Re: Parents and Schools

[Robert Hoffmann <escape@alt-escape.com>]

At 04:18 AM 4/23/99 EDT, you wrote:

>The other thing I'd like to mention is the apparent lack of willingness to 
>BLAME the parents of these kids.

Let's face it: a tragedy of this magnitude cannot happen without a
breakdown at numerous (if not all) levels.  Had these kids not been
ostracized by their peers, they wouldn't have decided to kill them.  If
these kids had had better coping strategies, it wouldn't have happened.  If
fellow members of the trench coat mafia informed the authorities that
something was wrong, it probably wouldn't have happened.  If teachers had
monitored the students' behavior towards each other, it probably wouldn't
have happened.  If the parents had better supervision of their children,
IPWHH.  If guns and explosive materials were not so readily available,
IPWHH.  If people in school had been paying better attention, they would
have noticed the extensive operation to smuggle guns and explosives into
the school, and IPWHH.

When pondering what can be done in Moscow and other areas to prevent such
tragedies (and to prevent little tragedies that wound the hearts of
students every day), I have to examine the factors above and isolate those
factors that we are most likely to change in a school setting.  Restricting
firearms or information on the Internet and elsewhere would be an extremely
ambitious move, even when faced with a tragedy of this magnitude.  There is
really no plan of action that could comprehensively train parents to
supervise their children properly.

Since schools are places of education, it seems very plausible to me (as I
have expressed in previous postings) that schools teach conflict resolution
and other skills needed by a civil society.  This will also require an
evaluation, education, and where necessary, a dismissal of teachers.  Some
teachers are obviously part of the solution.  Others are obviously part of
the problem.  I'm sure we can all remember teachers with abusive language,
explosive tempers, and demeaning attitudes.  These people are not merely
educating children, but acting as role models, so abusive teachers have no
place in our education system.

(IMHO)


Robert Hoffmann                      817 S. Adams
Alt-Escape Adventures                Moscow, ID  83843  USA
http://www.alt-escape.com            Phone: (208) 883-0642
	             Fax:   (208) 883-8545