y'know, i swear there must be a school shooting season.
not to be terrible, but it really is starting to become some sick joke. this doesnt happen in other parts of the world (at least ive never heard it happen). it happens often now to a point where its not even news anymore. like hearing the newest death toll in iraq.
its not that i care less either (hopefully noone has thought that), but its what i see now with these kind of things. something needs to be done, but there seems to be no 'certain' way.
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^^ There was just a shooting not too long ago in Finland; while shootings may not be frequent around the world, violence in schools and universities does seem to be a growing trend.
On that note...guess what I found when I walked into my classroom today to teach my two sections? A huge white sticker stuck to the teaching podium (where only the instructor can see it) giving codes and numbers to call in the case of "disruptive students" or "threats of violence". Talking to the profs and GA's who had classes in other buildings today, they appeared this weekend and are in ALL the academic building classrooms now. Pretty sad commentary on society; though as my co-GA Marko pointed out "Why do they think you'd call these numbers? Guess who would be the first one shot if you stood in the front of the room to use the phone on the podium to call? Oh wait, Mr. Shooter...I have to call this 5 digit number because I have a classroom disturbance." Of course I pointed out to him that we'd likely be the first one shot anyway since we are the ones standing at the front of the classroom, which doesn't necessarily make either of us feel great about handing back student exams Wednesday that are....well...they are total shit is what they are.
On that note...guess what I found when I walked into my classroom today to teach my two sections? A huge white sticker stuck to the teaching podium (where only the instructor can see it) giving codes and numbers to call in the case of "disruptive students" or "threats of violence". Talking to the profs and GA's who had classes in other buildings today, they appeared this weekend and are in ALL the academic building classrooms now. Pretty sad commentary on society; though as my co-GA Marko pointed out "Why do they think you'd call these numbers? Guess who would be the first one shot if you stood in the front of the room to use the phone on the podium to call? Oh wait, Mr. Shooter...I have to call this 5 digit number because I have a classroom disturbance." Of course I pointed out to him that we'd likely be the first one shot anyway since we are the ones standing at the front of the classroom, which doesn't necessarily make either of us feel great about handing back student exams Wednesday that are....well...they are total shit is what they are.
[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]HistoryGirl wrote: [/QUOTENAME]^^ There was just a shooting not too long ago in Finland; while shootings may not be frequent around the world, violence in schools and universities does seem to be a growing trend. [/QUOTE]
They do seem to be a growing trend. As it is, raising a child is difficult, add post 9/11 awareness and all these shootings, and it ups the difficulty level tremendously.
Society as a whole has changed. Population has increased. There seem to be fewer and fewer 'neighborhoods' and more transient-type areas.
I know the phone number of only one family where I now live. That family is the only family who has been here for more than two years. My daughter gets to know neighborhood kids and soon, they're gone. Their parents are renters, mostly, so we never get to know them very well because they move on so quickly.
It's so different from when I was growing up. We knew all the neighbors, were in and out of each other's houses and could take our bikes on long rides through several towns without (much) worry. Now, I won't even let my daughter play in front of the house unless I'm out there with her.
It's not just school shootings that seem to be a growing trend, but also a 'look the other way' attitude. Since people don't really 'know' people anymore, they tend to not get involved even if something doesn't look right. I'm guilty of it, too. I think that attitude adds to the already-existing problem.
As a parent, I want to raise my kid with confidence not paranoia, and yet, I find myself constantly warning her about... almost everything. Awareness is good. It's just so damn sad that there's so much to be aware of. Maybe it was always this way and maybe I'm just getting old. You worry more as you age... or so they say. :-/
They do seem to be a growing trend. As it is, raising a child is difficult, add post 9/11 awareness and all these shootings, and it ups the difficulty level tremendously.
Society as a whole has changed. Population has increased. There seem to be fewer and fewer 'neighborhoods' and more transient-type areas.
I know the phone number of only one family where I now live. That family is the only family who has been here for more than two years. My daughter gets to know neighborhood kids and soon, they're gone. Their parents are renters, mostly, so we never get to know them very well because they move on so quickly.
It's so different from when I was growing up. We knew all the neighbors, were in and out of each other's houses and could take our bikes on long rides through several towns without (much) worry. Now, I won't even let my daughter play in front of the house unless I'm out there with her.
It's not just school shootings that seem to be a growing trend, but also a 'look the other way' attitude. Since people don't really 'know' people anymore, they tend to not get involved even if something doesn't look right. I'm guilty of it, too. I think that attitude adds to the already-existing problem.
