AJC.com > Blogs > Get Schooled > Archives > 2007 > April > 18
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Fighting Campus Violence
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Years ago, I visited a San Antonio high school to observe a one-day training session to teach teenagers to respect and appreciate one another’s differences. The purpose was to break down stereotypes and class cliques through team-building exercises and, ultimately, create a closer community on a sprawling campus of more than 4,000 students.
I’ll never forget how brave some of the kids were by the end of the day when they took turns standing in front of the room to voice their darkest pains. One girl, with her shoulders slumped and tears streaming down her cheeks, admitted she had been considering suicide.
I thought about this after working on a story yesterday about some of the questions being raised about campus safety in the wake of the Virginia Tech shootings. From the latest news stories, it seems that many, including classmates and professors, had noticed the bizarre behavior of the student now considered the shooter.
Call me naive, but I can’t help but wonder: Is it possible that the best defense against such tragedies simply doing more to create a true school community where people reach out to each other and express concerns before it’s too late?
