A high school in Montrose, Michigan, offers what sounds like a pretty cool class in forensic science. Over the past several years the class has included a surprise event in which people portraying masked gunmen stage a mock robbery, and the students then have to investigate the "crime." I think this is a great idea that probably makes class really exciting and interesting, as well as teaching important lessons about evidence and the unreliability of eyewitness testimony.
It is, however, important to make sure the staff knows what is going on.
On September 17, a cafeteria worker became concerned after he spotted two men near the school putting on stocking masks. Not knowing that he was looking at the chief of the Montrose Police Department and another officer, he sounded the alarm. Nearly 200 students were evacuated and the school went into lockdown for about 10 minutes, until the mockness of the robbery became clear.
The fake robbery went on as planned, although it was probably less of a surprise this time around.
Link: AP via FindLaw.com