As a parent, I want to raise my kid with confidence not paranoia, and yet, I find myself constantly warning her about... almost everything. Awareness is good. It's just so damn sad that there's so much to be aware of. Maybe it was always this way and maybe I'm just getting old. You worry more as you age... or so they say. :-/
[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]HistoryGirl wrote: [/QUOTENAME]^^ There was just a shooting not too long ago in Finland; while shootings may not be frequent around the world, violence in schools and universities does seem to be a growing trend.
On that note...guess what I found when I walked into my classroom today to teach my two sections? A huge white sticker stuck to the teaching podium (where only the instructor can see it) giving codes and numbers to call in the case of "disruptive students" or "threats of violence". Talking to the profs and GA's who had classes in other buildings today, they appeared this weekend and are in ALL the academic building classrooms now. Pretty sad commentary on society; though as my co-GA Marko pointed out "Why do they think you'd call these numbers? Guess who would be the first one shot if you stood in the front of the room to use the phone on the podium to call? Oh wait, Mr. Shooter...I have to call this 5 digit number because I have a classroom disturbance." Of course I pointed out to him that we'd likely be the first one shot anyway since we are the ones standing at the front of the classroom, which doesn't necessarily make either of us feel great about handing back student exams Wednesday that are....well...they are total shit is what they are.[/QUOTE]
Maybe bullet proof vests or metal detectors will be the next step. Or shooting lessons for all teachers.
On that note...guess what I found when I walked into my classroom today to teach my two sections? A huge white sticker stuck to the teaching podium (where only the instructor can see it) giving codes and numbers to call in the case of "disruptive students" or "threats of violence". Talking to the profs and GA's who had classes in other buildings today, they appeared this weekend and are in ALL the academic building classrooms now. Pretty sad commentary on society; though as my co-GA Marko pointed out "Why do they think you'd call these numbers? Guess who would be the first one shot if you stood in the front of the room to use the phone on the podium to call? Oh wait, Mr. Shooter...I have to call this 5 digit number because I have a classroom disturbance." Of course I pointed out to him that we'd likely be the first one shot anyway since we are the ones standing at the front of the classroom, which doesn't necessarily make either of us feel great about handing back student exams Wednesday that are....well...they are total shit is what they are.[/QUOTE]
Maybe bullet proof vests or metal detectors will be the next step. Or shooting lessons for all teachers.
Interestingly, I just found this (and it sort of pertains to what I was saying above)...
===
TO ALL THE KIDS WHO SURVIVED the 1930's, 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's!!
First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they were pregnant.
They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a can, and didn't get tested for
diabetes.
Then after that trauma, we were put to sleep on our tummies in baby cribs covered with bright colored lead-based paints.
We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets and when we rode our
bikes, we had no helmets, not to mention, the risks we took hitchhiking.
As infants & children, we would ride in cars with no car seats, booster seats, seat belts or air bags.
Riding in the back of a pick up on a warm day was always a special treat.
We drank water from the garden hose and NOT from a bottle..
We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and NO ONE actually died from this.
We ate cupcakes, white bread and real butter and drank Kool-aid made with sugar, but we weren't overweight because,
WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING!
We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on.
No one was able to reach us all day. And we were O.K.
We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem.
We did not have Playstations, Nintendo's, X-boxes, no video games at all, no 150 channels
on cable, no video movies or DVD's, no surround-sound or CD's, no cell phones, no personal computers, no Internet or chat rooms........
WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them!
We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no lawsuits from these
accidents.
We ate worms and mud pies made from dirt, and the worms did not live in us forever.
We were given BB guns for our 10th birthdays, made up games with sticks and tennis balls and,
although we were told it would happen, we did not put out very many eyes.
We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just walked in and talked to them!
Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment. Imagine that!!
The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided
with the law!
These generations have produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever!
The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas. We had freedom,
failure, success and responsibility, and we learned HOW TO DEAL WITH IT ALL!
===
The above is so true, and yet it makes me wonder how the generations who grew up like that created the technology-dependent, sit-on-your-ass, school-shooting, politically correct society in which we live today.
===
TO ALL THE KIDS WHO SURVIVED the 1930's, 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's!!
First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they were pregnant.
They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a can, and didn't get tested for
diabetes.
Then after that trauma, we were put to sleep on our tummies in baby cribs covered with bright colored lead-based paints.
We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets and when we rode our
bikes, we had no helmets, not to mention, the risks we took hitchhiking.
As infants & children, we would ride in cars with no car seats, booster seats, seat belts or air bags.
Riding in the back of a pick up on a warm day was always a special treat.
We drank water from the garden hose and NOT from a bottle..
We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and NO ONE actually died from this.
