Violence in the schools

[Enzo]

Well, it is the original "it can't happen here." With nary a Harrison Ford in sight, someone has shot up an Amish schoolhouse in Penna. This time, like the other recent school shooting, it wasn't a student or apparently anyone connected to the school. SInce that just happened, I think that particular incident is not yet included. I have no point to make here, but thought some actual numbers might be useful for the inevitable discussions whether here or elsewhere.

So:

Checklist of Characteristics of Youth Who Have Caused School-Associated Violent Deaths

The National School Safety Center offers the following checklist derived from tracking school-associated violent deaths in the United States from July 1992 to the present. Follow this link to the School Associated Violent Deaths Report. After studying common characteristics of youngsters who have caused such deaths, NSSC has identified the following behaviors, which could indicate a youth’s potential for harming him/herself or others.
Accounts of these tragic incidents repeatedly indicate that in most cases, a troubled youth has demonstrated or has talked to others about problems with bullying and feelings of isolation, anger, depression and frustration. While there is no foolproof system for identifying potentially dangerous students who may harm themselves and/or others, this checklist provides a starting point.

These characteristics should serve to alert school administrators, teachers and support staff to address needs of troubled students through meetings with parents, provision of school counseling, guidance and mentoring services, as well as referrals to appropriate community health/social services and law enforcement personnel. Further, such behavior should also provide an early warning signal that safe school plans and crisis prevention/intervention procedures must be in place to protect the health and safety of all school students and staff members so that schools remain safe havens for learning.

_______ Has a history of tantrums and uncontrollable angry outbursts.
_______ Characteristically resorts to name calling, cursing or abusive language.
_______ Habitually makes violent threats when angry.
_______ Has previously brought a weapon to school.
_______ Has a background of serious disciplinary problems at school and in the community.
_______ Has a background of drug, alcohol or other substance abuse or dependency.
_______ Is on the fringe of his/her peer group with few or no close friends.
_______ Is preoccupied with weapons, explosives or other incendiary devices.
_______ Has previously been truant, suspended or expelled from school.
_______ Displays cruelty to animals.
_______ Has little or no supervision and support from parents or a caring adult.
_______ Has witnessed or been a victim of abuse or neglect in the home.
_______ Has been bullied and/or bullies or intimidates peers or younger children.
_______ Tends to blame others for difficulties and problems s/he causes her/himself.
_______ Consistently prefers TV shows, movies or music expressing violent themes and acts.
_______ Prefers reading materials dealing with violent themes, rituals and abuse.
_______ Reflects anger, frustration and the dark side of life in school essays or writing projects.
_______ Is involved with a gang or an antisocial group on the fringe of peer acceptance.
_______ Is often depressed and/or has significant mood swings.
_______ Has threatened or attempted suicide.

Developed by the National School Safety Center © 1998
Dr. Ronald D. Stephens, Executive Director
141 Duesenberg Dr., Suite 11, Westlake Village, CA 91362
Phone: (805) 373-9977; Fax: (805) 373-9277


PERMISSION TO REPRINT FOR PROFESSIONAL PURPOSE AS LONG AS CREDIT IS GIVEN TO NSSC.



AND

School-Related Violent Death Summary Data


School Year Total Deaths

2006-2007 17
(From 8/1/06 to present)

2005-2006 27

2004-2005 39

2003-2004 49

2002-2003 16

2001-2002 17

2000-2001 31

1999-2000 33

Total: 219

Many of these specific statistical records don't go back before Columbine in 1999.

[Lonewulf]

How I was in school:

