School Shootings...

8 years ago

I just saw this article in the news and was taken back at the amount of weapons this kid had in his room! The boy who recorded the conversation he over heard on the bus and called police is a real hero, I can only imagine how proud his parents must be of him.

The one question that always haunts me when these horrible shootings occur is, where’s the parents and aren’t they supposed to be held accountable as well?” Yet I never hear anything other than the kid (who obviously has mental issues) is being charged as an adult and how sorry his parents are about what he did. I know it’s tough being the parent of a teen, but somethings got to give. These kids should not have the access to guns that they apparently have.

School shooting thwarted

Featured Answer

arcy_gw

8 years ago

I think you would be surprised to learn how many teens raise themselves. If there are two adults in the home, they could easily work shifts that create a scenario where the teen is never awake and at home when they are. More often there is only one parent and they work shifts that have them rarely seeing their teens. The internet has made access to ANYTHING readily available. Family dynamics are often such adults have given total privacy to teens--bedrooms are off limits. Another thread was expressing SHOCK over "cruelty" to animals but truly it is our children who need our diligence and care. We can't mandate parents pay attention to their kids, but we can make schools safer. How did a weapon get inside a school, and what can be done to stop them at the door? That is where this needs to take us.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (6)

Lindsey_CA
8 years ago
How in the heck does a 14-year-old kid get weapons like that? Did the parents never go into his room?

Thank God the kid who overheard the threat had the presence of mind to report it.
Related Discussions
Another school shooting.
Q
Comments (14)
Crazy people/criminals are going to kill people. They will use a gun, a rock, a knife, or their hands. It started with Cain and Abel. Many serial killers didn't use guns -- like Ted Bundy and John Wayne Gacy. Two of my sons (and one wife) have concealed carry licenses. They are both military trained (one got the Marksmanship Award in Boot Camp.) And I am thankful that if a bad guy starts shooting, they can legally take him/her out. My husband and I are researching buying the best handgun(s) for us and will be getting our concealed carry licenses. You never know now, when some crazy is going to start shooting up the place. If we make guns illegal, only the law-abiding citizens won't have guns -- the criminals/crazies will still get them on the black market. My sons live in Houston (we moved from there a year ago) so this shooting really hits home. Problem is that schools are "gun-free" zones, so law-abiding citizens don't bring legal guns on campus. But criminals/crazies do. What if a law-abiding, concealed carry citizen was legally able to carry on campus and take the criminal out after the first shot? And yes, I do support armed guards in our schools. Unless someone wants to die as a suicide by police, armed guards would take away the thrill of mass murder from the sickos this society has produced.
...See More
School shooting in DeKalb IL
Q
Comments (12)
Latest new report says the shooter had been a graduate student, but was not enrolled for this semester. The same report said he had two pistols and a shotgun, but had used only one of the pistols. The police has recovered only one of the pistols - whereabout of the other pistol is unknown at this writing. One report said one of the pistols was a Glock. One of the wounded, taken to the hospital, has died. Other Information: Northern Illinois University is at DeKalb, IL. Normal Ill. Univ. is much farther south at Bloomington/Normal, IL. After the state of ILlinois was organized, about 5 teacher colleges were established scattered over the state. These were to produce teachers for grammar (grades 1-8) schools, or Normal schools. One of these was the teacher college at Normal, IL; another was at Charleston, IL. That was many years ago, and today, a number of those colleges have grown into Universities. The town of DeKalb, IL is named after Baron DeKalb, a mercinary who fought on the side of the new United States against Great Britian in the Revolutionary War. Baron DeKalb, as he called himself, was German born and a soldier for hire living in France. He came with Lafaette and his armada of ships when Lafaette came to the aid of George Washington. DeKalb was presented to Congress and given a title of Brigdier General and immediatly sent off to war. DeKalb did not live long thereafter; He was killed in an military engagement. A monument was errected in his honor, the only foreign national so honored in that war. Baron DeKalb was not a real Baron by royal decree. It was a title that he gave himself since he believed that he deserved this title owning to military services that he had performed. Information on Baron DeKalb can be found in the World Book Encyclopedia.
...See More
Some additional thoughts related to the Newtown school shooting
Q
Comments (2)
After I started this thread, I heard that there'd been another school shooting. Had I known that, I would not have sent this, as I thought it worthy of some reeflection, but not just after there'd been such an experience. Possibly I should have posted this over on Hot Topics, but thought that perhaps we could discuss it more reasonably here. ole joyful
...See More
School shooting in FL
Q
Comments (80)
This was posted on my Facebook. Good idea that needs to spread, be organized and promoted. All students and concerned citizens be invited to join. Spread the word. "David Berliner issued the following call for a national teachers’ strike on May 1. Teachers are now first responders, trained to protect their students if a shooter gets in the building. Some have given their lives for their students. Parents should join teachers. Enough is enough. Berliner writes: ”It is way past time. Between now and May 1st teachers have to agree on the gun legislation they want. They can consult with Giffords and Kelly, and others who have suffered, such as the parents who have already lost children to this horrible characteristic of our culture. If by May 1st they have not received assurance that their legislation for sanity in gun ownership will be acted on soon, they need to walk out of our schools. It would be May Day, when workers should exert their strength. “Our country’s legislators, and the voters who send them to make our laws, can then choose: Teachers and (most) parents for sane gun laws, or, the NRA that provides our legislators money to avoid making the laws that could reduce the carnage we see too frequently. “Almost all of America’s 3 million teachers— nurturers and guardians of our youth– want sensible gun laws. They deserve that. But they have to be ready to exert the power they have by walking out of their schools if they do not get what they want. They have to exert the reputational power that 3 million of our most admired voters have. Neither the NRA nor their legislative puppets will be able stand up to that. My advice is to start meeting now, write model legislation, submit it to state and federal legislators, and if rebuffed, close down our schools until you get what you (and the rest of us) deserve.” Save our children. PS: There is no link. He sent this message to me. We are in despair. "
...See More
colleenoz
8 years ago
But the thing is, that this is the 11th school related shooting already this year. Since January 1, already 41 children under 11 and 181 12-17 y.o.s have died as the result of gun violence.

