Topic : 10/12 Homecoming Shooting

I live in Northern New York so Cananda is in closer proximity than any state in the US.  My family has visited there often.   Your citizens come down here to shop.  We share the beautiful Niagara Falls.  We have so much in common.  Their are some differences but I hope that you can try to offer advice- not rub salt in our wouns during a time of tragedy.  Peace neighbors!!

I know that you are a teacher and respect your opinion because you LIVE there.  I am not suggesting arming classrooms.  That would be overkill if not downright stupid.  We have armed guards who protect our banks, malls, some office buildings.  Why not our schools?  How about an "Officer Friendly" that walks the halls that kids can learn to respect and trust.  Someone that they can turn to when they hear someone threaten to "blow away" students.  Our kids are our most precious resource.  I have kids in high school, middle school and elementary school.  I want to know that all the possible resources are in place to keep them safe.  In each of our school shootings no one has been able to protect those kids. 

Let's talk!!

My heart goes out to all the people involved in this tragedy.  You can not place blame for these tragedies.  If hindsight is 20/20 we could put an end to all tragedies around the world.

I am a guidance counselor in New Jersey where we do a great job of keeping track of students who exhibit

the type of behavior that needs to be "watched".  We know who they are.  They are the ones who have been bullied or picked on.  They are angry, they draw "weird pictures", they may even become physical or write violent essays in language arts class.  We know who they are.  We watch them go to middle school and we alert the high school that they are coming.  Sometimes due to one of the above we meet and talk, call the parents, alert the crisis counselor, etc...  There is no guarantee that they will come in armed and ready to go.  Saying that, how do we prepare.  Well, on the Dr. Phil show, there is a safety, crisis plan and we must make sure it is utilized to its full extent.  I believe you cannot place blame, especially in this case in WI.  Tragedies do happen.  I go to school everyday, and so do my two children.  I must believe that we have dedicated faculty "watching" and paying attention.  Communication, acts of kindness, peacefulness, I can't see how that can hurt if we all reach out to someone who may be lonely and teach our kids to do so.  I realize that this may be last on the list of entries, but I hope someone reads this and responds.

I know I'm late in writing on this topic - Got to love TIVO. My husband and I are both 23 and had our share of problems in High school. We had bullies that teased us a lot and to us it was NOT a joke. It's more of being mean to someone to get a power high and the more you tease people the more "popular" you become. There was one time when I was threatened by a girl and she said she had a razor blade that she would us on me. I called my mother and she came down and talked to the principle and they said that they couldn't do anything about it. My mom took me out for the rest of the day. See I don't blame the kids that go back in the school and take out their anger because the one we should blame, yes are the kids and the teacher and principle. How many times are there fights because of just "teasing"? How many times does someone have to tell teachers/principles and they just shake there finger at the person that was doing the "teasing"? This ALL should be taken seriously.

I now hear that we are going to start pointing fingers at the parents for their kid's anger when the parents don't even know what's going on. The parents don't go to school, do they? So how can we blame the parents when we should be blaming the school. I'm not supporting what they do but the blame needs to go to the school for thier lack of disapline and not watching the sudents close enough.

I will have to agree that going into a school and shouting just because they got dumped by a girlfriend/boyfriend is stupid and shallow. They need to learn that they can't always get what they want. That's when you can start blaming the parents because that's where they need to learn that from. The schools can't teach them everything.

Intelligent and concerned parents LIKE YOU will make our schools SAFER. Thank you so much for caring.

My high school has a police officer on campus, daily.  Some schools have metal detectors at their entrances.  Schools discuss RESPECT; but  these measures will NEVER totally eradicate violence.

We still have fights, knives, guns in backpacks, and other problems. Why?

Because anger is secretive, until it explodes.  Then we call for help!  It is sad when it comes too late.

I did not wait for the school board to figure this out. I acted responsibly to protect  my students and myself when I decided to keep my door LOCKED when class is in session.  I have had no kids killed in my room.

I took IMMEDIATE STEPS to be PRO-ACTIVE.  I could PREVENT an armed intruder! 

I told my students that I have a covenant with their parents:  to keep you safe on my watch.

This is such a small but critically important thing to do.  INSIST YOUR SCHOOL TEACHERS DO THIS!

What you can do at home: 

1.  Talk with your kids NOW about these current events.  THEY WANT TO BE HEARD.

2.  ASK them what THEY think we should do.  They have great insight for dealing with other kids.

3. KNOW your own kids.  What is going on in their lives?  Their rooms?  Their friendships?

4.  BE PART OF YOUR KIDS' LIVES by spending time DOING THINGS TOGETHER!

  (Gangs and boyfriends and pregnancies happen because kids are lonely and need to belong.)

5.  BE INTERESTED, not controlling and authoritarian.  They want loving parents, not wardens!

IF YOU OWN GUNS, decide NOW to be responsible owners.  Are they LOCKED UP?

Is ammunition LOCKED in a separate area?  Or are guns some stupid, "macho" display?

MAKE SCHOOL SAFETY A PRIORITY.  Schools have thousands of kids to protect.  You do not.

