Education Law

Denver still on edge from Columbine

Way back when, as a high schooler, I turned down a student that asked me out (yes, I know you are shocked (admittedly I was too - I didn't get a lot of date requests)). In response, she wrote in a notebook something like 200-300 different ways to kill me. It was sort of impressive actually and kind of creative. Some friends of hers made me aware of it and she admitted to writing it and eventually I saw it. But, I never thought her threat was that serious and it was never reported (of course, that was pre-Columbine ... maybe today I would have a different response).

Anyway, it is going to take us a long time to recover from Columbine, as this similar story in Denver shows. People are always on edge to different degrees and I have seen it in Kentucky as well, as Paducah is still on the minds of teachers and administrators. But, eventually, we need to get over it. We can't forget it and need to learn the lessons from it, but we can't be so on edge as to consider every threat legitimate even after it is investigated. It doesn't do a service to our students who, after having their young hearts broken or being embarrassed, come up with inappropriate, but ultimately non-threatening, responses. Our students are not adults and we don't need to be treating them that way. It is good to see this story from Denver ... they are getting over it and it is a good signal to the rest of us that we should be as well.

h/t Scott M.

Full post as published by Edjurist on May 18, 2009 (boomark / email).