The news media, international and domestic, were quick to pick up the feed. 20+ students were hurt when a classmate went on a "knifing rampage" in his school. No one died but a few students were seriously injured. Large scale incidents are both regular and rare depending on one's point of view. Although incidents in which multiple people are hurt are the exception as any bell curve analysis would show, large scale incidents happen regularly. During the month of April one can almost predict at least one event because anniversary dates will spark copy cat crimes. Both the Columbine High School and Virginia Tech rampages (with multiple deaths in each) occurred in April (1999 and 2007 respectively).
The "Columbo" style investigations which ensue are repetitive. So are the memorial events and hand- wringing that accompany the event. The investigations are "Columbo" style because the perpetrators are already known. The dropped pieces of the puzzle are put together to determine motive/cause and what could have been done to prevent it. Of course, initially, no one admits that anything could possibly have been done to prevent the attacks. The forensics are done so that lessons can be learned to prevent another school from experiencing such trauma. How is that working for us? Take a look at a mapped out view of the United States which shows locations and one will see that it is not going all that well.
Intermixed with the coverage of the event is coverage of prayer vigils, services, memorials, t-shirts, banners, stuffed animals and candles. These are all part of the grieving process, but most are feel good reactions to the complete failure to communicate. Since the services occur during the early stages of grieving, the long term effects may not last through the anger stage of the grief cycle. Interestingly, prayer vigils and services are not allowed at any school event until a tragedy occurs.
If prayer works after an event, it should also work before an event is to happen. Heroes do emerge in these situations. All well and good but the hero is only recognized in the rescue and recovery phase. We are supposed to be learning prevention-stopping the violence before it begins.
When the news discloses to the general public that the perpetrator is a white, male teenager, in a white middle class community with tree lined streets and pretty houses, the hand wringing begins. The reactions are predictable. How could this happen to an "Ozzie and Harriet" family or wealthy community (Sandy Hook/ Littleton/ suburbs)? We didn't learn anything from Columbine or Sandy Hook then if we are still asking that question. We also did not learn a thing because in a violent world, people still say "I can't believe it happened here."
We are 16 years out from the 1997-98 school year which had several large scale events involving students and deaths in schools. In 1998, President Clinton called on experts in the field and his own Attorney General, Janet Reno, to collaborate on a resource for ALL school personnel. It is a great resource but it was not distributed to anyone I knew. The Guide to Safe Schools identified communication and early intervention as primary means of stopping (aka preventing) the violence.
After the Virginia Tech massacre, the Clery Act should have become a household word. Take a quick survey of college employees. Many don't know what that Act is all about and that it was created in 1992 with several revisions especially since Virginia Tech's failure to communicate the danger to the students and staff (before and after the killing spree).
As a teacher, I learned in 1998 just how difficult it is to speak up about the violence because a white, middle class school district denied problems existed. So I continue to speak up. It has been a continuing battle. Even in religious education programs, the thought of a troubled child causing serious harm was a hard pill to swallow but luckily, the medicine was taken. At a college campus, a part time teacher didn't want to report to security that an adult student had shown a buoy knife in her class. A call to the security guard helped with that threat.
What do we learn from this most recent international news story about a knife rampage at a high school? Well, "Columbo" will determine that a motive does exist and that the perpetrator gave some sort of warning. We will also learn from news sources that the information comes out unwilling. School districts usually lawyer up as do the perpetrators (if alive).
We will also be reminded that knife rampages have killed many in other countries (China several times). And a quick review of the date of April 9 will show that a community college campus in Texas was also the scene of a student on a rampage with a knife in 2013.
People will argue about the weapons. On April 9, 2014 a man caused an accident that sent a car into a daycare center, killing one child and injuring others. So, this man used a car. There will be no hand wringing for this "ex-con" but he may have had more reasons to be angry then the kid at the high school. In the summer of 2011, a student on drugs and driving at a high rate of speed killed himself and three of his eight passengers (overloaded car and no seat belts). The hand wringing went on for over a year until the news finally came out that the driver, a high school student, was driving under the influence. The driver's parents in that situation wanted to point the finger at the state and local authorities instead of their son.
If you want to know the truth about incidences in schools, ask the kids, They know what goes on. But, they may be discouraged from speaking the truth so a "romantic spin" can be put on the picture being pieced together. Ask administration, parents, and the teachers under oath in a public setting.
Eventually, the news media fades away. Another event will take its place. Insurance companies will come in with the lawyers and settle up accounts. Another city and school makes it to the top of the timeline for schools who have had news worthy incidents of school violence. Another student spends time (deserved) in jail and the community will be left with physical. emotional and financial scars.
In rescue and recovery, there are heroes. It is as natural for people to help as it is natural for others to strike out and hurt others. But my heroes are the parents, teachers, and community members who don't wait for the "Columbo" investigations to begin in order to speak up. My heroes are those parents,teachers, administrators and community members who do everything they can to get help for situations before a tragedy ensues. The pain felt by those heroes is heart wrenching but better for the conscience.
There is not one new thing we can learn about preventing violence in our schools by this recent attack that we shouldn't already have learned except that romanticizing and hand-wringing after the fact are great in rescue and recovery but not in the business of prevention.
I sure hope "Columbo" gets cooperation from all the parties involved. But if history repeats itself (as we see with violence), he will have a difficult go of it. He will have help though, the FBI is on the case already because the FBI keeps statistics on these episodes. I guess that means this is serious stuff as the violence of our culture continues to invade "safe havens".
(According to the attackers attorney, bullying and mental illness are not the cause and neither is a dysfunctional family....should make "Columbo's" job easier then.)
From the Teacher's Desk
Marian R. Carlino
April 12, 2014