Parents MUST do their part to be partnered with the school and its staff.  If you do not know what is going on with your child at school, you need to step up and be a parent.  You know your own child---or should!

If your student is angry, depressed, frustrated----NOTICE and ask them if they need to talk! 

TAKE TIME FROM YOUR HECTIC LIFE TO REALLY DEMONSTRATE LOVE FOR YOUR KIDS!

Talking, listening, playing together is what they are all wanting, at any age.

My high school students (girls and football players) hug me when they see me!  We like each other!  :)

Good luck with this!  Get safe practices in place----and let's keep communicating with our great kids!

Have you ever heard the expression:  "Follow the money trail"?

Viewers have asked why gun control has so much resistance in the United States.

School killings don't really seem to send much of a message to our "Cowboy President."

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (BATF) is connected to the Treasury Department.

The TREASURY DEPARTMENT!   The TREA$URY DEPARTMENT.

Let's connect the dots:  Taxes on the sale of alcohol, nicotine, and guns fill the TREA$URY.

Now tell me, viewers:  Is it REALLY a mystery why we have lobbyists for these deadly industries?

Dying children will NEVER be as important as the manufacturers and users of this deadly garbage.

Your post puts ALL the blame on the victims. Everyone of us has been harrassed or bullied or picked on or called names at some time in our lives. Everyone of us has had to walk away from fights or get into fights to defend ourselves.

Bullying is wrong, but it is sadly a part of life. What is really WRONG is that families are dysfunctional and children are not given the time and attention they need. They are given plenty of STUFF, in most cases, but  not love, family talks, attention, guidance, discipline, encouragement, support, etc.

Tyler Peterson may have had things rough, but Tyler Peterson had no right to take a life. Bullies do NOT deserve to die. They are insecure HUMAN BEINGS who should be stopped without violence.

Let's not make Tyler Peterson to be the victim and the real victims to be the guilty parties. Let's keep it in perspective. MUCH of the blame goes to the parents of young kids....you know there is SOMETHING wrong in the home (and the raising process) for a kid to be so violent and want to kill.

As a former teacher in a violent high school, I would tell you to do this the following. It's what I would do, if I were in your shoes:

Send a letter to the Superintendent of schools (letting him know who you are also sending the letter to)

Send a letter to the School board

Send a letter to the Teacher's Union

Send a letter to the school's principal

Send a letter to the head of the school's PTA

Send a letter to the local police force

Send a letter (it can be unsigned) to the boy's parents letting them know your worries

AND send a letter to the local media

(Except for the one to the boy's parents, it can be a copy of all the same letter).

DO keep a copy of it for yourself.

Only then will I say you have done your best to prevent a crime from occurring. It may also help to share your fears with other parents who have kids attending the same school, but DO NOT slander the boy or his family or you could be sued. Write the letters honestly and carefully. Good luck. And thank you for caring enough about others to get involved.

I can tell from your letter that you know little about guns and little about the training those who carry guns have! You also make it sound like all women can and will be overpowered. Speak for yourself. I have taken down 250 lb men in training. It's about SKILL, not size.

I am a former high school teacher (9 yrs) and a former felony parole officer (3 years). I have been trained to carry a firearm and I carry it when I travel alone with our children. I also have it close by when my husband is out of town and I carry it when I walk alone in the evenings.

I taught in a dangerous city school for 5 years. Kids were being arrested in my classroom. I had kids waiting trial (in seats) who were charged with attempted murder (drive by shootings), car jackings, home invasions, etc. THESE are just some of the kids in our public high schools nationwide. These are just some of the kids who sit next to innocent little Sally Sue and Johnny. John Q Public doesn't know half the story!

All I had was a cell phone when I was stalked by a night school teen and threatened with death by a suicidal kid (I was 8 months pregnant at the time). Do you really think my phone would have worked well against one of these young thugs with a gun? Should we just liine up and allow one of them to shoot us....kids, me, students on the other sides of the thin walls?

People who carry concealed weapons have to keep them secured on their body and out of sight. Nobody ever knows when I was carrying my weapon. They're not supposed to. The weapon is there for  me to use if ever needed. I have had enough training to be responsible. How many crimes have you heard where a person carrying a concealed weapon has shot someone who wasn't attacking? I have heard of ZERO and I am in my 40's.

TRUST ME, LADY. If a student WANTS to kill, he will kill. It won't be a teacher's concealed weapon he uses. He'll just bring one with him to school!!!

You're right, you are not "fearful." You are clueless and uninformed. You will be serving tea and crumpets to a home invader as your kids are being killed. Or better yet, dial 911 and just ask the attacker to wait until law enforcement arrives in 10 minutes. GEESH>

I don't want or need revenge. I am against the death penalthy AND against killing babies (apparently that's ok with many women). But I do have a right to protect myself and my family. This idea that a teacher's gun will CAUSE some kid to kill is just plain FOOLISH.

Look at the teacher who is suing to carry one. Her ex-husband has threatened to kill her. She's a teacher with students. Do you want her to be unarmed when he walks into her classroom and starts shooting her and her students? I'd rather she be TRAINED and carry a gun. At least my child would stand a chance!