Stem School follow up- do you remember that one? May 7, 2019

Each and every school shooting has autopsies done.  There must be a building housing all the information on Columbine.

Not long after the 20th Anniversary of the shooting at Columbine High School in April, 2019, there was a shooting at a school within a very short distance of Columbine.

Listen to what the students say.

Connect to the link below listen and read the dialogue.  Read, listen, act- in your own homes, schools and communities.

Colorado Public Radio interview with 6 students from Colorado Schools

Student attitudes about trusting adults is part of the problem as well because they are afraid to seek help.

The adult attitudes are most of the problem.  Previous news reports did state that the shooter, one of two, did threaten to shoot up the school.
The students do discuss other times when kids threaten to hurt people at other schools.

Colorado has a system called Safe to Tell.  Safe to Tell

One of the speakers talked about kids knowing how to make bombs.  Remember, bombs was the primary weapon of intent with the two Columbine shooters.  They resorted to the guns when the bombs failed to detonate as planned.  Pipe bombs did go off in Columbine during the shooting and after it as well.

‘He also talked about how he knew how to make bombs.’

At another High School, staff did something.

Mattysen will be a senior at Castle View High School. She said that within the first few weeks of her starting at the school her sophomore year, a student in her math class shared “weird, disturbing stuff” with her.

Mattysen: For a while he was talking about like, how many guns he had. And at one point he said, “Mattysen, when I come to shoot up the school, you’re going to be the first one that I kill.”

So I talked to the teacher about it and I was like, “Can you move me away from this kid, because he’s very creepy.” The teacher emailed the school counselors and was like, “This is happening, in my class. Like, can you do something about it?”

I get called up… and like six counselors, and our school resource officer, all start asking me questions about it and what I had seen. He had shown me actual plans of what he was going to do when he shot up the school   

Nalia: Like, typed-up plans?
Mattysen: No, he had just written them down in his notebook.

Lillian: But was the plan like, go to this classroom?

Mattysen: No, it was like, this is how I’m going to shoot up the school, this is when I’m going to shoot up the school. Like stuff like that, and then he also talked about how he knew how to make bombs. And so he would like, try to blow up part of the school before."  

The kids recommend Resource Officers in schools, not arming teachers (of which I do  agree that arming teachers is not the answer.).  As we saw in Parkland, Florida, the armed resource officer failed.  Prevention and speaking up before is absolutely necessary.


Marian R Carlino

June 7, 2019

Time keeps on slipping, into the future- Happy Anniversary?

                                                                                   

Update: May 17, 2026.. Stopping school violence needs to include holding parents criminally liable. One case in Georgia did hold at least one parent criminally liable; the other parent is no less guilty. In Virginia, an adminstrator is scheduled for a criminal trial this week. A civil trial held earlier this year, awarded a wounded teacher 10 million dollars after she was shot by her 6 year old student. That mother also was found guilty of crimes. 

Older post: 
One of the mistakes, purposeful intentions, and ignorant moves of Northfield Public Schools was the misinterpretation of the Individual with Disabilities Education Act.  Lucky for them I recited the Pledge of Allegiance every day with my class and focused on "with liberty and justice for all."  I knew my 25 kids were being served up a plate of injustice for three years.  The kid with the serious problems was taking up a huge part of our time and violating the rights of other children.  In fact, other important problems of children in his classes were being missed (child assaulted by her father).  He is included in the 25 count.  He was served an injustice too by administration and his parents.

 A huge error in justice happened last year in Parkland, Florida.  Between the Promise Act and the IDEA, Cruz the identified shooter, per all news reports, got away with murder.  Well almost, they caught him at McDonald's, right?

Published on June 7, 1999, in NJ, was  the Assembly Task Force on Adolescent Violence Findings and Recommendations.  I have written about it in other blog posts but since the news just broke on Reuters and Fox News that the officials in Jefferson County, Colorado (home of infamous Columbine fame) are floating the idea of tearing the high school down, I thought I would take a another step back in history too.

