 2024 issue of Campus Security Today.

About the Author

Brent Dirks is senior editor for Security Today and Campus Security Today magazines.

Featured

  • Securing Higher Education: Combating Enrollment Fraud and Empowering Student Financial Success

    Higher education institutions are facing a costly and growing crisis: enrollment fraud. Between 2020 and 2022, the cost[1] of acquiring a new student surged by up to 32%, straining already tight budgets. At the same time, “ghost students” using stolen identities to enroll fraudulently put institutions at even greater financial risk. Read Now

  • How Composable Security Technologies Fortify Campus Safety

    Campus security teams have faced myriad risks threatening the safety and well-being of students and faculty this semester. Leaders have made tough tradeoffs about where to focus and how to channel limited resources to best protect their communities — but they now have a much-needed lift to their toolkit. Read Now

  • How Emerging Technologies are Transforming the School Security Landscape

    Students can't focus on learning when they're worried about their safety. As education systems nationwide face evolving security challenges with limited resources, a new generation of integrated technology solutions is helping schools create safer environments while maximizing staff efficiency. Read Now

  • How to Harness ALPR for Greater Security Efficiency and Collaboration

    Within higher education campus environments, the demand for greater security, efficiency, and resources is ever-present. Many higher education teams are adopting advanced technologies to secure their campus, streamline operations, and continue to best serve their students and faculty. Automatic license plate recognition (ALPR) technology stands out for its ability to meet a wide range of campus objectives. Read Now

Most   Popular