Not a guidance couselor, but I work with schools on preventing problems. Makes me feel like a didn't do such a great job with this school. I did my best, I really know that, and things happen that are out of our control.

I bothers me that we (the universal we) are so violent. What makes someone think that carrying a gun, shooting off a gun, gives you power? A police friend of mine says the shooter is really a chicken. That is much to simplistic of an answer. Somewhere along the line, we have given too much power to violence.

Is being fearful of others actually giving power to someone?

I know guns are not to blame. But what about the people that sell guns to others? Maybe if they were not as available, around the world, some of these incidents would not occur.

What about our media that sensationalizes violence? I want to be informed, but are we in overkill mode with our desire to know the gory details?

No blame here. Just want to understand how to bring this cycle of violence to an end, sooner, rather than later.

Is being fearful of others actually giving power to someone?ANNOA QUOTE

whatever one gives attension (energie) to, one gives power to it, the person or thoes situasion...So being fearfull in some sences is feeding the cycle...

ok so how to do something about anything!! when one isen't desturbed angerie or fearfull is beyond me. It seems at times those emotions are necasarie as a motivater towards action....
but yea unfortunitlie fearfull being a strong emotion dose feed it AND is more likely to be brought into ones life in someway....LOA isen't it?

is the new picture you prepared and waiting to go on holiday?
i do like it

I never allowed my kids to listen to rap music. In my opinion it's not music anyway. Hope I don't step on anyone's toes. I have no respect for a genre who's only intention is to promote violence, drugs and the degration of women.

I think, unfortunately, people will eventually homeschool their children. Lessons will come via the internet and there will be little social interaction.

I didn't homeschool my kids and am not an advocate for it. But if you get to a point where you don't know if sending your child to school is a safe thing, what's a parent to do?

We all take our lives into our own hands each day when we go out into the world. Heck, you don't even have to leave home.

They need metal detectors at schools, but unfortunately, they are very expensive and many districts don't have the funds. A security guard would be a good idea too with cameras and monitors. Kids don't need privacy at school unless they're in the restroom.
Laurel

I think the real issue is everyday violence in an "anything goes" P.C. society. For decades we have been watering down parental influence, teacher control, ethical definitions, etc etc etc.

In schools which emphasize major parental involvement, self-disipline, spiritual and/or ethical training, recognizing the brotherhood of man, and enforced codes of conduct, the percentage of violent incidents is almost nil.

There will always be a few societal misfits, but the majority of kids will turn out just fine if there is genuine attention paid to ALL their needs starting when they are very young.

i kinda like PC but not a fan of anything goes and for me there not just quite the same thing.....mind you i am not a fan of pc gone bonkers, just the type that promotes respect acceptances and nonjudment of people. I also not sure i understand the anything goes teerm as it is used in america, their may be some cultral diffrences going on heer lol.

The picture you described josie about schooling one i love to see in this or any countrie. i don't know if i will get to see it as how dose one stop the direction things are alreadie going in. Unless that pendulum thing happens when its swung as far as it can go and then starts going back to times and ways that have been.
Laural the description of everieone being home schooled is scarie couse how would single kid families learn about appropriate interaction and treatment towards others, maybee it works in bigger families but i just find more and more families or parents wanting less time with their kids and less responcibilitie concerniong them or am i just feeling grumpie today!

Anyway it also be a dream for me too that kids educasion in all respects emotional spiritual moral was catered for instead of the pursuite of intelectule exilences....for the additional curriculum programmes to cater for this how much would it cost? Whos standerds of moralitie would they be focused on and would they trulie be inclusive of all gods children.

would the governments be willing to fund them? or just happie enough to poor monie into building institusions and ongoing costs of prisons?...Would parents be willing to go too to get our skills and teachnikes and our own attitudes to people and child rearing improved.

well we rant over and i promises to curb my cynical head today hopfullie get back to a much more hopefulle place...

laa lllaaaaa la laaaaa seeee their alreadie

Sorry I've been among the missing...busy and health stuff. Nice to be missed :-))

Josie, you said, "In schools which emphasize major parental involvement, self-disipline, spiritual and/or ethical training, recognizing the brotherhood of man, and enforced codes of conduct, the percentage of violent incidents is almost nil."

I would add to that the teaching of non-violent communication so people can find a way to talk about real differences and find real solutions to divisive problems. I agree that a community based school where the emphasis is on all getting involved is good. How can we move it forward?

As Celtic pointed out, it's not only the kids. It's parents and other adults as well. We don't always do so well with our own code of conduct with each other. Children learn by what we do, not by what we say.

I have been working with my school district to implement a non-violence curriculum for 3 years. I have the funds to purchase the materials. I am a trained trainer, so no cost to anyone. The materials are easy to use, fun for both the kids and teachers and are grounded in good research.

Less than 10% of our schools have taken the materials.

With NCLB's emphasis on testing, and insisting on teaching children concepts they are not developmentally ready for (like reading and comprehending at age 5, multiplying fractions and comprehending when to multiply fractions at age 6 and 7), there is no time to teach anything but academics. Many schools don't even have recess anymore and gym has been cut to once a week, for one quarter for many children.

Is this right? Are we creating problems when we should be preventing problems? I also believe that children are dropping out of school out of pure boredom.

I can't believe what I'm reading! Cut recess? Why that was my favourite subject!
The schools won't take free material to support non-violence? This looks like a news headline. Are people aware of this? Maybe you can let it leak out to a reporter looking for a good story.

Our society seems to only want a band-aid after the crime, not before. It's the same way with domestic violence. It gets old.