Check -- Has a history of tantrums and uncontrollable angry outbursts.
Check -- Characteristically resorts to name calling, cursing or abusive language.
Once or twice, but I regret it -- Habitually makes violent threats when angry.
Does a screwdriver count? I still say that they judged too quick -- Has previously brought a weapon to school.
Check -- Has a background of serious disciplinary problems at school and in the community.
No! Yay! -- Has a background of drug, alcohol or other substance abuse or dependency.
Check -- Is on the fringe of his/her peer group with few or no close friends.
Well, I'm not open about it, but yeah actually. Mostly 'cause I love my games. -- Is preoccupied with weapons, explosives or other incendiary devices.
Check --Has previously been truant, suspended or expelled from school.
Does huggling and holding them to the point of scratching you count? -- Displays cruelty to animals.
My dad sucked at "supervising" me, and was a bad influence. -- Has little or no supervision and support from parents or a caring adult.
Check -- Has witnessed or been a victim of abuse or neglect in the home.
Check, I've been bullied-- Has been bullied and/or bullies or intimidates peers or younger children.
I don't think so. -- Tends to blame others for difficulties and problems s/he causes her/himself.
Do video games count? Check. Hell, I grew up on the Friday the 13th movies -- Consistently prefers TV shows, movies or music expressing violent themes and acts.
Define "ritual". o.O But check, I have read quite a bit of violent material (fantasy, sci fi, etc.) -- Prefers reading materials dealing with violent themes, rituals and abuse.
Nope. -- Reflects anger, frustration and the dark side of life in school essays or writing projects.
Nope (See "has few friends" above) -- Is involved with a gang or an antisocial group on the fringe of peer acceptance.
Ehhh, I can have my mood swings and have been depressed, but I wouldn't call it often -- Is often depressed and/or has significant mood swings.
Check (though I wasn't *really* serious about it) -- Has threatened or attempted suicide.

Y'know, answering this little thingy, I suddenly realize why my school was so afraid of me...

[Lance]

That checklist looks like an application to join GLP.

[Мастер]

At least half the people I knew in high school would have scored 80% or more. . .

[Dragon Star]

___No____ Has a history of tantrums and uncontrollable angry outbursts.
___Yes____ Characteristically resorts to name calling, cursing or abusive language.
___No____ Habitually makes violent threats when angry.
___Yes, knife for Ag. every day____ Has previously brought a weapon to school.
___lol, No____ Has a background of serious disciplinary problems at school and in the community.
___No____ Has a background of drug, alcohol or other substance abuse or dependency.
___Well, duh____ Is on the fringe of his/her peer group with few or no close friends.
___No____ Is preoccupied with weapons, explosives or other incendiary devices.
___No____ Has previously been truant, suspended or expelled from school.
___NO____ Displays cruelty to animals.
___No____ Has little or no supervision and support from parents or a caring adult.
___No____ Has witnessed or been a victim of abuse or neglect in the home.
___No____ Has been bullied and/or bullies or intimidates peers or younger children.
___No____ Tends to blame others for difficulties and problems s/he causes her/himself.
___Who doesn't?____ Consistently prefers TV shows, movies or music expressing violent themes and acts.
___No____ Prefers reading materials dealing with violent themes, rituals and abuse.
___No____ Reflects anger, frustration and the dark side of life in school essays or writing projects.
___No____ Is involved with a gang or an antisocial group on the fringe of peer acceptance.
___Everyone has their days, but not often____ Is often depressed and/or has significant mood swings.
___No____ Has threatened or attempted suicide.

[Lonewulf]

That checklist looks like an application to join GLP.

Then why am I here, since I've passed quite a bit of that test? ;)

[The Beer Slayer]

_______ Consistently prefers TV shows, movies or music expressing violent themes and acts.

That's half the male kids in the country. This thing is useless.

[Dragon Star]

HALF?

Pfftt...

[I Am He]

Lone Wulf said:Then why am I here, since I've passed quite a bit of that test?

Lance did invite the GLP'ers to come over here to post their views, you know. And were you not welcomed when you came??

[Lonewulf]

Lance did invite the GLP'ers to come over here to post their views, you know. And were you not welcomed when you came??

But I wasn't on GLP before I came here.

[Enzo]

This thing is useless.

I have no vested interest in this checklist, but I believe such lusts are more to be considered in the whole. ANy one question is of little value, it is when taken as a whole that it has more value.


A lot of kids might get angry easily, which tells us little, but couple that with gets over it quickly or carries a grudge, and it is more informative.

[teri tait]

Well the guy that shot those children at the Amish school doesn't seem to meet the criteria at all. Aside from being an adult, he was a devoted family man and well liked by neighbors, etc.
Really makes it difficult to predict a violent outburst like that from someone so normal and apparently well adjusted. Its really sad, but it happens and sometimes there is no way to predict when and who will be triggered to commit such a heinoous crime against children.

[Enzo]

True, we will never collect all the miscreants before the fact. That list was aimed at the students I think.

