Girl charged with bomb threats at Starmont

Brianna Sparrgrove, 14 of Strawberry Point, has been charged with terrorism after she allegedly sent letters containing bomb threats to Starmont High School.

[Briannas mom]

She never sent letters to the school. SHe wrote them and left them in the bathroom. They were written because of teenage girls being cruel to her. She had no intention of bombing the school. If parents would start looking at their teenagers and seeing just how mean and cruel they are to other kids, this would never have happened!

[Blushhead]

I agree, teenagers are VERY cruel to other kids. When I was a teenager, I was called Boobface (because I was flatchested), Bugeyes (because I have small eyes), Ugly, Retardo, among other things. I was a 5.0 grade student, and men in their 20s thought I was adorable! I am 44 now, and still feel lack of self esteem from the things I went through in school. Horrible things! Getting hit, spit on, you name it.

[Teacher of Edgewood High]

I am Brianna's teacher i know that this would have never happened due to some of the girls i have seen evry where if i was her mother today i would tranfer her to a different school. I know as Brianna's teacher that she has many and better friends in edgewood colesburg. If the mother would email the school saying that she would tranfer, the school would send her there transcripts

[I now how she feels]

I now how Brianna feels because I go through the same thing in school but if you just tell people how you feel and stand up for yourself people won't pick on you and you won't make threats you don't need

[Blushhead]

I don't know about now, but when I was in school, if you told the people how you felt and stood up for yourself, you just set yourself up for more ridicule and newer and more inventive ways for them to humiliate you. I feel sorry for Brianna, cause 20 years ago that was me.

[no justification]

How can you people stand up for her? She threatened to bomb the school, something not taken to lightly these days. Ok,so she was being picked on, this is NOT the way to deal with it. What were the letters/threats supposed to accomplish? Were they going to get the girls who bully her to stop?

[Blushhead]

How can we NOT stand up for her? She was 14, it's not like she took an actual bomb to school. If someone had stood up for her to begin with, chances are good this young girl wouldn't be in trouble in the first place. Have you never did anything stupid when you were young, not thinking of the consequences??? I have, we all have in some way or another. So she made threats. That was her way of crying for help. I just hope everything is going good for her now. Brianna's mom, if you read this, post a reply and let me know how she is. Both of you are in my prayers.

[Barbara Forsythe]

Blushhead wrote:

I agree, teenagers are VERY cruel to other kids. When I was a teenager, I was called Boobface (because I was flatchested), Bugeyes (because I have small eyes), Ugly, Retardo, among other things. I was a 5.0 grade student, and men in their 20s thought I was adorable! I am 44 now, and still feel lack of self esteem from the things I went through in school. Horrible things! Getting hit, spit on, you name it.

Not all teenagers are very cruel.

[Blushhead]

No, not all teenagers are cruel. But a lot of them are, and when you get one bully in a crowd, others will go along just so THEY won't be bullied too.

[Blushhead]

Go to any school, grade school on up, and you will see a bully. And that bully will have friends who are scared of him, but egg him on so they won't get turned on. (I used the pronoun he, but she fits just as well.)

[Im Brianna]

Blushhead wrote:

Go to any school, grade school on up, and you will see a bully. And that bully will have friends who are scared of him, but egg him on so they won't get turned on.(I used the pronoun he, but she fits just as well.)

hello im brianna, the girl that wrote the letter. I feel really bad that i did such a thing but when i look back and think of what people said to me i feel very hurt and when i hear a people like you taking my side i feel great better than ever. I am great now that school s over im feel realy releaved but i now get along with everyone now it great..I dont think about the past anymore but i think about there could be other teens like me out there getting hrt like i did but i really want to try to make a difference in the world to help kids like me make the best decitions. thank you for looking out for me i will think about you as much as i can. I have a email address if you would like to get back to me it is [e-mail], or [e-mail] m thank u so much for caring.
brianna

[Blushhead]

Hi Brianna,
I am going to send you an email. I think you're a really brave young lady, and my heart goes out to you. Be looking for my email!

