What can we do?

Published 12:00 am Saturday, September 30, 2000

L’Observateur / September 30, 2000

The shootings at the middle school in New Orleans this week sent shock waves across the nation, but reaction to this latest event were mixed, and not all to the good.

There are some who said, “Well, that’s inner-city New Orleans, and it won’t happen here like that.” This didn’t happen because of anything the schools did or did not do. Thisinvolved young boys whose emotions lacked the balance of maturity to control those emotions. There are young children everywhere with the samething. What makes it rare is to act out those emotions in such a violent way. There are some who said, “The schools need to tighten up security to prevent it from happening again.” That doesn’t work. There’s no rules andregulations which can truly control an immature, out-of-control, angry young mind. What’s more, a school should be a place of liberation, to freely exploreknowledge and opportunity for improving themselves. It shouldn’t resemble aprison camp with metal detectors and barbed-wire fences where children learn fear and distrust.

Only better parenting will improve our present state. And sometimes, eventhat’s not enough.

L’Observateur

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