BellaOnline Forums Education Homeschooling Today's school shooting/gun found elsewhere

I believe that most parents who homeschool are more concerned about emotional damage and physical danger short of school shootings, as well as lack of educational opportunities and unwanted influences in social or moral development.

Many people in my family believe that if guns laws are enacted, only criminals will have guns - meaning people who were criminals before the laws were passed - and they would not be able to protect themselves without handguns. But most use guns for hunting, or target practice.

What bothers me about the gun laws that expired is that they protected us from our neighbors having easy access to assault weapons and other guns that make life more dangerous for police officers and the general public.

I think when we talk about the shortcomings of public schools, we forget to mention what a tremendous resource they have been and still are for so many children and families.

In addition to educational opportunities, they provide a place for children to be while their parents earn a living. We don't want to disregard those educational opportunities,
especially for girls, children with disabilities, and those whose parents can't teach them at home. It is not that long ago in history when education was for the elite, and of course in some parts of the world even home education has had to be done in secret.

I feel that the Amish folks have done more than anyone to protect their children and also to build a community over generations where their children should be safe. It's just a terrible thing all around.

Maybe good people should all work on getting along together, remembering everything that makes us want the world to be a better place, in memory of these innocent lives that were taken.

Pam W
SE of Seattle

CQ - These are internal issues over which a school CAN and SHOULD have control; but they've opted not to. Their deliberate lack of care made them a danger. And in my opinion, that's pathetic as these issues CAN be managed effectively.

Well, i firmly stick to my viewpoint that public schools are NOT safe. Maybe it's where I live, I don't know...but definately NOT safe emotionally, physcially or academically.

Here's an interesting article, these always pop up after a shooting or some act of violence at a school.

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=539611

It's been a horrible couple of weeks for public schools, with fatal shootings in Pennsylvania, Colorado, and Wisconsin. We've also heard stories of teachers sexually abusing their students. It's all got parents questioning the safety of public schools, and taking a closer look at homeschooling.

So many schools only do a cursory check into a teacher's background; or listen to students when they make initial reports of predation. These ARE things schools and districts can do; they just opt not to deal with these internal issues until they hit boiling point.

The wacko's with guns, bombs, etc., even on total lock down you'd be hard pressed to "deal" with these effectively.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061003/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush_school_violence_7

Tue Oct 3, 12:27 PM ET



RENO, Nev. - The Bush administration, alarmed by recent attacks at public schools across the country, is bringing education and law enforcement experts together for a conference on coming to grips with the problem.

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The goal would be to discuss the nature of the problem and federal action that can help communities prevent violence and deal with its aftermath, White House spokeswoman Dana Perino told reporters as President Bush made a campaign tour here Monday.

Three schools have been hit by deadly attacks in the past week. A gunman killed himself and five girls Monday at a one-room Amish schoolhouse in Pennsylvania; on Friday a 15-year-old Wisconsin student shot and killed his principal; and last Wednesday a man took six girls hostage in Colorado, sexually assaulting them before fatally shooting one girl and killing himself.

"The president is deeply saddened and troubled by the recent school violence and shootings that have taken place in different communities across America," Perino said. "It breaks America's collective heart when innocent children who are at school to learn are violently taken hostage and cut down in their own schools."

Perino said the conference was still in the planning stages, so a specific date, location and other details were not ready to be announced. It was not clear whether President Bush would attend.

Education Secretary Margaret Spellings, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and Bush's domestic policy adviser, Karl Zinsmeister, met Monday at the White House to discuss the conference. They met while the president was on a cross-country flight to begin a three-day fundraising trip for Republican candidates in the midterm election.

Perino said participants on the education side would include groups like the National Parent Teacher Association, school principals and teachers' unions. The Federal Bureau of Investigations would be among those representing law enforcement, she said.

So, I have to ask why in the world it has taken THIS long for someone to take a hard look at this.

"Why in the world it has taken THIS long for someone to take a hard look at this."

1. Money, money, money...

2. Lack of significant pressure from constituents (the pots finally boiling over)

Of course, if ALL they look at is how to handle shootings on campus, we're still very much in trouble safety wise.

here's another one from my old hood (well, close to there anyhow!)

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/news_local_orlandocrime/2006/10/report_of_armed.html