I state

that I support empowering Fayette County school

administrators and teachers to employ the strongest

measures possible to stop even the smallest hint of

school violence. In my opinion "hints" include

not only overt threats, but actions concerning weapons,

shootings, bombs, hostage-taking or any other act of

violence perpetrated by students as a "prank"

or "practical joke." The subject is dark,

somber, serious, absolutely out of place, and is an

affront to and abusive of the other students, the staff,

and the administration.

Students

are subject to disciplinary action for using a cough

drop. A single aspirin is treated as a "controlled

substance." Today's pervasive and invasive drug

culture necessitates such alertness and reaction from

school systems. Any threat of violence of any nature,

whether real or implied or "in jest," must be

met swiftly and certainly with the strongest possible

actions by our school system.

Last

Wednesday, less than 24 hours after the Columbine High

massacre, a male student boarded my oldest daughter's

school bus wearing a dark trench coat. Upon reaching the

back of the bus he declared that he was going to shoot

everyone.

On Friday a

student arrived at one of our Fayette County middle

schools with bag which he said contained a bomb. In

reality neither student possessed a weapon - they were

just "joking." Is there really a strong enough

way to say that such a thing is not a joking matter?

For such

offenses stringent rules must apply. They must be met

with strong measures. Verbal reprimands are insufficient.

In-school-suspensions are a "joke." Three-day

out-of-school suspensions are "vacations" and

are utterly inconsequential to students who display a

predilection for violence. Neither are such light and

easy consequences appropriate for students who are

apparently so devoid of any feeling of sorrow or remorse

over mass murders or who are so wholly indifferent to the

feelings, concerns, and fears of so many over the subject

- and the reality - of school violence that

they would be motivated to "pretend" to be

perpetrating such acts.

The

pretending is happening now. Is it possible that the more

pretending that occurs, and tolerated, that the more

likely it is to lead to very real, dangerous, and

potentially tragic results? It is my opinion that mere

chastisement for "pretending" is tantamount to

tolerance. Controlled substances are not topics for

school comedy. Weapons are not subjects for campus high

jinks. And today any sort of threat or appearance of

potential violence, small or large scale, must not be

winked away.

At this

writing I am as yet unfamiliar with what county-wide

policies exist, or are under consideration, concerning

such threats or "pranks." I hope the policies

are, or will be, strong and vigorously enforced. I

encourage our school superintendent, the board of

education, and our school administrators to be vigilant

and unapologetic in taking the strongest possible stand

for safety in our schools and for a sense of security for

those who occupy them.

Our role as

parents is so obvious - take the time; know your

children. Be involved, proactive examples of

responsibility, sensibility, and care.

Steve G.

Hester

Fayetteville

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