[Lonewulf]

The problem is that the root of most of the problems seem to be the stressful, unnecessary facts of schoollife, such as bullying.

If one removed the bullies, then the victims wouldn't feel the need to lash out. That's the way I feel, at least.

[Enzo]

I'd say so. That is why "bullying" has become such a buzz word or mantra in the schools these days. You can't open the local paper without some sort of bullying article these days.

Bullying being the more extreme end of the scale, I think in general kids are socially pretty cruel through the school ages. ostracization and alienation being strong forces to content with.

[Lonewulf]

I'd say so. That is why "bullying" has become such a buzz word or mantra in the schools these days. You can't open the local paper without some sort of bullying article these days.

Bullying being the more extreme end of the scale, I think in general kids are socially pretty cruel through the school ages. ostracization and alienation being strong forces to content with.

On this, I'd agree with you. I went through all of that myself.

But do we really change when we grow older, or do we just get more "mature" with our ostracization?

[Dragon Star]

I have a bone to pick with this "bullying". I have been to 8 schools, in 3 states, and I have only seen a few cases of bullying that entire time at school. I happen to have fallen in that category of kids that get bullied until probably a few years ago, and I have NEVER been bullied. In fact I have only seen two cases of so called bullying, and both were one time occurances.

I remember before going to high-school, 8th grade everyone talked about how our High-School was really bad and everyone that couldn't fight gets beat up and countless other amounts of bullshit, but when I got there NONE of that ever happened. So, where does all of this bullying happen? Is this just one of those localized things that degrades the name "school" in it's entirety?

I think it's for the most part, a thing of the past, and only occurs in schools that have little/no authority.

[Lonewulf]

I think it's for the most part, a thing of the past, and only occurs in schools that have little/no authority.

Er, right, because the DODD school I went to in Korea had no authority at all, being on a military base, complete with MPs coming when bomb threats are called...

[Dragon Star]

This, "for the most part". There are always exceptions to the rule.

Do you really think that I don't think there is violence in the ghetto?

[Enzo]

It is tough to generalize from one man's experience - in this case yours, DS. Bullying happens all over, all the time. Doesn't mean everywhere.

40,000 people a year die in traffic accidents, I have been driving for over 40 years, and yet I have never seen a fatal accident. They happen all the time, even here in town, but I never have been there at the time. Point is that my personal experience doesn't accurately reflect the overall situation.

In the local high school - a small town school - they mail out the student newspaper to the community. A recent editorial page had a for/against feature with two students facing off over whether of not "hazing" should be allowed. The school wants to outlaw hazing, and a large oportion of the student body is steamed about it. They think hazing is great. Perhaps part of its attraction is that when lower classmen THEY suffered hazing and now it's "their turn." This is insane to me, hazing is nothing more than sanctioned bullying.

ANyone not knowing, hazing is like in fraternities where it is OK for upper classmen to pick on and otherwise torment lower classmen. "All in good fun" of course. Makes life miserable for the younger ones. The point here is that not only is the behavior present, it is common enough to warrant discussions and taking sides in the student press, plys the school feeling the need to make policy in its regard.

[hippietrekx]

I have a bone to pick with this "bullying". I have been to 8 schools, in 3 states, and I have only seen a few cases of bullying that entire time at school. I happen to have fallen in that category of kids that get bullied until probably a few years ago, and I have NEVER been bullied. In fact I have only seen two cases of so called bullying, and both were one time occurances.

I remember before going to high-school, 8th grade everyone talked about how our High-School was really bad and everyone that couldn't fight gets beat up and countless other amounts of bullshit, but when I got there NONE of that ever happened. So, where does all of this bullying happen? Is this just one of those localized things that degrades the name "school" in it's entirety?

I think it's for the most part, a thing of the past, and only occurs in schools that have little/no authority.

I think bullying is a lot more broad than the "Hey kid, give me your lunch money!" sterotype. It's a blanket term that covers anything that a person (the bully) knowingly and willingly does that is hurtful to another person (the victim). These acts could incluse not only physical harm, but spreading rumors, taunting, and other psycological tactics.

I see stuff like that happen at school all the time. Actually, I think that every single person has at one point done something that was intentionally hurtful, and has in turn experienced it. The bully/victim line is very fine.

Bully seems to be an outdated term. Now we call them "jerks" or "bitches."

--hippie