In the News: School shootings My two cents

In the News: School Shooting, My Two Cents

2/21/18

     Social media is full of teachers and parents thoughts of why these events keep happening.  I know my two cents is not worth much, but it gives me something to write about.  As a retired teacher of 30 plus years, I have some experiences to share.  My future holds the odds of a grandchild or two going into education.  They can read this and be thankful that they did not have to experience violence that teachers have had to deal with in the past. 

     The news last night was full of school threats from students to others and schools.  One father talked about how things need to be reported.  Some of the survivors of the FL thought the killer had problems, but they were never reported.  He also talked about how students now days are taught to accept all who are different.  Schools have to educate all because that is the law.  We all know that schools transfer the “problems” on to another district.  Some districts will send the “problems” on to special schools that can help with the emotional or mental illness that they are dealing with.  That does cost the districts $$, so let’s try to educate them in our own schools.  The news also told of the Millard South killing of a principal and wounding of another principal on Jan. 4, 2011. 

     My daughter and I taught at that school.  Some of my students that year attended that school.  My school was just minutes away, so we used that school for swimming and gym activities.  Schools in the district were all in lockdown that day.  Teachers are trained to deal with these things when they happen.  The shooter was at large and may have wanted to hit other schools, but was found later dead in a nearby parking lot.  Another event was a mass shooting at a local mall that my students had just had an outing of shopping and eating lunch.  I had changed our bus pickup time just after lunch.  So we were all safe and back at school when the phone calls from parents came flooding in.

     I loved teaching; sure there were times of stress.  Times I called 911, a school resource police officer, principal, school psychologist, or resource teacher to deal with behaviors that were not acceptable.  Once while at an offsite location, a student was out of control, so I called 911 more for a threat and then hung up.  I learned they call you back.  When I answered, some students were screaming and crying since I had the para send them to the restroom for their safety.  The out of control student had left and was locked out, so we were safe.  I ended up calling our resource officer instead to go out and search for the student.  Yes, I have called 911 for real.  A mom had the nerve to call me back later that afternoon.  She did not like that the call may have went over the scanners, since her ex was an officer.  She was called from work to take her 19 year old home since her child was not coming back to school and they did not want him either.  You ask what he did.  He was mad about something, so he decided to throw a chair at me as I was walking towards him.  He missed me, along with other students, and a huge window, but left a huge dent in the wall by the window. 

     Principals/program directors get called all the time.  That is why they make the big bucks.  Once while subbing in an elementary classroom, I had student that was non compliant.  I called the principal and he removed the other students.  He told me that he would call the dad at work to remove his child from the classroom.  He said the students learn fast to follow the rules, because dads don’t want to have to leave work to discipline their child. School Psychologists are the best help.  Our psychologist had worked with my young adults (18-21) when they were younger. She knew how to talk them down from a meltdown.  She was also a great source of information on dealing with the students and parents.  Resource teachers were also very helpful.  I was one for many years while teaching middle school.  I always say that if a teacher survives teaching middle school, he or she can teach anything.  Classroom teachers call us to remove the noncompliant students and then call parents and give out consequences.  Once while having a middle school student stay after school to make up some school work out side of the principal’s office.  My new car was keyed and the front school window was broken out. 

      While teaching I used the word consequences a lot and gave them out.   We had our students attending fun outings like bowling.  If a student was having a non young adult behavior before or during bowling, then the consequence would be no bowling.  Parents would be called if bus drivers refused to transport out of control students.  Parents did not like to be called.  A parent was very upset at me, when she found her son staying after school to clean up his mess of spit wads.  She said, “That is what janitors are for.”  Don’t get me going on parents who blame teachers for school behaviors.  “My child did not act like this last year.”  As I thought, yes she is going through a divorce this year.  You left her dad for her best friend’s dad. Both girls are in my class because the principal did not take my words of wisdom. 

     I have worked with three districts and a Christian preschool.  So I could go on and on about stories of out of control behaviors.  I do wonder at times, what happened to some off my past violent students.  Are they serving time?  Did they get the mental help they needed?  Are they homeless or leaving in shelters?  While waiting in the parking lot of a homeless shelter. I found myself watching the residents leaving for a smoke break looking for a past student or two.

      My main thought is: why there is school violence.  Remember it is just my two cents.

·       Sin. We all are born with a sin nature.  Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.  I could not say this as a teacher, but I did think that some students were demon possessed.  They would get this look in their eyes, and then become out of control.  That is when I would pray for safety.

·       Mental illness.  Drugs.  Suicide (violence to oneself) I have lost students to suicide.  Lack of help for the mental illness. Drugs that do the opposite that they are meant to do. 

·       Parents or lack of them.  No role models. Wanting to belong to a family/group like a gang displaying negative behaviors, and peer pressure.

·       Not wanting to be corrected/consequences.  Anger.

·       Seeking negative attention verses positive attention.

·       Wanting to get even to those who have bullied or made you so mad to seek revenge.  Those who abused you in the past.

·       Negative thoughts verses positive.  Low self esteem.  Lack of friends, caring teachers, or other positive role models such as grandparents,etc.  Lack of Bible teachings, positive church role models and examples.  These may not cause the violence but may be a influences in being a good human along with other positive influences.

·       Evil world we live in.

     I want to end on the positive.  Thank you all who I have worked with in the past helping our students become mature responsible adults.  Thank the students that I have had that have become mature responsible adults.  Thank the parents who have helped your children along and guided them along this path.  Thank you for supporting education.