Since January 1 there have been 3,484 acts of gun violence and 972 people have died. Does anyone else think there is something very wrong going on these days?

School shootings have become the new “normal”. I worry for you.
User
Original Author
8 years ago
Arcy, you are so much better at articulating (in a non offensive way) what is the obvious to me. Much of what you said about the family dynamics is what I was thinking. I believe that especially in violent situations, it’s time that parents were held more accountable. Maybe a long term prison sentence waiting for parents who just don’t care would be somewhat of an incentive to be more in tune. These kids are minors so ultimately, IMO, it’s the parent’s who are responsible for their actions and mental care. I realize that the problem is bigger than this one point will solve, but finding ways to stop this trend has to start somewhere. This goes for parents of kids who continuously bully as well.
User
8 years ago
I concur. I am also thinking of that Karen Klein bus bullying incident. The kids who did it showed no sense of empathy or compassion. And as far as I know they had parents who were working to given them on the surface a good life materially. Not stereotypical deadbeats. I do think kids are raising themselves. Both parents if they have two work for economic reasons. Neighbors don't know each other. Grandma is also working or living far away. The village it takes to raise a child had disintegrated. Overworked teachers can't supply the parenting these kids need.
User
8 years ago
This is why when my kids became teens, I made sure to work weekdays so I would be home in the evening and on weekends. Teens need you to be there for them more than a 4 year old does. Parents need to keep the communication open and they need to open their eyes when they see changes in their children. You can no longer have that "not my child" attitude.

School Shootings...

arcy_gw

Comments (6)

Lindsey_CA

Related Discussions

colleenoz

User
Original Author

User

User

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

School Shootings...

arcy_gw

Comments (6)

Lindsey_CA

Related Discussions

colleenoz

UserOriginal Author

User

User

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

User
Original Author