Now tearing down the school is certainly worth considering but the horses asses got out of the barn 20 years ago.  Too little, too late...  The events inspired the copy cats.  It is known as the Columbine effect.  They keep letting the keeper of the barn, the principal, talk in public which is a shame.
He even wrote a book for the 20th anniversary and did a book tour.

I have a better option for you to read.

 The findings in the task force book are still available (see link above), and like the GUIDE TO SAFE SCHOOLS August 1998  (check it out- it is still available) is worth reading even if you don't live in NJ.  Evidently some school districts did not get the memo the first time around.  I know for certain I gave out copies to teachers but Mainland and Somers Point teachers did not receive it well.  Neither did teachers in workshops I led.. well except for Atlantic City.  Those teachers got it.

If you don't want to read the complete documents which are set up in an easy to read format, at least pay attention to the Executive Summary in the Assembly Task Force on Adolescent Violence.  In a Guide to Safe Schools, the document is broken into sections.


Page 1 of the Guide to Safe Schools states in the third paragraph:

"The 1997-98 school year served as a dramatic wake-up call to the fact that guns do come to school and some students will use them to kill.  One after the other, school communities across the country from Oregon to Virginia, from Arkansas to Pennsylvania, from Mississippi to Kentucky- have been forced to face the fact that violence can happen to them.  And while these serious incidents trouble us deeply, they should not prevent us from acting to prevent school violence of any kind."

When you read the findings in both of these reports, made over 20 years ago, you may weep for the children.  You are not alone because Jesus did warn the women.  He told them " Do not weep for me, weep for your children."

Are you tired yet of weeping?  Read my post about my public letter of resignation.  I was tired of the violence in my class. It hadn't involved guns up to that point.  But I could see the hand writing on the wall.  PUBLIC LETTER OF RESIGNATION

In 2014, co-workers here in Pittsburgh got calls from their schools.  Franklin Regional High School is where  a kid went on an attack with kitchen knives.  It is not the weapon used.  All the shootings involved breaking the law.  This kids' parents wanted to give other people advice.  Franklin Regional High School

I am glad that the Resource Officer from the high school in Parkland, Florida has been arrested.
In 1999, after the Guide to Safe Schools was published (then ignored), all school district employees should have been held accountable. Who knew and did nothing? Doing nothing until the Swat Team is called in? They also can fail, to at first, do their jobs.  Send in the Swat Teams

Also, Sandy Hook evidently did not have a great impact on Parkland, Florida although a teacher there said it should have been a "9/ 11 for  Teachers".

I have been writing editorials even before my exit from public education.  The newspapers gave me a platform.  I hope people read and listen.  My past editorials are as relevant today, June 7, 2019 , as they were the day I wrote them.

If not you, who?  I woke up for good on March 24, 1998 when Shannon Wright died taking a bullet for a student.   In memory of Shannon Wright  This post is also repeated in my blog post of  Taking a cue from Rosa Parks.  I recommend the book by Parker Palmer, The Courage to Teach.

Marian R. Carlino
June 7, 2019

Staying married greatest savings, reader suggests

I won a mug.. but it hadn't come in the mail. On Christmas morning, I opened a present.  My kids wrapped the mug for me!

In addition to writing editorials on abortion and school violence prevention, I sometimes responded to their questions.

The following one was a 25 words or less contest.


The question:  Where's a good place to cut in a typical household budget?

Per the lead in;  "Marian Carlino offered a surprising suggestion, that, if followed, would help some people avoid a potentially crushing financial calamity.  And all that is needed is a bit of self-control.  She wins this week's coveted 25 Words or Less Cup.

The divorce rate is 50 percent.  Two households, paramours and lawyers are expensive. If you're in an adulterous relationship end it.  Intact families cost less.

Marian  R Carlino
December  7, 2008

Judas had second thoughts too

When an editorial is submitted to a newspaper, the editors read it.  Someone makes a decision after reading it, to publish or toss it.  Through the years while living in NJ, I had many editorials published.
Some were edited, some were not.  It didn't take too long, considering all the information I gave to the press, for the local and regional newspaper editors to take me seriously.  I was good for the newspaper.  At times, as in my previous blog post, people reacted.  Scott of the previous comment in my blog post on drawings used to write editorials too. I also made sense.

