Middle School Shooting

[zen1300]

When someone's last words are "my life is over", that implies that things are seriously screwed up in their life.

It at least implies that they believe it is. Too often we hear of suicides from bullying and incidents like this. These individuals feel alone and without hope. There is no one there to help them get through the temporary situation they are going through.

There are, of course, those that are mentally disturbed and need much more than that.

 

[Younggun]

It will also be interesting to see how he got his hands on a gun. If that is one thing I am hard core about it is making sure the only weapon outside my safe is the one on my hip. It is crazy how many people dont think twice about leaving them unsecured when they have kids around, especially when they have friends that are over all of the time.

Amen to that. I'm willing to bet he either stole it from the parental/family safe, or someone screwed up (and most likely broke the law) by leaving a gun where a kid could get to it.

Interesting.


I grew up in a house with guns and my parents didn't even own a safe. I could walk in to my dads room and see the deer rifles on the wall and the sig and smith and Wesson that him on hooks within my reach and loaded. At 12 I got my deer rifle and a small green cabinet (which I had the key to) to keep it in with ammo. In sure I'm not the only one on this forum who grew up in such deadly conditions.


Now I have two kids and a safe, as well as several .22s and a shotgun on the wall.



Locking up every gun in the city would not have solved the problem. This kid was obviously troubled in some way and no body reached out. With the systems in place kids can't stick up for the selves with out explaining to their parents why the police are at the school. The "tell a teacher" policy is bullshit and only invites more bullying.


I don't think limiting access to a firearm would have made much difference, the problem was letting this kid get to a point where he felt the need to use one.

 

[Younggun]

Maybe his parents did neglect him. Im not trying to be "insensitive" here, but I went through a lot in my young years. Both at home and at school, being picked on and what not. Did I get mad? Yup. Did I wanna punch someone? Yup. Did I want to kill someone? No.

I already mentioned this in my other reply but it's something that really gets me. I did t have things to bad at home, great parents, but I did get picked on at school because I didn't fit the cool groups or have the cool clothes.

For a long time I dealt with bullying by pretending it didn't matter, pretending only takes you so far, eventually it will start to eat at you. But I was a good kid and didn't want to get in trouble and have police at the school because of me so I didn't want to get in a fight.

Eventually it got to the point that I had enough and took a swing at my bully who was twice my size. He swung back and knocked me to the floor. This happened 3 times I think, each time I got back up. When it was over he had a busted lip, I didn't show any marks but had a headache for 3 days. He never really messed with me again. I did t become part of the cool clique but my life away from home improved tremendously.


That ability to stand up and earn some amount of respect, to prove to yourself that you don't have to accept bullshit from some other kid or group of kids is what this new generation needs and the PC police have taken that away from them. Of course these kids are gonna start to snap. This system is making them feel helpless and when they finally do give up they are going after the ones who made them feel that way n

 

[TX69]

<snip>

Before the shooting, witnesses said they could hear the gunman saying 'my life is over' and demanding 'Why you people making fun of me?' and 'Why you laughing at me?'

<snip>

Where were the parents?

As for the gun ...

Where were the parents?

 

[Pilgrim]

That ability to stand up and earn some amount of respect, to prove to yourself that you don't have to accept bullshit from some other kid or group of kids is what this new generation needs and the PC police have taken that away from them. Of course these kids are gonna start to snap. This system is making them feel helpless and when they finally do give up they are going after the ones who made them feel that way n

A few weeks ago we were called in to the office because my son had punched another kid in the face... that's what we were initially told. When we got there we spoke to the Assistant Principal and the Gym Teacher about the altercation. After a bit of prodding we found out that the other kid had started the fight... he ran across the field and knocked my son down because he was doing a victory dance. My son got up, dusted himself off and punched the other boy in the face before the Gym Teacher could get there to intervene.

The Assistant Principal stated that my son has a record of defending himself against bullies and that they would rather he tattle to a teacher instead of fighting. I asked her if the other parents were being called in to talk about their son's involvement and she said that "it's not my concern". I told her that I won't tell her how to do her job if she doesn't tell me how to be a parent. Discussion was over and we walked out.

When I got home my son was ready for his punishment. He walked up to me and asked what I would do to him because of the fight. I explained that he would never get in trouble with me for defending himself but if he ever INITIATED a fight then there would be hell to pay. Then I took him to Freddy's for some custard ice cream.

