{Claireification}

A) That’s the only part of our fight song I remember

B) Shooting plot investigated at Turner school

Columbine-style attack allegedly planned by four junior high students

Kids will be kids. Kids now have learned through their predecsessors at Joesburro, Columbine, Thurston.. etc. That they can retaliate with violence and guns.

I think what disturbs me most are some of the comments attatched to this article. A lot of people jump to blame the administrators, teachers, and the district itself. I know the teachers and administrators, They are the best thing going for that school district (especially with Mr. Drill as the new superintendent.) I was in sports and the newspaper and the president of my senior class. I regularly had conversations with Mr. Drill who was my principle at the time, and we would discuss the unfortunate circumstances at the school. We would collaborate on projects the art club, student council, or the newspaper was working on. My art teacher took students to New York with money they raised from a brogram he brought to the school. I didn’t go so he sent me to a figure drawing workshop in Portland with the club’s money. He and my parents went with me to display my pathetic portfolio up at National Portfolio Day at the Oregon College of Arts and Crafts. I was introduced to OTIS and my teacher helped me apply, found me a photographer in Salem who took pictures of my works for free; a network which i highly value. I got accepted but had to decline, but my gosh! One teacher who changed my life. And I can attest that EVERY teacher in the Cascade School District takes those measures to help kids who want help.

But kids don’t want help. They don’t care. I believe that problem lies with the parents. The majority of students come from broken homes, homes with drug/ alcohol addictions and just flat out bad circumstances. I’m not saying a utopian society needs to be reached. People are going to live how they want; but the mindset of blaming other people, and expecting other people to monitor your children because you’re too enveloped with the fact that your life TOTTALLY SUCKS is immature and irresponsible, and is what leads to these unfortunate events.

Who knows. Maybe the parents of these students were really involved with their kids, and the kids are just rebelious and hopped up on MTV and video games.

Frankly, my point (finally) is we blame authority wayyyyy too much. However we all could be a little better at looking at how we affect large scale situations. How do we become better and benefit the whole? Not who’s screwing me over now?

I should do this in person (and I will) but I want to thank my parents for teaching me responsibility and courtesy for others. For being invloved enough that I cared about my future and did something about it.