People used to ask me to write for them which is something I would not do.  If it was laid on the heart of someone to do something, they should do it.  I used to say if it doesn't get published, at least one person has read it.  So go ahead and write. 
 

As of my workshop series last year, I am on a stay-cation this week.  I am taking this opportunity to blog previous editorials.  It seems everything I said in the past is current today.  Sadly, after 21 years of dealing with school shootings, the bullshit is always the same.  Today's USA Today has an article about the Sante Fe school district.  Do you remember that school shooting?  Google USA today and see what the issue is. A substitute teacher died last May (2018).  The dead woman's husband is still waiting for answers per the USA Today article..

The Current labeled this editorial "When a teacher dies in the line of duty"  I updated my blog post to the title that is listed.  Read the editorial and you will learn why.

Netflix has a documentary on "When children kill."  The  black student from Florida listed in the editorial is one of the subjects. He is an adult now serving his time.   The hostage taker listed is a subject in another blog post. I also watched one on Newtown.  Still many unanswered questions with that one too. 

To the editor:  (published May 5, 2001)

When a fireman or policeman dies in the line of duty, representatives from around the country take time out to honor their brothers and sisters.
The members of the organizations know what it takes to go to work on a daily basis, always facing the possibility of tragedy.  Therefore, they show their respects to the family and communities by sending members of their ranks to the services for their fallen comrades.
This does not happen when a teacher dies.  The ranks don't come together to honor the dead, but instead they do public relations work to convince the public it can't happen in their own schools, even though they know differently.  
A trial of a young man, an honor student, started in Florida last week.  He killed his teacher last May (2000), at point blank range. His lawyers are arguing his intentions were not to kill.
While this young man awaits the determination of his fate, another honor student sits in a jail cell in the state of Washington, writing apologies for taking his class and teacher hostage on April 10, 2001. He used a loaded hunting rifle but didn't pull the trigger.  He says that he didn't intend to harm anyone either.  

Two thousand years ago, another teacher was led to death by a "pupil".  The teacher's name was Jesus- the student's name was Judas. Judas had second thoughts too, but he committed suicide before his lawyers could argue his intent.

Marian R.  Carlino
published May 5, 2001  

On the day that Columbine happened I was still dealing with legal issues with NJEA and NEA.  They took my calls.  I chastised them for never showing up at the nationally televised prayer service with dignitaries and politicians.  The President of NEA rode with VP Al Gore to Littleton- after I made my phone call.
I have a different take on prayer services now.  I think they romanticize the shootings but prayer is important.  Sadly, as the one here in Pittsburgh after the Tree of Life shooting,  politics and prayer become intermingled.  Politicians should stay away.  The voices of the rabbi's at the prayer service were the ones worth listening to.  Politicians were politicking. (But I digress.)

Marian R. Carlino
June 6, 2019

SHOCKER- NOT EVERYONE LIKES MY OPINIONS!

Two days after a school resource officer from Parkland, Florida goes to jail for doing nothing during an active massacre -(pulled off by a student with a troubled past), do you still want school districts to give a pass of "That's ok, honey"?  School districts (of whom I am very critical for not acting ahead of the massacres) don't have too many options other than suspensions for consequences.  Obviously help is needed also, but first discipline.

Do you use time out for your children when they have done something wrong?

Maybe one day, the offending child will become a writer like Stephen King or become a movie director/producer of macabra movie fame. Maybe one day the child will write the greatest love story ever told.  But for dealing with the present behavior, the threatening picture had to be addressed.  

What if you were the parent of David?

The mother of the "artist" child let The Press know…the school district did not go to the Press.  

Just like the mother of the boy with whom I worked (violent behavior, violent drawings), the parent of a troubled child took to the public to voice concerns.  The mother of my student went to a bar and shared my workshop request.  How do I know?  Other parents told me.  They were some of the parents who wrote their own letters of concern so many years ago.

Since the mother of a child in Dennis Township, NJ went public, some of us responded.  Here is my response.  And below it is a response with another point of view to my opinion. 

School’s concern was well founded—

Regarding the October 20 story- “Stick figure sketch lands boy, 7, on school suspension”: The stick figure drawing was published.

