Bob CollinsGiggle if you must, but maybe you’ve never been overwhelmed by the trauma of learning math. Numbers, nothing but numbers that are all supposed to fit somewhere.
3/4 + 1/4? Some people still have bad dreams about equations.
So we fully understand what made a Lafayette, Ind., fifth-grader dial 911 in despair.
“I had a really bad day and, I don’t know,” the boy told operator Antonia Bundy.
“You had a bad day at school?” Bundy asked.
“Yeah,” the boy said. “I just came to tell you that.”
Bundy asked: “What happened at school that made you have a bad day?”
“I just have tons of homework,” the boy said. “It’s so hard.”
Now, we all have opportunities to either show a little compassion and make a difference, or unload on someone. You get one shot at making the right choice. Bundy made the right call on the call, according to the Lafayette Journal & Courier.
Our dispatchers never know what the next call might be.They train for many emergency situations, homework help is not one they plan for. We don't recommend 911 for homework help but this dispatcher helped a young boy out and brightened his day.@PoliceOne @apbweb @wlfi @WTHRcom pic.twitter.com/w3qCYfJP7O
— LafayetteINPolice (@LafayetteINPD) January 25, 2019
This isn’t the first time we’ve heard stories like this. In April, a 10-year-old called a Colorado 911 operator because he was flummoxed by division.
🔊Volume Up!🔊From an early age, kids are taught to call police if they need help. This particular problem wasn't the kind we typically handle, but we're glad Dispatch was able to help solve it.Disclaimer: Not all dispatchers are as skilled in math and/or readily equipped with calculators as Dispatcher Chris. Please only call 911 for emergencies. You can call us at 970-419-FCPD for non-emergencies, though it should be noted that FCPD is not responsible for incorrect homework answers. If you or your child believe you need police assistance with an assignment, please contact your School Resource Officer during school hours. They love talking to their students about pretty much anything.
Posted by Fort Collins Police Services on Tuesday, September 25, 2018
“Hi, this isn’t an emergency but I’m 10 years old and I’m working on my math homework right now and I can’t figure out what 71 divided by 3,052 is,” the boy told the operator, who realized he had reversed the numbers.
A police spokesperson said the operator helped him solve the problem, then gave him some advice on when to call 911, mindful that police teach children to seek out the police when they need help.
“Sometimes, as in this case, they feel like people might just need a little bit of compassion in the day,” she said.