 

[Shotgun Jeremy]

I can't WAIT until I get that chance. I have my son in karate and one of the things I'm hoping he gets out if it is the confidence to stand up for himself. I try to work with him on it at home as well. We're making small steps.

 

[Vaquero]

<snip>

Before the shooting, witnesses said they could hear the gunman saying 'my life is over' and demanding 'Why you people making fun of me?' and 'Why you laughing at me?'

<snip>

Where were the parents?

As for the gun ...

Where were the parents?

In the ammo line at Academy.

 

[35Remington]

A few weeks ago we were called in to the office because my son had punched another kid in the face... that's what we were initially told. When we got there we spoke to the Assistant Principal and the Gym Teacher about the altercation. After a bit of prodding we found out that the other kid had started the fight... he ran across the field and knocked my son down because he was doing a victory dance. My son got up, dusted himself off and punched the other boy in the face before the Gym Teacher could get there to intervene.

The Assistant Principal stated that my son has a record of defending himself against bullies and that they would rather he tattle to a teacher instead of fighting. I asked her if the other parents were being called in to talk about their son's involvement and she said that "it's not my concern". I told her that I won't tell her how to do her job if she doesn't tell me how to be a parent. Discussion was over and we walked out.

When I got home my son was ready for his punishment. He walked up to me and asked what I would do to him because of the fight. I explained that he would never get in trouble with me for defending himself but if he ever INITIATED a fight then there would be hell to pay. Then I took him to Freddy's for some custard ice cream.

I hope you also taught him that he will probably always get in trouble for this behavior at school, and that he should maintain respect for school staff, and let his father do the defending in the principal's office. Parents who treat their kid to ice cream after punching an aggressor in the face, without having the respect conversation, set a dangerous precedent.

 

[Pilgrim]

I hope you also taught him that he will probably always get in trouble for this behavior at school, and that he should maintain respect for school staff, and let his father do the defending in the principal's office. Parents who treat their kid to ice cream after punching an aggressor in the face, without having the respect conversation, set a dangerous precedent.

My kid has always been taught to respect his elders (reference the part where he was ready for his punishment) so please don't assume you know how I discipline and teach my child. He knows how to be respectful and he knows his father has his back. He gets amazing grades and his teachers love him... he just doesn't put up with being bullied in any way, shape or form.

 

[35Remington]

My kid has always been taught to respect his elders (reference the part where he was ready for his punishment) so please don't assume you know how I discipline and teach my child. He knows how to be respectful and he knows his father has his back. He gets amazing grades and his teachers love him... he just doesn't put up with being bullied in any way, shape or form.

No assumption written or implied. Your other posts around here make you seem like a good parent. As someone with a fair amount of experience with public school staff, I have seen my share of kids who just get the carrot, and never the stick. Sorry for any offense.

 

[Pilgrim]

No assumption written or implied. Your other posts around here make you seem like a good parent. As someone with a fair amount of experience with public school staff, I have seen my share of kids who just get the carrot, and never the stick. Sorry for any offense.

No offense taken. My father was a tough but loving man. I adored and admired him but I was also afraid of the punishment I would receive if I fell out of line in any way - he was always uncompromising when it came to respecting our elders. He was tough but fair yet we always knew how much he cared about us. I go by his compass when I teach my own.

 

[ROGER4314]

The Assistant Principal stated that my son has a record of defending himself against bullies and that they would rather he tattle to a teacher instead of fighting.

When I first came to Texas and taught in a high school, I had two teenaged boys who absolutely hated each other. Finally one day, they walked out of my class, went over to the church across the street and fought it out. They fought for quite some time and rolled around in some huge ant hills while they were scrapping. It looked like the fight had been pretty even and both looked like Hell. I disciplined them for walking out of class and no one spoke about the fight. The two got along pretty well after the fight.

Today, about 17 years later, it's a different world. If either of my kids had been injured, I would be responsible because I didn't break up the fight. I would have been charged and sued. Schools operate under the rule "in place of the parent". If your kid's Administrators failed to act on that physical altercation, they would be in hot water.

That's the way that it is, now for better or worse. It's also one of the major reasons the I quit teaching. When ANYTHING happens at school, the first words out of adult mouths include "Fire the teacher." There's no way to win in that mess of regulations.

