Steering clear of stranger danger situations

The latest stranger danger fear on Monday in the Security Widefield area has parents and children nervous. A man with a gun approached a child. I talked with Colorado Springs middle schoolers about tips to stay safe, that are as timely now as ever.

Xavier told me, “In any case, I stick to the same routine. Call my mom and dad and make sure they know who I’m walking with and make sure I’m staying connected by having the phone with me at all times.” Kinsey said, “Get home as fast as possible. Don’t talk to the person approaching them.”

Kinsey and Xavier are absolutely correct. Here are the top three tips to stay safe in a stranger danger situation. Don’t approach anyone. Don’t take anything from them. Finally, make sure you report what happened immediately to school leaders and to an adult.

Russell Middle School Principal, Julie Williams tells me when it comes to stranger danger situations or any situation that gives a child that uneasy feeling, “Any situation that makes our students uncomfortable, we want to make sure they come to us and let us know. That way, we can contact their parents and work together as a community.” Williams also talked about a program at her District 11 school called ROCKS. It stands for Respect, Ownership, Choices, Knowledge and Safety. Williams says at least monthly, there’s a ROCKS program to reinforce safety at each class level.

Williams says she also meets with other middle school principals and other principals from other D-11 schools to share ideas to make sure the kids are safe.