We ate cupcakes, white bread and real butter and drank Kool-aid made with sugar, but we weren't overweight because,
WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING!
We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on.
No one was able to reach us all day. And we were O.K.
We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem.
We did not have Playstations, Nintendo's, X-boxes, no video games at all, no 150 channels
on cable, no video movies or DVD's, no surround-sound or CD's, no cell phones, no personal computers, no Internet or chat rooms........
WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them!
We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no lawsuits from these
accidents.
We ate worms and mud pies made from dirt, and the worms did not live in us forever.
We were given BB guns for our 10th birthdays, made up games with sticks and tennis balls and,
although we were told it would happen, we did not put out very many eyes.
We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just walked in and talked to them!
Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment. Imagine that!!
The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided
with the law!
These generations have produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever!
The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas. We had freedom,
failure, success and responsibility, and we learned HOW TO DEAL WITH IT ALL!
===
The above is so true, and yet it makes me wonder how the generations who grew up like that created the technology-dependent, sit-on-your-ass, school-shooting, politically correct society in which we live today.
[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]magicalfreddiemercury wrote: [/QUOTENAME]Interestingly, I just found this (and it sort of pertains to what I was saying above)...
===
TO ALL THE KIDS WHO SURVIVED the 1930's, 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's!!
First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they were pregnant.
They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a can, and didn't get tested for
diabetes.
Then after that trauma, we were put to sleep on our tummies in baby cribs covered with bright colored lead-based paints.
We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets and when we rode our
bikes, we had no helmets, not to mention, the risks we took hitchhiking.
As infants & children, we would ride in cars with no car seats, booster seats, seat belts or air bags.
Riding in the back of a pick up on a warm day was always a special treat.
We drank water from the garden hose and NOT from a bottle..
We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and NO ONE actually died from this.
We ate cupcakes, white bread and real butter and drank Kool-aid made with sugar, but we weren't overweight because,
WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING!
We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on.
No one was able to reach us all day. And we were O.K.
We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem.
We did not have Playstations, Nintendo's, X-boxes, no video games at all, no 150 channels
on cable, no video movies or DVD's, no surround-sound or CD's, no cell phones, no personal computers, no Internet or chat rooms........
WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them!
We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no lawsuits from these
accidents.
We ate worms and mud pies made from dirt, and the worms did not live in us forever.
We were given BB guns for our 10th birthdays, made up games with sticks and tennis balls and,
although we were told it would happen, we did not put out very many eyes.
We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just walked in and talked to them!
Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment. Imagine that!!
The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided
with the law!
These generations have produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever!
The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas. We had freedom,
failure, success and responsibility, and we learned HOW TO DEAL WITH IT ALL!
===
The above is so true, and yet it makes me wonder how the generations who grew up like that created the technology-dependent, sit-on-your-ass, school-shooting, politically correct society in which we live today.
[/QUOTE]
Thats modern day America for you.You live by the sword,you die by the sword.
===
TO ALL THE KIDS WHO SURVIVED the 1930's, 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's!!
First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they were pregnant.
They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a can, and didn't get tested for
diabetes.
Then after that trauma, we were put to sleep on our tummies in baby cribs covered with bright colored lead-based paints.
We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets and when we rode our
bikes, we had no helmets, not to mention, the risks we took hitchhiking.
As infants & children, we would ride in cars with no car seats, booster seats, seat belts or air bags.
Riding in the back of a pick up on a warm day was always a special treat.
We drank water from the garden hose and NOT from a bottle..
We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and NO ONE actually died from this.
We ate cupcakes, white bread and real butter and drank Kool-aid made with sugar, but we weren't overweight because,
WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING!
We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on.
No one was able to reach us all day. And we were O.K.
We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem.
We did not have Playstations, Nintendo's, X-boxes, no video games at all, no 150 channels
on cable, no video movies or DVD's, no surround-sound or CD's, no cell phones, no personal computers, no Internet or chat rooms........
WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them!
We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no lawsuits from these
accidents.
We ate worms and mud pies made from dirt, and the worms did not live in us forever.
We were given BB guns for our 10th birthdays, made up games with sticks and tennis balls and,
although we were told it would happen, we did not put out very many eyes.
We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just walked in and talked to them!
Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment. Imagine that!!
The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided
with the law!
These generations have produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever!
The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas. We had freedom,
failure, success and responsibility, and we learned HOW TO DEAL WITH IT ALL!
===
The above is so true, and yet it makes me wonder how the generations who grew up like that created the technology-dependent, sit-on-your-ass, school-shooting, politically correct society in which we live today.
[/QUOTE]
Thats modern day America for you.You live by the sword,you die by the sword.