Innocencebecomingassassinatedby violence

by Jennifer Ford assistant copy editor

"Almost three-fourths of kids who carried out school shootings told someone else about their plans ahead of time- almost always another student," (www.cbs.com).

A trend is growing where children are the violent targets. Each year, for the past five years, a child, usually a white male from a rural or suburban area, brings a gun or bomb to school and attacks his fellow classmates and teachers.

Each year, there is an assassination of innocence. Bystanders are killed, heroes are made, and the reasons for these violent crimes are unknown.

Why do these crimes occur? While the news informs the populace that things are looking up, we watch in horror as another life is taken and a child is tried as an adult.

"Kids are getting guns off the streets from drug dealers," Josephine McWilliams, junior, commented. "Parents and children need to communicate better. Parents shouldn't leave loaded guns in the house. Parents have to be more educated and they need to be more careful."

People are always looking to point the finger, but no one person is to blame. The media creates a scenario where every child who wears dark clothing or plays a violent video game is at risk of becoming the next killer. Other news stories have focused on the working parent and how the children are left alone and ignored. No one knows he is going to plant a bomb because no one is paying attention to him. A third scenario was placed in the minds of the public by blaming the music industry. Even though Americans have a plethora of people to blame for the violence, they do not have a solution to stop the violence.

"As an educator, I worry always in the back of my mind about the possibility of irrational behavior by a student," said Jill Gorman, teacher of religious studies. "I hate to blame the media. I feel this occurs due to societies general acceptance of violence and hesitance to get involved before it's too late."

Some schools have installed metal detectors and security cameras in hopes of stopping the violence. Other schools will not let the students carry back.packs. Some schools will not allow students to wear trench coats or shirts with alternative bands, dark colors, or "sexual" content. What these schools are not doing is talking to the students.

Evidence suggests that many of these killers are acting out because of revenge; they feel like outsiders, and they have no one to talk to.

''1bekillers tend to be a lot of marginal disenfranchised students who see the shooting as a way of empowerment. Teachers need to intercede when a child is being teased and taunted," Gorman stated.

Student action is one way to help. A number of students are willing to report anything they hear in order to save lives. ''If a shooting happened at Cabrini, I wouldn't want to be anywhere near here," said a student who wished to remain anonymous. Some schools have created peer groups for students. If irrational behavior is seen, the peer leaders inform the school to help and take action.

The FBI wrote a book Mind of an Assassin.

This book studies the mind of assassins and their behavior. Teen killers from the past five years speak out on why they killed and what they did as warning signs as they tried to be noticed.

Secret Service psychologist Robert Fein wanted to find a motive for these acts. ''At the point of suicide, some people think Tm in great pain, wait a minute, that person caused the pain, before I kill myself I'm going to kill them,"' said Fein.

Communication is needed if people want to make any changes with the ostracized youth. They are tired of being ignored and will continue to kill unless people pay attention.

Warning Signs

Do any of the children you know display the following characteristics?

The National School Safety Center says that while there's no sure way to know if a person is potentially dangerous, this list provides a good starting point.

*Has a history of tantrums and uncontrollable angry outbursts.

*Characteristically resorts to name calling, cursing or abusive language.

*Habitually makes violent threats when angry.

*Has a background of serious disciplinary problems at school and in the community.

*Has a background of drug, alcohol or other substance abuse or dependency.

*Is on the fringe of his/her peer group with few or no close friends.

*Is preoccupied with weapons, explosives or other incendiary devices.

RecentShootings Involving U.S. Schools:

*April 16, 1999 - A high school sophomore fired two shotgun blasts in a school hallway in Notus, Idaho. No one injured.

•May 21, 1998 - 1\vo teen-agers are fatally shot and more than 20 people are hurt when 15-year-old boy allegedly opensfire at high school in Springfield, Ore. His parents are found slain at their home. He is awaiting trial.

*May 19, 1998 --Three days before his graduation, an 18-year-old honor student allegedly opens fire in parking lot at high school in Fayetteville, Tenn., killing a classmate who was dating his ex-girlfriend. He is awaiting trial.

*April 24, 1998 - A science teacher is shot to death in front of students at eighthgrade graduation dancein Edinboro, Pa. A 14-year-old student awaits trial.

*March 24, 1998 Four girls and a teacher are shot to death and IO people wounded during false fire alann at middle school in Jonesboro, Ark., when two boys, 11 and 13, open fire from the woods. Both are convicted in juvenile court of murder and can be held up to age 21.

*Dec. 1, 1997 Three students are killed and five others wounded in a hallway at Heath High School in West Paducah, KY. A 14-year-old student is arrested. One of the wounded girls is left paralyz.ed.