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- Nov 3, 2009
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Yesterday night, my kid was checking instagram and got a message from his school. There was a shooting threat and they advised kids to stay home for the next day. Today the school is open - the threat was not serious, they say. But it surely hit close to home.
School shootings are a complicated issue. The worst part? We shall never know much about the shooting unless someone wants to explore it. And even then, it will be in five years or so because of all the lawsuits that originate after each of the shootings. So we do not learn.
I do believe that there are at least four arms there, kids (mental issues), toxic atmosphere in schools (sometimes starting from the top), easy accessibility of the guns (but even if guns are banned, and I don't believe it will happen, we shall still have something happening - see "Toronto van attack"). Last but not least, the parents - who, surprisingly, are often good people (I read Sue Klebold's book and was shocked to find out that Dylan Klebold's parents were pacifists and anti-gun - but they missed their kid's depression and felt that they had no right to read his journal, which was so telling). But given the estimated rate of depression in teenagers (about one-third) and the fact that they do not confide in parents, we have one more, serious factor.
Our schools, like our police, protect their own and vehemently deny any bullying. But here is a story from the Columbine, just to illustrate how toxic the atmosphere can be. The biggest bully, R.S., was a wrestling champion transferred into the Columbine after an altercation with another kid. One day, he was standing next to the coach, and the coach lent him his megaphone. So the kid started commenting on everyone passing by. When one girl, a beauty (mind you, belonging to the popular group), appeared, he said, "here goes such-and-such., she has slept with such-and-such, and such-and-such, the whole football team". The coach allowed him to say it, and only afterward did he take away the megaphone.
As to the Columbine perpetrators, Harris and Klebold, once in the school cafeteria they were surrounded by a group of jocks, called "gay" and "faggots", and ketchup was squirted on them. They had to wear the clothes till the end of the schoolday. And neither told it to parents.
So since I read mentioning of the Texas shooter being bullied, especially since the coach was mentioned, I wonder what really set him off. We shall know the truth in five years. Until then - let us be very attentive if schoolkids we know complain of bullying.
School shootings are a complicated issue. The worst part? We shall never know much about the shooting unless someone wants to explore it. And even then, it will be in five years or so because of all the lawsuits that originate after each of the shootings. So we do not learn.
I do believe that there are at least four arms there, kids (mental issues), toxic atmosphere in schools (sometimes starting from the top), easy accessibility of the guns (but even if guns are banned, and I don't believe it will happen, we shall still have something happening - see "Toronto van attack"). Last but not least, the parents - who, surprisingly, are often good people (I read Sue Klebold's book and was shocked to find out that Dylan Klebold's parents were pacifists and anti-gun - but they missed their kid's depression and felt that they had no right to read his journal, which was so telling). But given the estimated rate of depression in teenagers (about one-third) and the fact that they do not confide in parents, we have one more, serious factor.
Our schools, like our police, protect their own and vehemently deny any bullying. But here is a story from the Columbine, just to illustrate how toxic the atmosphere can be. The biggest bully, R.S., was a wrestling champion transferred into the Columbine after an altercation with another kid. One day, he was standing next to the coach, and the coach lent him his megaphone. So the kid started commenting on everyone passing by. When one girl, a beauty (mind you, belonging to the popular group), appeared, he said, "here goes such-and-such., she has slept with such-and-such, and such-and-such, the whole football team". The coach allowed him to say it, and only afterward did he take away the megaphone.
As to the Columbine perpetrators, Harris and Klebold, once in the school cafeteria they were surrounded by a group of jocks, called "gay" and "faggots", and ketchup was squirted on them. They had to wear the clothes till the end of the schoolday. And neither told it to parents.
So since I read mentioning of the Texas shooter being bullied, especially since the coach was mentioned, I wonder what really set him off. We shall know the truth in five years. Until then - let us be very attentive if schoolkids we know complain of bullying.