I still have the stick figure drawings and story line written by the child in my class along with his two friends. I gave the pictures to the school psychologist to let her know.  As you know from previous posts how our relationship played out. Her concern did not include the impact on my class of 25 children- only on the one.  I had to address the safety of all the children and staff who came into my class.  Did the school district below have the greater good in mind.  I think so.

Editorial:  

The drawing shows very clearly that one named person is at the receiving end of another person with a gun.  I would like to congratulate the child who did the right thing regarding school safety. According to the article, the child who was given this picture on the school bus gave it to his parents, who then contacted the school.  The Dennis Township school district then took action, based on a policy set in place because of the extremes in school violence nationwide.

Every child and adult in every school has the right to be safe.  When anyone, child or adult, violates the right to be safe, action may and should be taken.  In this case, a picture is worth a thousand words.  If a person stated that I am going to kill you, even without a weapon, only a foolish person would not take action.

Some may disagree with the type or amount of consequences given for a poor choice, but consequences do occur naturally and logically.  Now the school district should find out why the incident occurred.  The mother (of the offending child), who chose to go public with her complaints, should be grateful for the concern shown and should work with the school to solve the problem.

Marian R. Carlino

October 10, 2007

The stick figure had a boy’s name David with another stick figure, named  "Me" holding a gun at the back of the David stick figure. 

This is a response from a reader online: (spelling errors of the response are not corrected)

No, Marian Carlino is an idiot who writes to the papers frequently and spouts off nonsense.  She doesn’t understand that a 7 year old doesn’t possess the cognitive skills or thought processes to sit and form intent that was alleged by the stupendously stupid school district.  The only danger here was the risk of a paper cut.  This was a typical knee-jerk reaction by a bunch of morons who biggest concern is to wrap up a days work in time to get home and watch Mork and Mindy reruns on TV Land.

I hope this child’s mother sues the pants off the school district and wins millions.  Maybe then voters will think twice before electing morons to the school board who make stupid policies and actually elect a few people with intelligence.  What was needed here was a careful, measured response.  Would it have killed the principal to talk to the child and parent?  Maybe do a little education, you know, like schools are supposed to do.  Posted by Scott on Sat Oct 27, 2007 2:19 pm

Two other editorials thought the school district over reacted.  This is one.  Both writers assumed a suspension was done before talking to the parents.

Let’s lighten up on boy’s sketch

How complicated was the behavior of the second-grader who was suspended for a day because his art work included a stick figure hold a weapon pointed at another stick figure? 

Did he know about the zero tolerance policy? Was he crying for help? Or was he concerned about the president’s veto of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program? 

He’s 7 years old, for God’s sake.

Anthony Notturno

Villas

This is a close example of the one shown in the newspaper..   the picture from years ago was more descriptive in the direction of the gun.

https://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images;_ylt=AwrJ7JeAKPlc158AWTxXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTEycHBtMWNzBGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDQjY4MzNfMQRzZWMDc2M-?p=stick+figures+of+a+child+with+a+gun&fr=mcafee

PER THE WEBSITE FOR THIS ONE, A SECOND GRADER WAS SUSPENDED AFTER DRAWING THIS.

The second grade child with whom I worked, stood up in an assembly (the only one to make the choice) when the narrator reading Casey at Bat, and pointed his hand at the mascot from a now defunct professional baseball team.  The cue-  "kill the umpire" It was after I wrote my workshop request.  The child was suspended but after he came back to school, I was the one dismissed.   (see other posts about that incident)

SOMETIMES CHILDREN KILL

PERSONALITY PATTERNS

stick figure controversies

December 21, 2002

If you have ever read any of my FB posts, you do know that I have opinions and beliefs related to politics too.  In 2002, if you can imagine, a politician got in trouble for past statements.  The Courier Post  published my editorial with several other opinions.  All of the opinions were published before he stepped down.  I am not a huge fan of politicians stepping down.. even when I dislike them.  They were elected.