On the positive side of this. There was a Senior male who had a younger sister. The girl was a great kid but she was a bit overweight. Jeremy found out a another HS student was calling his sister names and referring to her weight in hurtful ways. He walked up to the kid and flattened him! Jeremy went to "in school suspension" but I had occasion to speak with him. I shook his hand and told him that I couldn't condone what he did but that it WAS a class act! I probably could have been in trouble for that but, F it!

Flash

 

[TX69]

A few weeks ago we were called in to the office because my son had punched another kid in the face... that's what we were initially told. When we got there we spoke to the Assistant Principal and the Gym Teacher about the altercation. After a bit of prodding we found out that the other kid had started the fight... he ran across the field and knocked my son down because he was doing a victory dance. My son got up, dusted himself off and punched the other boy in the face before the Gym Teacher could get there to intervene.

The Assistant Principal stated that my son has a record of defending himself against bullies and that they would rather he tattle to a teacher instead of fighting. I asked her if the other parents were being called in to talk about their son's involvement and she said that "it's not my concern". I told her that I won't tell her how to do her job if she doesn't tell me how to be a parent. Discussion was over and we walked out.

When I got home my son was ready for his punishment. He walked up to me and asked what I would do to him because of the fight. I explained that he would never get in trouble with me for defending himself but if he ever INITIATED a fight then there would be hell to pay. Then I took him to Freddy's for some custard ice cream.

Yu're an excellent father and role model sir

 

[dustycorgill]

Interesting.


I grew up in a house with guns and my parents didn't even own a safe. I could walk in to my dads room and see the deer rifles on the wall and the sig and smith and Wesson that him on hooks within my reach and loaded. At 12 I got my deer rifle and a small green cabinet (which I had the key to) to keep it in with ammo. In sure I'm not the only one on this forum who grew up in such deadly conditions.


Now I have two kids and a safe, as well as several .22s and a shotgun on the wall.



Locking up every gun in the city would not have solved the problem. This kid was obviously troubled in some way and no body reached out. With the systems in place kids can't stick up for the selves with out explaining to their parents why the police are at the school. The "tell a teacher" policy is bullshit and only invites more bullying.


I don't think limiting access to a firearm would have made much difference, the problem was letting this kid get to a point where he felt the need to use one.

Im not saying MY kids dont know how to respect firearms, or that they would do something like this so thats why I have my guns locked up. However, my kids are teenagers. They have friends that come over frequently. You never know what state of mind someone is in, they can appear to be fine, but underneath be ready to blow. Im just saying that I believe that gun owners have a responsibility to consider that not ALL kids will think the same and or act the same. So in my opinion it is better to be safe than sorry. But that is just my thoughts on it.

True, someone should have reached out to this kid, but they didnt. I am not making this about the gun, the gun did not kill that teacher or shoot those two kids.

 

[benenglish]

I have my son in karate and one of the things I'm hoping he gets out if it is the confidence to stand up for himself.

He probably won't need to overtly stand up for himself. The overall demeanor of someone who has mastered a martial art warns off others of ill intent. The attitudes it will instill will keep him from starting problems.

The only good thing in a very bad but very popular book I read a while back was that all children should learn, at minimum, one musical instrument, one foreign language, and one martial art. Sounds good to me.

 

[Pilgrim]

The Assistant Principal stated that my son has a record of defending himself against bullies and that they would rather he tattle to a teacher instead of fighting.

When I first came to Texas and taught in a high school, I had two teenaged boys who absolutely hated each other. Finally one day, they walked out of my class, went over to the church across the street and fought it out. They fought for quite some time and rolled around in some huge ant hills while they were scrapping. It looked like the fight had been pretty even and both looked like Hell. I disciplined them for walking out of class and no one spoke about the fight. The two got along pretty well after the fight.

Today, about 17 years later, it's a different world. If either of my kids had been injured, I would be responsible because I didn't break up the fight. I would have been charged and sued. Schools operate under the rule "in place of the parent". If your kid's Administrators failed to act on that physical altercation, they would be in hot water.

That's the way that it is, now for better or worse. It's also one of the major reasons the I quit teaching. When ANYTHING happens at school, the first words out of adult mouths include "Fire the teacher." There's no way to win in that mess of regulations.

