Since I work for an education association for elementary and middle school principals, yesterday was a busy day for us here as we heard about the 14-year-old who shot his principal then himself, as we later found out that principal died, and so on. It's so upsetting to hear of yet another school shooting. I understand that he actually told a fellow classmate the day before that he was going to shoot the principal. The association I work for has a flyer for parents, and reports for principals on how to ensure that students do tell them about threats like that and that there is a difference bewteen reporting and tattling. I think it is very important to make sure children know that no threat they hear is an idle one anymore, and that when they do hear something like that, it is important that they tell an adult and that the adult understands what to do with that information.
Does anyone else have any thoughts on this?

I think it is vitally important that parents are better educated about safe storage of their guns at home. I've been in homes where guns are simply leaning against the wall in the corner of a closet, or possibly in the corner of a room in plain sight. We keep our guns locked up in a safe, and they are all checked regularly to be sure they are unloaded and the safety is on. Ammo is kept in a separate cabinet under lock and key. Our kids were all taught gun safety before they were allowed to shoot, and always supervised until they reached an age where they were responsible. Not allowing guns at school is only as good as the authorities that enforce it. Guidance counselors are understaffed and need to be more cognizant of kids under stress and follow through with reports of this type of threat against classmates, teachers or school administrators

This whole violence issue is out of control. A child at our local middle school was suspended for bringing a plastic gun to school and telling others it was real. The children weren't sure and reported him to the principal, as they should have, and I am glad the kid was suspended. Why would you tell someone you have a real gun?

In this day and age we must take everything we hear as a threat. The hard part is we are asking kids to discern what is real and what isn't. We have to raise them to keep their eyes and ears open without making them fearful, anxious kids. Finding a balance can be hard.

I often feel as though I am always preaching and teahing: be careful, watch what you say, watch how you react to people, think before you talk, and the list goes on... We never know when someone might go off. What a world if you stay focused on all the uglies!

I live in the district where the Columbine masacure took place. ever since that happened, you never hear very much about any school shootings. where did this school shooting you are talking about take place? I don't feel the safety of our children has changed that much. though there are very strict rules about anything that can be construed as a weapon. That can include, but is not limited to the misuse of a pencil, sissors, or even a paperclip. If a student brings to school a nail clipper or a metal nail file they can be expelled. The basics of it is that if it can be construed as a weapon the child can face expulsion. Every incident is suppose to be reported to the police. the police look into every case and record it.
but really what we have to look at is why are the kids doing this? For the thrill? For the hate they have in themselve? But what causes the need to do it? Until we look at the deeper reasons, there will be more shootings. and more deaths and suicides.

before Lupus made it impossible for me to make it through the day... i was a middle school math teacher and let me tell you... I was SCARED!!!
the administration would send kids back to my class after they were violent because he didn't want to deal with their parents. I had one kid pierce his eyebrow with a safety pin during my math lesson... so pain meant nothing to him. His father was in prison... his older brother held up a store and he is headed down the same path. We had a bomb scare the day before Columbine and I got more scared each day. When people ask me if i miss teaching.... i tell them "no"
Kids are out of control. We don't have them in churches. most families are single parent or both parents have to work around the clock to make ends meet and kids are raised by the sqruare object in the living room....you know the one...
TV, Nintendo, Playstation, Xbox....did i miss any?
and soon... these kids will be running this country and i will be depending on them as i get weaker and need more benefits on my social security. I am trying hard to keep walking and keep my wits... cuz i see the world heading in a really bad direction...all i have to do is watch the news for a few minutes and it brings more of the same.
depressing isn't it?
if i didn't have my crocheting and my friends and my hobbies....i'd lose it.
oleladee

Guess I will show my age now. When I grew up I was raised by a single parent, who worked hard to make ends meet. My sisters and I would watch the TUBE but what we saw was non-violent and pre-screened as to what we were allowed to watch. I remember that my peers were what was important and what they said was always right. Where we went to school there was a teacher who started a peer group for kids to just talk. Up front we knew that what was said stayed in the room and if anything that was said was a DTO (danger to others) or DTS (danger to self) would be refered to someone in administration. That provided me with my own out, someplace where I could ask questions, find answers, help if I needed it or empatize with others that were having problems. Because children are raising themselves, for the most part, these days they do not have facts that they need to grow nor do they have anyone with the time to listen.
I agree that the world is heading down a dark path but I do believe that one person can change a childs direction if they take the opportunity. Parents even if they both work need to be parents first and the child's friend later. The media jumps right on the story about a school shooting and give the shooter front page headline. I would like to see the same media continue the story but focus on the aftermat of what has happened to those involved. Instead of replaying the crime show how the families of all involved have to adjust(funeral, dreams gone, grief, health, etc.) maybe this reality would show a would be shooter how thier family will feel after they have committed a crime and what thier family will face as being the family of a shooter.

I think we have to be careful with reporting on the aftermath, however. Some parents will feel really violated a second time by the ruthless media, out to get a story. There is a time for reporting on the aftermath, but families need a little space to deal with the shock, the pain, and the grief of violent attacks on their families. Moderation is the key, and unfortunately, stories such as these often become a feeding frenzy for a pool of story hungry sharks.
It is very frightening watching the news and worrying about our own children or grandchildren and their safety.
In the mid 80s, I rode "shotgun" on the Special Education bus in our school district after one of our behaviorally-challenged students threatened the superintendant of schools with a shotgun after he was delivered to his home. I soon realized that this particular student, who was high-school aged, did not respond well to authority figures barking orders at him. Rather, he responded to kindness and respect. If I showed him respect, said please and thank you, he would obey me without question. Occasionally, he might hesitate, and I could see the questions going around in his mind, "What will she do if I disobey?" and "How much can I get away with here?"
I never had any serious problems with him at all. And he never made me frightened of him. Perhaps it was that fact alone that won me his respect. I don't know. But it was definitely a learning experience for me.