We can not continue to make people out to be racist.  I would hate all people of color if I took all their comments to heart.  Bus rides are eye opening to see how people react from all walks and colors of life.  After growing up in Plainfield, NJ- suffering riots, being targeted for being white, and my mother and sister both being assaulted - well I could have a much different view.  But, I don't judge people by their color, religion, nationality.  I do judge people by their actions.  Frankly, though, I have not excluded them from my life in general.  I do however have my boundaries but not being ignorant, I do believe all people need to be treated with respect.  And sometimes, that means reconciling with others who have done me harm. Others can just stay away.  I can love but I don't need to like.  Jesus- 101.

I met a very well educated black (a lawyer)  man a few years ago.  He was offended I described the turmoil in my town as riots.  He used a euphemism. I told him I grew up in Plainfield, NJ. I will continue to use the word- riots.  He was surprised to hear this white woman's take on growing up.  He wrongly assumed I did not suffer.  He wrongly assumed I was a privileged white woman.  He respects me when he sees me.  There is no Race and Reconciliation without honesty.

December 21, 2002 published in the Courier Post  the opinion page titled "What's Lott's Lesson?

( the politician, not the one who escaped Sodom and Gomorrah)

My editorial is titled Struggle-- the newspaper headline writings chose the title:

In the story, A Christmas Carol, Marley comes back from the dead to warn Scrooge that he should change his ways or risk facing the same shackled existence Marley does.  The ghosts of our nation's past appeared to Sen. Trent Lott.  Change comes only after a certain amount of struggle. I guess it's been Lott's turn to struggle.  He should thank God the struggle came before his 100th birthday.

I grew up in Plainfield during the 1950's and 1960's.  It was a very tense time.  I remember my parents talking about block busting by real estate agents to scare people into moving. When the first inter-racial family moved onto our block as our immediate neighbors, others weren't happy. People wouldn't walk on our sidewalks in front of our homes because we (our families) were friends. The neighbor on one side of us yelled at me for bringing a non-white (black) friend into our yard. (My mom was not happy with that neighbor.) A car was firebombed in front of our neighbor's house.  The race riots didn't make anyone happy- on either side.  Another neighbor's friend was a policeman ( actually a nephew) who was beaten to death in one of the riots- (with a shopping cart and a mob). Busing for desegregation wasn't a panacea for resolution of conflict; race riots broke out at my high school for several years.  I graduated in 1972 from Plainfield High.  My parents retired from that house in late 1970's.

They taught me to hate the violence, but not to hate people.

Marian R. Carlino
published December 21, 2002



What is your struggle?  

HOLD ACCOUNTABLE-- PUBLISHED JANUARY 1, 2001 A STUDENT HELD HIS CLASS HOSTAGE

The local  and regional newspapers could not publish all I sent them.  In fact, some information sent was just the backup documentation. They saw most, if not all, of my documentation through the years.

This editorial was published in 2001.

Editorial  published in the COURIER POST on January 25, 2001.

Although I agree that the juvenile who recently took his class and teacher hostage at Riverside Middle School was screaming for help, I do believe that the child and those who would plan to imitate his actions should realize that they can and should be held accountable for the wrong doing.

Everyone has difficulties in life. Not everyone takes people hostage to send the message.

The public has the right to know the outcome of the hearings, although I understand the confidentiality aspect of the law.  I feel this way because although no one was physically hurt by the actions, the emotional damage has been done.

The greater good lies with the children and staff of the school. Although psychologists are thought to be experts in their field, they do make mistakes.  Eddie Werner and the Manzies fought that fight a few years ago.  We should learn from that incident too.

Marian R. Carlino
published January 25, 2001

Additional notes:  PSYCHOLOGISTS WHO GOT IT DEAD WRONG- COLUMBINE, AURORA, COLORADO MOVIE THEATER SHOOTING, SANDY HOOK, THE HIGH SCHOOL IN PARKLAND, FLORIDA TO NAME A FEW-- SO DID THE COUNSELORS OF SAM MANZIE.

Forgiveness does not eliminate holding accountable.  In fact, it demands it.

Eddie Werner died at the hands of Sam Manzie.  Eddie Werner and Sam Manzie
Door to door cookie sales and fundraisers changed forever as a result of Eddie Werner' death.

How have your rights been impacted since the 1997-98 school year?