Unfortunately, there is nothing our schools can do to assure a deadly shooting such as the one in California Monday doesn’t happen.

Wednesday, March 07, 2001

Unfortunately, there is nothing our schools can do to assure a deadly shooting such as the one in California Monday doesn’t happen.

But with each deadly school shooting that has occurred across the country in recent years there are valuable lessons to be learned.

Since the recent outbreak of shootings, schools have taken extra security measures to lessen the chances of being faced with such a tragedy. Many schools across the nation are locking all doors to the building but the main entrance. Some have installed security cameras.

There are, however, more things we can do to help prevent school violence.

Mandatory locker checks, for example, may help deter a possible catastrophe. If school officials searched lockers on a regular basis students may be less apt to bring a weapon to school. It is scary to think how many times a student may have taken a gun to school with intentions to kill classmates and teachers and backed off for one reason or another.

Another deterrent is to recognize warning signs and take them seriously. The 15-year-old gunman had reportedly informed fellow students and at least one adult of his intentions. They all wrote it off as a joke.

Maybe some people who make such threats are joking, but the consequences we could face if they are not are grave. If they are talking about it, they are likely thinking about it.

There is no solution to this complicated problem. The best we can do is plan ahead and take all possible steps to head off a similar situation before it happens.