How serious do you find this “Amoklauf” in a school in Berlin?

24 comments

1. This is ur child and responsibility.
   On the one hand, police WILL be there.
   On the other, nobody with empathy would fault u for leaving ur 7 year old (!) at home.

2. Serious enough to leave it at home, probably. Just to be sure ^^ I mean, what kind of classes will there be on a day like this anyway 🤷
   I’m not a parent tho. Just my 2 cents.

3. Well, the police doesnt think it’s serious, so why should I?
   That being said, you seem to still be uneasy about sending your kid to school regardless.
   To me thats valid reason enough to let her stay at home.

4. I had the exact same thing happen at my old school.. twice.

   The school took it with caution but also saw it as a “sick joke”, nobody really stayed home, at least not from my class. (Police was also involved and I’m pretty sure they had undercover cops on school grounds that day.. or a full on cop car parked in the front.. I really can’t remember, this was in 8th or 9th grade, so over 2 years ago).

   You’re the legal guardian of your child, so if you want to play it safe, you should! That being said, it is most likely just someone trying to be “funny”.. I’m not really sure, but the stereotypes we at BW and rest of Germany hear about Berlin is definitely a very slight cause for concern, but considering your child is 7.. That’s just some.. weird kids behaviour, or messed up.

   Edit: I stand corrected, this happened on March 14th 2024, my bad! But yeah, it was just a prank and nothing happened.

5. If you have the means and time keep the child at home. It may be just a stupid prank but I would not take the risk with my son/daughter.

6. I remember we had like two of these fake amok alarms in my school time. Both times, my parents just asked me if I wanted to go and if I feel safe. We all knew that nothing realy will happen as police is there and everybody was paying attention. Most probable, someone just did a prank or wanted a free day. (I think one of the days fell on the release of a big video game. Wonder why someone would want a free day there… ;D)
   In the end it was all about the feeling and since I felt safe and knew that those days wouldn’t be normal school days, but a little more special, I decided to go. (I think in one class we were only three people.)
   Now I understand that your child is younger than I was when that happened, but in the end, just ask your kid and don’t take the alarm too serious. It can be a fun day with friends and a strange experience, but it also can be enjoyable to get a simple unexpected day free.

7. Hard to say. What kind of school is it? Elementary since your daughter is 7?

   I’d say the police is right. It is highly unlikely that this thread is meant seriously.

   But as the Email says: If you feel uncomfortable with sending your daughter to school tomorrow, just let her stay home – it’s the day before christmas break anyway so she’s not going to miss much if anything at all.

8. This happend twice at schools I worked at (both in Berlin). Police didn’t take it serious and nothing happend. Most pupils stayed home though.

9. As a teacher: that was a lame attempt by a student to “stick it to the man.” Since it’s Berlin, probably 6th grade, maybe 5th. I wonder if I will have that student next year when I get new 7th graders. I teach in Berlin.

   The youth crime units of the police in Berlin are pretty good and know their stuff. I’d trust their judgement and they will be present tomorrow, both in uniform and in plainclothes – the latter rarely look like cops btw.

10. Happened at my school once. Nothing dangerous happened, and it was a pretty cool experience to see all those policepeople up close.

11. I don’t think anything will happen. That being said, I wouldn’t take my chances and would leave my child at home. The days before Christmas are not relevant for education purposes anyway.

12. probably just someone being dumb but I wouldn’t be able to function for the day if i had this email and still sent my child to school. I would go with better safe than sorry.

13. I would say with almost complete certainty that the threat isn’t credible. Nobody planning a shooting (or similar) is likely to give everyone a heads-up in advance.

    As the e-mail explains, there will be a police presence and staff are aware of the situation; but the school will allow children to stay home.

    So it’s really your own decision. There are two things to consider here: how you feel about it, and how your daughter feels about it. If either of you have a bad feeling about this, it’s perfectly fine for your daughter to stay at home.

    Personally, I’m sure nothing is actually going to happen. But it’s your daughter, your decision.

    EDIT: Embarrassing typo

14. I wouldn’t be terribly worried. If an amok run was really sincerely planned, the culprit wouldn’t announce it like this in the school.

    It most likely is just a prank or some stupid pupil wanting to get out of a test or school day.

    But if you or your child don’t feel safe or comfortable with going, no one will fault you for not going.

15. Personally I’d trust the police to handle any possible situation. I also am 95% sure this is just some rando prank by some dumbass.

    I personally would leave it up to the kid. But then again, I’m not a parent.

16. we had threats like that at least once a year in our school…
    the school gave us the option to not come or come without it going on our attendance but only at the first incident.

17. very unlikly girls dont tend to to that if thier bullied.

    anyways let her stay home just to be safe and it christmas anyways nothing really happen in last week before chtistmas anyways.

18. The toilet thing Sounds more like a bad joke / prank to me. Maybe a try of s.o. to get on holidays earlier.
    Who would announce something like that on a girl’s restroom, the day before christmas hollidays?

    However:
    better safe than sorry, but i’d be surprised, if there was a real “Amoklauf” tomorrow.

19. In my day, someone would have at least phoned in a bomb threat – i.e., not serious at all

20. Ah that takes me back, some guy made a “threat” at my school for April 20th.

    Which he then realized was during the Easter break… so he had to reschedule his threat.

    Back then it was still a novel move.

21. I don’t think anythings gonna happen but its understandable if you choose to leave your child at home

22. I would also let my child at home. And I really like the way the school is handling the situation.

23. risk is absolutely tiny

    but its also potentially life or death

    so better to be on the safe side

24. considering that there was a school shooting in the US two days ago it’s in 99.9999% of cases just a sick joke. Stuff like that could be found around our schools after Columbine everywhere. And yes, even girls toilets. Really, everywhere.

    German kids don’t really understand the gravity of their stupid graffiti, because to most of them an amok run is something that only happens on the other side of the planet.

    That being said: it is hard for adults who are certified and have the legal right to carry and keep fire arms to get access to guns, it’s even harder for kids because the adults who are allowed to keep a gun at home have to follow a strict security protocol. Germany is not the US where some people won’t notice it if one or two guns are missing or where guns can be bought literally everywhere.

    Talk to your daughter about the situation and let her decide if she wants to go to school tomorrow.

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