On the positive side of this. There was a Senior male who had a younger sister. The girl was a great kid but she was a bit overweight. Jeremy found out a another HS student was calling his sister names and referring to her weight in hurtful ways. He walked up to the kid and flattened him! Jeremy went to "in school suspension" but I had occasion to speak with him. I shook his hand and told him that I couldn't condone what he did but that it WAS a class act! I probably could have been in trouble for that but, F it!

Flash

It's a shame that teachers like you are driven out of the school system because of the bureaucracy. It sounds like you were a great instructor. Don't get me wrong, I don't blame or harbor ill feelings towards the faculty because they asked us to come in and talk about my son's fight. I know they're doing their job but I take exception to the idea that tattling is the way to solve problems with bullies. I may be biased by my own personal experiences but I've found that bullies often prey on kids that don't defend themselves and they take any chance they can get to exact that vengeance when teachers are looking the other way. My boy is small for his age so he's often the target of bigger kids looking to pick a fight. When they realize he doesn't back down they either stay away from him or they become friends.

Two years ago he got into it with a bigger kid who knocked a little girl off the slide because she was scared to slide down. My boy walked up to the kid and kicked him HARD on the shin, knocked him down and made him apologize to her. Later that day he told me he wanted to be a police officer so he can protect other kids. I was both proud of him and scared to death about that prospect. I like to think most kids know the difference between right and wrong - but it's up to us as parents (and no one else) to make them accountable when they cross the line. I grew up in an old school household with old school rules and I think our new generation of parents have forgotten that disciplining begins in the home and it WORKS...

 

[matefrio]

Last year I taught my son how to face down bullies in 8th grade when things came to a head. Told him never to start a fight but commit to it if there was one. To be open with me what was going on online or at school.

Even though I never think this would happen I told him point blank never to take a gun to school and we talked about what happens if someone does.

New school, he's having to redo some of his work from last year. The first "kid' he faced down was no joke 6'3" and pushing 375lbs. He got my son on "That's not the bench where Freshman sit" and threatened to beat him up. My son said "I really don't want to find out who's the toughest person here over a bench. Why don't you leave me alone?" Loud enough it drew a crowd. He didn't face the guy down or square up, just sat there so body language was passive.

Kid had no response. Come to find out the big kid is still going though the legal process defending himself from charges after a fight from last year.

 

[txbikerman]

I thought my son not to start a fight. But not to walk away either. If a punch is thrown that he should defend himself.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2

 

[BG1960]

Interesting.


I grew up in a house with guns and my parents didn't even own a safe. I could walk in to my dads room and see the deer rifles on the wall and the sig and smith and Wesson that him on hooks within my reach and loaded. At 12 I got my deer rifle and a small green cabinet (which I had the key to) to keep it in with ammo. In sure I'm not the only one on this forum who grew up in such deadly conditions.

<snip>

Ours were in the living room in an unlocked glass front gun cabinet. Matter of fact, they still are. ( I am 53 now.) Ammo in a small cabinet below. I would come home after school and take whatever I wanted out of the cabinet and head out into the land behind our neighborhood. I took an M1 Carbine to history class one time for show and tell. While it was cleared with the Office, no one freaked when I walked to school with it. Damned glad I didn't procreate, I'd hate to think how many ways I could F up with a kid these daze.

 

[dustycorgill]

Ours were in the living room in an unlocked glass front gun cabinet. Matter of fact, they still are. ( I am 53 now.) Ammo in a small cabinet below. I would come home after school and take whatever I wanted out of the cabinet and head out into the land behind our neighborhood. I took an M1 Carbine to history class one time for show and tell. While it was cleared with the Office, no one freaked when I walked to school with it. Damned glad I didn't procreate, I'd hate to think how many ways I could F up with a kid these daze.

I get you and Youngguns points. I grew up the same way. However, times have changed like it or not. Kids these days have way more bad influences and are being brought up in a society that isn't exactly the best. I mean, we watched Leave It To Beaver and Father Knows Best. Kids these days have music glorifying murder like its cool. We had friggin Frogger and Pac Man, or Asteroids......they have Call of Duty and Grand Theft Auto. And yes, I dont care what anyone says.....it all shapes a childs mind.