Children trying to act like adults on cause of recent violence

Hindsight is not always 20/20.
Since 1992, at least 14 schools in the United States have endured literal attacks under fire: gunfire. School kids have been maimed, paralyzed, scarred and killed by gun-wielding peers at an alarming rate, and once we think “this has to wake people up,” another incident occurs.
Everyone seems to have an idea as to what could have prevented each horrifying incident, but the could, would and should haves don’t mean a whole lot when children continue to be the targets of senseless violence.
There are no easy answers. But answers are exactly what we need, and quickly.
Jim Goenner, director of the Charter Schools Office, said he thinks the issue of violence is consuming society.
“I don’t think there is a single answer to it, but I do think with charter schools you’re able to create a smaller, safer environment,” Goenner said. “I think charter schools are part of that solution.”
In a written response, Mary Ann Schmedlen, Laingsburg senior, said, “With all of the recent school shootings, I feel our university needs to address the issue with us (the students), as we are future educators.”
Jason Bentley, Lapeer senior, wrote, “The university should consider incorporating more proactive classroom management plans into teacher education – plans that focus on the development of a teacher’s interpersonal communication skills, and their understanding of psychology and empathy.”
Bentley also wrote, “I have never associated fear with the educational environment.”
Unfortunately, many children do.
Last week I read about the bomb threats at Shepherd and Winn elementary schools and sat back appalled. Although the threats were in note form, one of which was full of misspellings, and discovered on the playground, officials are taking them seriously, and rightfully so.
Another newspaper wrote about an eighth-grader in Ohio who rubbed poison ivy on her science teacher’s chair. The girl’s mother said the girl did it because she believed the teacher was treating her differently because she was Asian. The middle-schooler was suspended for 10 days. The teacher did not get a rash.
The Columbine killers allegedly unleashed their fury to get back at those who had taunted and teased them for being “different.” The Georgia boy who shot six of his fellow students apparently tried to hurt his peers because his girlfriend broke up with him.
Regardless of the method or the weapon, revenge seems to be a partial motive for many of these cases. And it makes me wonder if maybe children are learning too much from the adults.
Instead of talking out conflicts with our neighbors, business partners, co workers, friends, family members, etc., so many of us resort to revenge. Whether in the form of a lawsuit, harassment, hurtful words, or worse, we don’t just get mad. We get even.
And instead of taking responsibility or even simply offering forgiveness, we play the blame game.
Although you can’t blame the violence on any one thing, children often learn by example, and if these are the only ones we have to offer, then who else can we blame but ourselves?
Last week while working out at the at the Weight and Fitness Center in the SAC on one of the treadmills which faces the windows looking out onto the main hallway, I watched as a huge crowd of middle school students paraded into the hallway and towards the exit. They laughed, they skipped, they shuffled. I looked at each one, noting how carefree they appeared. They are just kids, I thought.
The last group of students to walk by was a pack of boys, pushing each other and laughing as they walked. One stopped to smile and wave at me and when I smiled back they slapped each other on the backs, giggled, covered their mouths and acted sillier than ever. The adult male chaperoning that bunch looked back at me, smiled, gestured and shook his head, as if apologizing for their silliness.
If I could have, I would have told that man an apology would have been ludicrous. When children act like children, there should be no apologies.
If we let them act like kids, then, maybe, they’ll stop trying to be adults.
LIFE Editor Angie Fenton can be contacted at onyx36@hotmail.com.