Another school shooting.
What could be worse for a parent than to send your child to school and get that call that he/she has been shot and killed? An environment where you thought your child was safe.
I lived in an eastern suburb of Cleveland. I had a big territory of eastern and south eastern ohio. Chardon where the shooting took place was in my terriotory.
I had to go there for 2 clients. It's a small enclave. It was about 15 miles SE of my home.
It was a cute little place of probably no more than 5,000 people.
I enjoyed the fall there where they had a sugar maple festival. I went every year.
I'd watch them make maple syrup and of course buy maple sugar candy.
I would also buy a vat of maple syrup. I'd eat pancakes and waffles for weeks after.
It was held in the town square. The place was right out of a Norman Rockwell postcard.
The colors of fall, the steeples, the town square. The whole thing.
I imagine that a small town like this doesn't have metal detectors at the front door to have the children walk through to enter their school. They probably thought they were safe.
We aren't safe anywhere today. I imagine that will now change.
To think when I was in high school brass knuckles were the worst thing a kid brought to school. That is actually funny to me now.
I remember when my parents were all up in arms because kids were smoking pot.
The 70's were evil to them. I'd take pot smoking over today any day of the week.
At least with pot people are mellow, laughing and probably the worse violence that would happy would be to tip over a snack machine in the cafeteria to take care of their munchies.
And seriously someone smoking pot would be too lazy to do that anyway.
I am thankful I am not growing up now. The world is too violent for my liking.
My heart goes out to this town and the families.
All of these kids will never be the same.
11 comments:
At first I refused to watch the coverage or listen. But then I realized I couldn't hide from it; these kids need help. When as a teen the only way you can think to handle bullying or upset or whatever is to kill? This shit needs to stop. We used to just fight. Yes, we occasionally used rocks or whatever else was near, but I am afraid for my kids. I don't know that kind of fear. The closest I've come to a gun was being robbed at gunpoint when I was 18 then years ago during the DC sniper situation (which of course was just being scared in general that a gun was going to go off from SOMEWHERE).
I'm sad for the families of the now two teens that have died. I'm sad for the family of the shooter, I'm sad for the shooter's mental state, and all that he must have gone through to get to this point.
Are we not watching our children closely enough? Peg, I'm sorry. I don't want to sound flippant or too casual about "knowing" but do you think it's a fully genuine statement for his parents to say they didn't know "something" was up? Something was off with their kid? No clues? No signs? I'm trying to wrap my mind around that and I'm coming up with...how was there nothing?
Arnebya - I agree with all of this regarding how they didn't know! My parents were on my ass 24/7 there was nothing that got past them. But they took their job so damn seriously. Most parents today are more friends than parents.
That is just my humble opinion though.
God the DC Sniper "situation" as you put it. That was mind boggling wasn't it? Scary ass shit.We were afraid to get gas.
Sometimes smaller enviroments such as small towns can create more tension because there's no where to go to get away from problems except leave the town. And if you're a kid you don't even have that option.
So I think people in small towns need to be MORE aware of problems slipping through the cracks.
Mike - all excellent points.
Very scary! My kids schools don't have metal detectors. I haven't been to any schools that do have them. They do however have gates and fences around them, which, if you are a student with a gun doesn't keep you out.
My high schooler has to wear an ID card around her neck at all times. Sounds stupid but maybe not quite so bad at least they know if people belong there. But, again, if you are a student with a gun it's not going to keep you out.
Scary stuff.
Julie - you're correct a student ID wouldn't have kept him out of school with a gun. 3 are now dead. And his life is lost too because he will be in prison for life. I hope no more die.
Three? I hadn't heard there were 3. The status must have changed since I saw it last.
So sad that kids who haven't even had a chance to learn coping mechanisms for stress, are already taking drastic, tragic measures, that will alter so many lives.
Cora - well said. Sad all of it is just damn sad.
Sad to say this but I see students all the time who don't know how to handle their anger. As teachers, we try to give them strategics on how to handle it but many times I can't help but think that I'll be reading about them someday and not in a positive manner.
I saw that and had to turn it off. It hits too close to home with my kids in primary school. Its all so sad.
Horribly sad and yet it happens over and over.
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