Reply to Re: School
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Hmm, bike accidents aren't really a violent crime, are they? People don't scheme for months and months about causing horrific bike accidents.
What if someone wrote a short story about stealing everyone's bike helmets, and then envisioned them being hurt severely? It would be disregarded as ludicrous. As it should be.
We seldom see angry, teased and taunnted 16 year olds being accused of or arrested for bike violence or helmet sabotage.
And we seldom see angry, teased, and taunted 16 year olds shooting up a school. When was the last school shooting? 3 years ago?
My point is, can we go to far to protect kids in schools? I don't think so.
Yes, we can go too far. Are there cameras in every single room, including the restroom and lockerrooms? Are backpacks checked every 5 minutes by a school administrator? Are children required to be naked in school as to prevent any possible smuggling of weapons? No, of course not. But if we wanted to *truly* protect children as much as humanly possible, we would do all these things. But we won't.
I also know that more and more kids are speaking out when they hear someone say something disturbing, and it has prevented other "Columbines".
This is possible. And if a true threat is discovered, is should be dealt with harshly. But if it is a true joke, why the punishment?
The punishment received by her son was maybe a bit much, but it certainly sends a message.
Yeah: 'dude, to get out of going to school for a couple days, just make a joke about a gun!'
Bullcrap?? Do you reply so discourteously to every thought you disagree with?
Sorry desertgrl... in my mind at that moment, I didn't intend to be discourteous. I just feel strongly on the issue, and have since modified my message.
However, if you Wish to say that in front of school officials, go right ahead. They will have no option but to pursue it.
Since when have school administrators become mind-dead automatons? They *do* have a choice.
They can't afford not to. Or have you not read about all the schools being sued?
You can sue anyone for anything. If someone shot a rocket launcher into a school cafeteria, then a parent could easily sue the school for not having rocket-proof glass.
I don't know the answer but I know if we do nothing there will be an increase in these acts of violence.
Why so pessimistic? Some angry kids decided to shoot up some schools. This got media coverage. This in turn slightly influenced more succeptible angry kids to shoot up even more schools. Has it happened recently? I haven't heard of any instances.
If we do nothing, then the violence will *decrease*. In the late 80's, there were several governmental/school programs aimed at eliminating teenage suicide. And guess what happened? Teen suicide *increased* dramatically. Why? Because if everyone tells you 'oh, you shouldn't be such a depressed teenager, depressed teenagers commit suicide', then you start to relate to this stereotype. It won't happen to everyone, of course, but a substantial portion.
With all of this zero-tolerance, where gun jokes result in a suspension, it is just keeping the 'angry kids shoot up schools' meme in the public mind. And this will probably result in more violence.
I do know it's much easier to try to correct a situation before it happens rather than after the fact.
The problem is, you have to know what the situation is. What if someone decides to do something you haven't planned for? Look at the sniper attacks in D.C. last year... why don't gas stations have sniper shields around them? Because nobody ever thought it would happen. Creativity is unpredictable.
If we learn at an early age that there are consequences to our actions, then we are better people for it.
But if we learn at an early age that you can get suspended for just saying something that isn't acceptable... then we'll just become blind sheeple to be herded around by those who know better.
I just re-read this and I can be rather sarcastic sometimes. Please forgive that
Why? Sarcasm is great
What if someone wrote a short story about stealing everyone's bike helmets, and then envisioned them being hurt severely? It would be disregarded as ludicrous. As it should be.
We seldom see angry, teased and taunnted 16 year olds being accused of or arrested for bike violence or helmet sabotage.
And we seldom see angry, teased, and taunted 16 year olds shooting up a school. When was the last school shooting? 3 years ago?
My point is, can we go to far to protect kids in schools? I don't think so.
Yes, we can go too far. Are there cameras in every single room, including the restroom and lockerrooms? Are backpacks checked every 5 minutes by a school administrator? Are children required to be naked in school as to prevent any possible smuggling of weapons? No, of course not. But if we wanted to *truly* protect children as much as humanly possible, we would do all these things. But we won't.
I also know that more and more kids are speaking out when they hear someone say something disturbing, and it has prevented other "Columbines".
This is possible. And if a true threat is discovered, is should be dealt with harshly. But if it is a true joke, why the punishment?
The punishment received by her son was maybe a bit much, but it certainly sends a message.
Yeah: 'dude, to get out of going to school for a couple days, just make a joke about a gun!'
Bullcrap?? Do you reply so discourteously to every thought you disagree with?
Sorry desertgrl... in my mind at that moment, I didn't intend to be discourteous. I just feel strongly on the issue, and have since modified my message.
However, if you Wish to say that in front of school officials, go right ahead. They will have no option but to pursue it.
Since when have school administrators become mind-dead automatons? They *do* have a choice.
They can't afford not to. Or have you not read about all the schools being sued?
You can sue anyone for anything. If someone shot a rocket launcher into a school cafeteria, then a parent could easily sue the school for not having rocket-proof glass.
I don't know the answer but I know if we do nothing there will be an increase in these acts of violence.
Why so pessimistic? Some angry kids decided to shoot up some schools. This got media coverage. This in turn slightly influenced more succeptible angry kids to shoot up even more schools. Has it happened recently? I haven't heard of any instances.
If we do nothing, then the violence will *decrease*. In the late 80's, there were several governmental/school programs aimed at eliminating teenage suicide. And guess what happened? Teen suicide *increased* dramatically. Why? Because if everyone tells you 'oh, you shouldn't be such a depressed teenager, depressed teenagers commit suicide', then you start to relate to this stereotype. It won't happen to everyone, of course, but a substantial portion.
With all of this zero-tolerance, where gun jokes result in a suspension, it is just keeping the 'angry kids shoot up schools' meme in the public mind. And this will probably result in more violence.
I do know it's much easier to try to correct a situation before it happens rather than after the fact.
The problem is, you have to know what the situation is. What if someone decides to do something you haven't planned for? Look at the sniper attacks in D.C. last year... why don't gas stations have sniper shields around them? Because nobody ever thought it would happen. Creativity is unpredictable.
If we learn at an early age that there are consequences to our actions, then we are better people for it.
But if we learn at an early age that you can get suspended for just saying something that isn't acceptable... then we'll just become blind sheeple to be herded around by those who know better.
I just re-read this and I can be rather sarcastic sometimes. Please forgive that
Why? Sarcasm is great
