I know this has nothing to do really with what we have talked about recently in class, but safety is obviously a problem in our schools. When 2 people are firing at each other on a road near by and a child gets shot in the face, something is wrong. I don't know what the solution is, but something needs to be done. It shoudln't be possible that a bullet could get safety into school grounds from outside school grounds. I know we don't want our schools to be prison, but a solid wall may have prevented this child from being shot in the face. This could have easily been done intentionally if someone wanted to, even though fortunately in this case, it was just two men being CRAZY towards each other.

I dont agree with building a wall to protect kids. Anything that you do to protect them will somehow be ruined. I dont think that any one person or school system can prevent things from happening. These two men might be crazy, but whether you move the school to somewhere in the middle of no where people will fight where ever they please, and wont think about where they are at. I do agree that something needs to be done, but what can really be done with making school prision like? then kids wont want to come and learn, and school will be pointless.

This topic is similar to something another class of mine discussed last week. We basically talked about making schools SMALLER! These monstrocities we call schools these days, containing anywhere from 1,000 to 3,500 students ARE ALREADY like prisons! There are higher rates in every category you can think of, weapons, fighting, stealing, cheating... all at least 150% HIGHER in these large schools... SOME were even 500% higher. In a small school, everyone KNOWS everyone so you have a greater, more personal respect for them. In a big school, it doesn't mentally and emotionally challenge a student to steal from someone they dont know because they just don't care about that (nameless & faceless) person. The idea of combining schools some years ago had some advantages, but statistics are showing outrageous numbers in one of the most important categories for students- SAFETY! It all goes back to the pyramid ya'll & if you remember it, a student CANNOT learn if they are feeling threatened.

As long as there is public schooling in America there will always be a risk of school violence such as shootings. This is a reality that will all face and our denial of its possibilities has made it even harder for us to deal with. I think students need to be educated about the inevitability of these events and prepare them to deal with these situations if the happen. We cannot shelter our students from these crimes because if they do not confront crime in schools then how are they going to confront crime in evry other aspect of life? We can take precautionary measures and adopt proactive policies to combat these things, but in the end it is still there. We need to be honest with students and prepare them for things like this and stop denying that it won't happen or happens very rarely and can be completely eliminated.

I like the idea of smaller schools for a lot of reasons! I agree that the mass numbers we cram into a building make it less of a haven for knowledge and necessitates an institutional feel that breeds disassociation, distance, a regimented structure that can't really feed anyone there to gain an education...

It seems essential to me as well to teach children everything we can about safety, at home, school, to one's person, etc. I don't think it's denial to still not want guns to play the role they currently enjoy in our culture.

Regarding guns in schools and violence... It is just chilling to me to consider that guns are something I should tell my son to anticipate encountering. I will immigrate before I plan to expect the possibility of one of us, or someone that I know getting caught in the crossfire. I have lost two friends to murder, been a victim of a lesser crime myself and honestly believe that I am past my quota for encountering violence. If I have anything to do with changing my little world, I WILL... Even if I have to leave my native stomping ground.

Even though I've seen and experienced what I have (personally and on the news), I find that I'm still in disbelief (naively, I imagine) that guns are as prevalent as they are.

We are capable citizens and we do not have to live this way with an acceptance of violence. Citizens CAN demand change. POLITICS is the highway that drives the forces in our society. Money seems to be driving the political machine. Citizens need to get angry enough to demand it to change. There is a wonderful web-site which I will ask Dr. Turner if I can add to the Democracy link. Ben Cohen, of Ben and Jerry's ice cream has created an independent (of his corporate anything) grassroots organization called, "The True Majority". Anyone who is curious and has time, PLEASE check it out. If you get to his site, check out the "movie George Bush doesn't want you to see." He simplifies the national budget and shows how our government currently spends money and what a slight shift would mean to change life as we know it, globally. Teachers' lives could be DRAMATICALLY better by a fraction of a cookie (--- if you see it, you'll know what I mean).

There is another site - and if it's all right to post it, I will get the address - it's called AOL presidential match.com - or something like it. It's a really enlightening site that offers a 5 minute survey. When you take the survey your answers are compared to current Presidential candidates. I was very surprised to discover that the one guy I've been backing was actually the fourth closest match for my preferences.

I do not want to think about life within a wall - to protect myself, my class and my son from gunfire. Nor do I want to consider what must be a daily reality in many parts of this country that says violence is just par for the course. My naivetee may be laughable - but my hope for this next election is so huge. We have to get a new Administration into the White House. Guns are NOT going to be, for me, just another consideration when I face my day at work. I like this posting alot because it is very thought provoking.