Here’s part two of my thoughts on the recent rise in school violence.
Another caller felt we should bring the military in to combat this growing problem. “How about we use the military to protect our children in our schools instead of sending them abroad to protect other countries’ children in their schools? Put a man with an M-13 in front of every schoolyard, and then see if some dirt bag wants to enter the school to kill children.”
I’m not sure we should go that far. But what about metal detectors? Then again, even with a military presence that only protects the students when they are on the school premises.
Finally, a caller had this to say, “I don’t see ever putting my child in public schools. All these shootings and killings are just rampant lately. You don’t hear anything about these things happening in private schools. There’s always home school too. How else can you protect your baby unless you’re sitting right there with them?”
I agree that the problem seems to be related to public schools and although it would be wonderful if we could all send our kids to private schools but the reality of the situation is many parents can’t. As for teaching your kids at home. I have seen firsthand the benefits of doing this but again you have to be in a position where one parent does not have to work. I would have loved to have continued teaching Tyler at home but again the reality of the situation is I need the daytime to work. It so much better for me to be able to actually go to bed at a decent time instead of teaching him during the day and then trying to work from 8 pm until 2 am. Sure, making a living as a writer is an ideal job for women who want to stay at home with their kids and many are able to do it. Personally, for me it was too much of a juggling act and I was about to drop the balls.
The other comment about the only way you can protect your kids is if they are sitting there with you is just plain ridiculous. Whose to say some fool won’t knock on your door, force his way in and start shooting. People are killed in places they would consider safe, like their own homes, at church, shopping at Walmart, at work, restaurants, you name it.
I was almost caught in the crossfire Wednesday simply walking down the street. It seems one fellow was upset with another for whatever reason so he decides to start shooting in the parking lot at AutoZone. Here I was just trying to get my exercise in for the day. I don’t mind dying for a cause or to save my child but I don’t want to die because I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I honestly believe if someone wants to get you, they will. Not to mention the ones who simple shoot people at random.
So what should we do, should we move away to some commune, or barricade ourselves inside our bullet-proof houses? I don’t have the answer, I’m sorry to say. I wonder if anyone really does. One thing we can do as parents is try to raise our kids right. We have to teach them to love everyone and just try to get along, to respect life. When I was kid, we got angry, rolled our eyes at each other and that was it. At times we would fight, but we knew if we did and our parents found out, we would get the belt.
We need to pay attention to our kids and spend time with them. And I don’t mean the time we spend running from activity to activity, but real quality time talking and getting to know our kids. We need to know who our kids friends are because you know that peer pressure is a powerful thing. Other than that all we can do I guess is PUSH– Pray Until Something Happens.