Here in Mobile the local paper, the Mobile-Press Register, has a “sound off” section where readers are invited to call and leave comments pertaining to either something they read in the paper or anything of national or local importance. With the recent killing of the young Amish girls and the school suspension of a student who had a list of students that he hated, many readers called in to voice their opinions about this scary situation. In Thursday’s paper I found three interesting comments that I want to share with you and also add my own two cents. If you are a parent with a child in school, this is an issue that touches too close to home.
The first comment concerns the suspension of a student who had a list of students he hated. He also made threats to these students. One caller felt the school went too far. Here’s what he/she had to say (it’s an anonymous call, although sometimes the caller will reveal their sex or you can pretty much figure it out based on the comment), “Suspending a child over making a threat and having a list of students that he hated is ridiculous. He didn’t do anything to these students physically. He hasn’t brought a weapon to school. Kids are mean, and he probably just had enough. I remember many times in school being threatened to “have my butt kicked” by other kids, whether I was being a bully or if I was being bullied. Kids can’t breath right nowadays without being suspended or expelled.”
As a parent I have to disagree with this caller. You can never be too safe. Remember the adage— “better safe than sorry.” Times have changed, no one can deny that. Had this happened twenty years ago then yes I would have to agree that maybe the school overreacted but with all the killings lately, I think they did the right thing. Of course, this does not mean that if this kid wants to harm the kids on his list he won’t do it or try to do it. What it does is alert the parents, the school and the students involved. Plus, hopefully the parents of the kid will talk with him and get help if he needs it. Yes, maybe it was just a harmless list but then again this kid could be a potential danger to others and himself.
More thoughts continue in part two.