She definitely is. The mom of the disturbed boy is one of those moms whose kids walk on water, cured cancer last Tuesday and brokered peace in the middle east over lunch yesterday, so I think it’s going to have to be a legal matter. The school doesn’t know what to do with the disturbed boy because he has a disability (not emotional) and because he is unquestionably the aggressor.</p>
<p>I’m not a fan of zero tolerance, but shouldn’t common sense be more common in these matters?</p>
<p>May God hold the victims of yesterday’s atrocity and their families in his peace.</p>
<p>Dinner conversation last night about this tragedy. The general consensus among the 4 couples present is that this kind of thing can happen in virtually any school. There is really very little that keeps a kid from bringing a gun to school, standing up at breakfast and shooting others. Sad, but seems to be true. Other than airport-like security, there’s not much to keep the weapons out.</p>
<p>–praying for the families of all involved to find comfort.</p>
<p>S attends college not too far from this high school so many of his friends are from the area. Hit close to home for many of them. S is studying to be a middle school teacher - I think now that he is committed to this major the shooting has also impacted his way of thinking.</p>
<p>He told me that he thinks that metal detectors or equivilent should be in place at all public schools at the very least. His words to me, “I know it would be ridiculously expensive, but so is football and all schools seem to spend loads of $$$ on that - whatever it takes” (he is also an athlete). </p>
<p>Have we reached that place where metal detectors should be a standard feature at school entrances?</p>
<p>The thing is a shooter can always sit in the parking lot. We need to learn how to identify these kids earlier and help them. Unfortunately, there is no easy fix to this problem. I was just reading about a school bombing that took place in 1927 and killed 45 people. I guess horrible events have always been with us and always will. So sad for all involved.</p>
<p>I think those that say no one was bullied in this tragedy and in Columbine, need to realize that just because others observed no bullying doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. It only matters the perception the shooters felt that they were being bullied. I am not defending their actions but I think this needs said.</p>
<p>I was a pretty cheerleader in high school yet felt extremely isolated and bullied at times…even by a teacher. I doubt anyone would have said I was bullied but I believed I was. And it is a wretched feeling to be estranged from your peers and judged for situations out of your control.</p>
The thing is that human beings don’t have the ability to read minds. All we can ask for is that people behave in an appropriate manner and, beyond that, one can never be responsible for what is in someone else’s head.</p>
<p>Horrible, but sadly for this country commonplace. I am continually surprised when I read how shocked a community is when something like this happens. We live in a country where an 8 yr. old can get their hands on a gun. I don’t know what people expect when guns are so easily accessible. Mental detectors won’t solve the problem, either. A kid could pull out a gun on a school bus, or in a court yard, or on a playing field, etc., etc., etc. </p>
<p>Nothing is going to change until the country stops having a love affair with guns. </p>
<p>So rinse and repeat, rinse and repeat, rinse and repeat.</p>
<p>Live about 30 miles away and an sad to report that a 3rd young man has just died.
This is a tragedy for everyone and all of us need to be concerned because it can happen anywhere. Much is being debated here on news websites with some quick to blame
“divorce” or " bullying". It seems to be the case that the shooter’s dad was a violent man with a history of assaults against women, the kid did have friends, including girl friends and extended family and at least one sibling. The fact that his FB page and Twitter feeds gave warning as to intended violence is frightening and no one reported it to an adult ( or at least no one has cone forth with that claim). Kids need to be told that they must report things of this sort- better to have some ruffled feelings if it’s a mistake than dead bodies. And although some here are saying that the boy’s family shouldn’t be held responsible since he was “17 and should have known right from wrong”, the very real fact us that this kid had access to multiple weapons
(as seen in his FB pics) and was NOT of legal age to buy them himself. He targeted his victims and shot them in the back. He didn’t attend that school but district policies had kids with known problems- he’d been in trouble with the law before- in the same building as other kids, without constant supervision. Small town or not, that seems, in retrospect, unwise.
It’s not the same world that it was when we were in school and I’d rather err on the side of caution. As a former teacher, I can clearly see that a number of my students fit a similar profile, but thankfully they made better choices.
My heart goes out to the families of the victims and all of Chardon. The recovery time is going to be long and hard …
(</p>
<p>He was at the the school waiting for a bus to take him to the school he attended. I agree students need to understand the importance of reporting any threats or talk of weapons. There were warning signs on social media that were not taken seriously.</p>
<p>“It talks a bit about how even teachers get very tuned into the popular crowd and they end up favoring them over outcasts.”</p>
<p>When I was a kid (5th - 8th grade) there were two boys who were relentlessly teased by several boys. At the time, I wondered how the teachers could possibly be oblivious. I went to a parochial school and tolerance and acceptance where preached, but no teacher or student ever interceded on behalf of those two boys. Many of the students either didn’t think it was their business or did not want to be a target themselves. But, the teachers have the authority to step in and set a real example.</p>
<p>I think many factors contributed to the outcome of this tragedy including a very troubled family life. In addition to that, in this case and in the case of Columbine, students reported in televised reports that there was bullying. These are complex issues. I have a facebook friend who referred to the shooter as a “bast**d”. I do not know how that mindset is appropriate or helpful in any way. We need to teach our children tolerance, acceptance and compassion and be examples to them when they are young and before it rises to the level of tragedy.</p>
<p>Tolerance and acceptance of differences so those who are troubled or just plain “different” are not bullied or treated as outcasts. There are multiple issues contributing to the outcome in this case. </p>
<p>But, no zooermom I am not advocating tolerance or acceptance of violence.</p>
<p>OhioMom3000, I don’t think there is anything wrong in calling a murderer that name in this situation, I really don’t. I think it’s human and understandable. To turn that on its head, I would say that anger to bullies and passing judgment on their behavior is equially acceptable. Some behaviors are not acceptable and some behaviors are not tolerable.</p>
<p>I think those that say no one was bullied in this tragedy and in Columbine, need to realize that just because others observed no bullying doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. It only matters the perception the shooters felt that they were being bullied. I am not defending their actions but I think this needs said.</p>
<p>This is such a good example of the fact that the most damaging bullying isn’t physical; it’s social and emotional, and it can be very subtle (subtle to the nearby adults, not to the victim). That may also be why it’s so hard for school officials to catch.</p>
<p>^^Well, I watched televised reports at the time of Columbine and saw students claim there was bullying. Perhaps, as the days and months went by, their perceptions changed as they were influenced by the outcome and by others in the community. But, I saw what I saw reported immediately after.</p>
<p>Yesterday, I watched a female classmate, on the local news, who claimed there was bullying for years.</p>
<p>^^That is why the book is so interesting. It talks about how certain “themes” emerge early in the reporting, and that they get embedded into our perceptions about an event, and that’s what happened about Columbine.</p>
<p>“I don’t think there is anything wrong in calling a murderer that name in this situation, I really don’t. I think it’s human…”</p>
<p>I agree it is human, but I also think it demonstates a lack of understanding of a very complex issue. </p>
<p>Many of these school shootings involve juveniles, who come from troubled homes, there may be mental illness and there is usually bullying which can be subtle or not so subtle.</p>