Thanks Dotmom, My DH is a teacher and athletic director so is in contact with teens on a daily basis. I know that he has taken the time to take some under his wing, it isn't the ones that are wild and out of control that may be the problem, it's any teen. Susie, I know tons have been said about the reasons why he did this and how he was in trouble. But it doesn't make a difference. From friends that knew him, he was an average kid, things just became too much for him. I still stand by if someone would have taken the time to talk with him, or reach out things would have been different. BTW his suspension happened the morning of the shooting, soon after being suspended he returned to the admin offices and went to the principal that had suspended him and shot her and when another principal came in he shot him too before fleeing and taking his own life. I think it was the last straw in this boys life. So sad for all involved. Stacie

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.

we will never get a ban on all guns, it's unfortunate but true :-/ We can get a ban on clips, magazines and drums and some semi-automatics and enact other laws for mental health, liability of ownership, enforce existing laws not being followed (severe punishments for lying on applications) and stop exemptions from background checks at gun shows. banning all guns is too late, the horse is out of the barn and in the next country by now, chicago is a great example of that. I do think that making the ammo for semi-automatics cost hundreds of $$ will end alot of drive-bys and mass shootings, if people want to waste to time to reload their own bullets there is nothing you can do to stop that thou. I do support legal, responsible gun ownership of non semi-automatics with some laws applied. in some states you may only have 3 bullets in your gun for hunting, I believe GA is one of them. why have rules like that for hunters (which are ok by me) but allow semi-automatics to be used to shooting people? that is crazy! we need to make gun owners legally liable for what happens w their own guns and force them to take proper precautions (safety locks and real gun safes) in order to keep their rights. they need reminding that severe laws restricting their gun rights are just a pen writing away thru executive order! the Conn shooters mother got what she deserved for having hundreds of rounds of ammo laying around, multiple guns including semi-automatics also left out when she had known for years her son had mental problems. I can't think of a more appropriate end for her, she is exactly what the NRA would love to sweep under the carpet. we have all sorts of rules & regulations for getting a driver's license & owning a car, we should have similiar tests of ability, liability insurance and renewal laws concerning guns. things will be changing in this country, if you don't believe it you must have missed what happened on Nov 6 when the largest ground game ever organized in US history changed things forever. my focaus had already turned to 2014 but for now I am using my time and $$ for this cause. Can you just imagine how we can change the culture of violence in this country if we all want to imagine a future w/o it! in the last year, who really has not had a twinge of concern (even if it's just a thought) going to a mall or movie theatre now...that is a culture of fear & violence. ~ liz

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. "