Friday, September 08, 2000

The Federal Bureau of Investigations has sent out a warning to schools across the country to watch for the signs of a teenager who might react violently while at school.

The report comes on the heels of a bad period in American history when announcements of school shootings have peppered the news. The worst, of course, was the massacre at Columbine High School, which took the lives of nine students and one teacher and left many families scarred for life.

And Columbine was not the only school shooting in the news. From elementary school playgrounds to high school cafeterias, the scenes have been horrifying for anyone who has to send his or her daughter or son to school each day.

The FBI report offers teachers and administrators a guide on how to recognize a student who might be headed for trouble. The booklet gives school officials the information they need to decide whether a student’s threat might be valid as well as a composite of how a troubled teen might behave.

The information is a must-read for anyone who will be dealing with teenagers and who might be responsible for keeping a classroom or school safe.

There will be some who say the pamphlet is reactionary and that school officials will use its guidelines improperly. They will say that students will be harassed because of their dress, when they might be innocent of any violent tendencies.

Those are complaints that should be ignored.

There is nothing more important than protecting the lives of the youngsters who every day board buses and head to schools across the country.

Vigilant attention to potential risks to their safety is a must – and so are rules of conduct.

No student should be harassed for his behavior or choice of dress unless he or she has earned that criticism.

But no student should have to fear for his or her life when he or she arrives at school each morning, either.