Emergency brings out best in the community

Last Friday, students, parents and staff of Poplar Bluff High School had a bad scare. A student came forward to report what they believed was a gun magazine in the possession of another student.

School officials acted, holding students in their classrooms until members of Poplar Bluff Police Department determined it was safe. Officers responded immediately and were able to determine the items reported were a cigarette lighter and headphones.

We want to commend the student who came forward, the school officials who acted and the police who responded. In this day of terrifying reports across the country of school shootings and other acts of terrible violence, every precaution has to be taken. We can’t assume that tragedy won’t strike our community. We have to be prepared and cautious.

We also want to thank the parents and caregivers who were patient while authorities did their jobs. It is not easy to wait out a situation like that, trying not to imagine the worst. But the best we can do at times like that, is not make things worse by overwhelming officials with phone calls or interfering with the work they need to do.

— Daily American

Republic