[Starmont Mom]

My child goes to Starmont and I can tell you that there is an excellent support system in place to deal with bullying. Making a bomb threat is simply unacceptable in this day and age. I can't quite understand how people are sticking up for her and her actions. A cry for help? I don't think so! This was a calculated act done to inspire fear and panic. Think if every student that felt bullied or picked on wrote a bomb threat. The school would be overwhelmed with trying to respond to them all. If you feel picked on you talk to a teacher, a principal, a guidance counselor - you don't leave threatening notes in the bathroom!

The excuse that she is 14 is utterly ridiculous. My 8 year old knows better than that!

[Blushhead]

Maybe your eight year old does know better than that, and your eight year old will never be bullied. If so, terrific, I'm happy for you. And maybe your eight year old won't ever bully someone else. If so, that's great too. BUT, this child was fourteen. And yes, fourteen is a CHILD. YOU don't know what she was going through on a daily basis. Maybe Starmont does have an excellent support system, I know a family who's children go there. That doesn't mean that Brianna felt comfortable using that "excellent support system," or maybe that "excellent support system" failed her in some way. I don't know. YOU don't know. Have YOU ever been bullied? I have. No, I didn't do a bomb threat. But I would have loved to have got some "support" from a teacher, a principal....anyone. They knew, and looked the other way. Perhaps this is what happened with Brianna. Cut her some slack! She didn't actually plant a bomb. She didn't hurt anyone. She was the victim here.

[Starmont Mom]

Yeah I've been bullied but that didn't lead me to plant a bomb OR a bomb threat in the bathroom.

I absolutely cannot believe that you think what she did is OK. She is NOT the victim here - she made a BOMB THREAT against a public school...a school where many many kids go. Did they know it was just an idle threat? No!

If my child does something like that I would FULLY back the school in whatever punishment they felt was necessary. You just don't do this.

As far as slack - none here. My kids go there and her actions affected not only them but other kids as well. To instill fear in a school district because you are picked on is not acceptable.

[Blushhead]

Let's see, there wasn't a bomb. It wasn't even a real threat. Wow, she's really a top notch criminal. While in the meantime, kids picked on her, bullied her, taunted her....and nothing was done. She did nothing that hurt anyone, they did. WHO is the victim and WHO needs punishment? I seriously doubt you were bullied very badly on a daily basis, or you would understand how this poor child felt.

[Starmont Mom]

Oh so it's ok to threaten people as long as you don't REALLY mean it? I don't think so.

While I agree that those that were doing the bullying should be punished, I just can't agree with the idea that planting a note claiming you are going to blow up the school is an acceptable way of lashing out.

I guess to me, the threat was real enough. Top notch criminal - not even close. But bad enough to cause paranoia and fear.

I think you misunderstand me a bit...I do feel sorry for Brianna. To be picked on and bullied is a terrible thing. I just don't back her actions.

[Blushhead]

I understand your concern, I have two children (one who is 14) myself. It's not that I back her actions, it's just that I do understand what it is like to be bullied and nothing be done about it, and I understand how she felt. To be spotlighted by bullies and then have other children ostracize you because of it, and feel like you have nowhere to turn, that's an awful thing at any age, but when you're a teenager,(or younger), and don't know what to do to help yourself....Brianna has paid for her actions, one way or the other. She has brought even more attention to herself than she could have possibly wanted. Why not, this one time, forgive and forget? I'm sure she has learned her lesson, and a bomb scare wouldn't be her first course of action the next time. That's all I'm asking for this child, who I don't know personally but know in my heart, this one time....please, forgive and forget.

[Rachel]

to "Teacher of Edgewood High" - OMG! I hope you're not a teacher - you have no idea how to spell or use pronouns.

[Starmont Mom]

Blushhead wrote:

That's all I'm asking for this child, who I don't know personally but know in my heart, this one time....please, forgive and forget.

I have forgiven her. I am a Christian and no matter what, I forgive. Not quite so easy to forget, but it IS water under the bridge. I sincerely hope she has learned from this and I hope it has taught other students that there are better ways to deal with your problems.
And Rachel - I was thinking the same thing but was trying to be polite and not say anything.:) I agree with you 110%.