Texas School Incidents

Two interesting stories in Texas area schools with good endings but with dangerous events.

In the Houston, Texas area, an 18 year old girl was kidnapped from Cypress Springs High School, by classmates, and brought to a house for sex.  Three classmates, ages 18, 17, and 17 took her during lunch and tried to have sex with her.  Luckily for her, she was able to run to a nearby school and called police.  Her attackers were found via school surveillance.  Read more here

Today in Duncanville, Texas, a suburb of Dallas, a student was shot by a robber while waiting on his school bus this morning.  He was able to ride the bus to school and get medical treatment.  Read more here

Parents and school staff need constant reminders of safety.  Teach your students and children to always watch their surroundings, especially in familiar areas.

Ohio State Active Shooter Response

There are a lot of "hands-on" and scenario based active shooter response trainings for schools and universities. But many of them are based on after action reports and summaries. Here's a pic from inside a classroom at Ohio State University today during their active shooter event that left the shooter dead and several others injured. While the door opens to the outside, this could be an effective deterrent to entering that classroom

Florida Teen Machete Murder

Hello readers, It's been a while.

In 1993, in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, seven high school friends plotted against, and killed, their classmate and friend.  They beat him, stabbed him, slit his throat, and hit him on the head with a bat.  They tried to dig a shallow grave and hoped alligators would eventually finish up any trace of the body.  The story made national news and was made into the book "Bully: A True Story of High School Revenger" by Jim Schutze as well as a movie.  What was alarming back then, and to readers of the book, was the amount of drug use, casual sex, and detail they put into this murder.

Fast forward to south Florida on June 28, 2015.  Five students at the JobCorps campus in Homestead, Florida plotted against, killed, and buried in a shallow grave their 17 year old classmate.  The story shares many similarities with the Bobby Kent murder in 1993.  At-risk teenagers, drug use, sex, plotting, and planning.  The current victim, Jose Guardado, was killed with a machete because he allegedly owed some drug money to one of the attackers.  The killers were described as bullies at the school.  One of the arrestees in this murder, a female, was allegedly upset that she missed the initial machete strikes because she was using the bathroom in the woods.  After the murder, while 3 of the attackers returned to their live-in school, she and the ring-leader of the group, a supposed rug dealer at the school, had sex in the woods close to where their victim lay dead in a shallow grave.

These teenagers all burned the body, attempted to hide evidence, and even burned their own clothing in an attempt to destroy all evidence.  Jose's body was found by his family members who were looking for him a few days later.

The story has come back to light due to the Miami Herald obtaining and releasing police interrogation videos of the suspects, seen here.

A Reminder of Reality

In June 17, 2011, I wrote my first blog post on here of substance.  It detailed how gangs are still very much alive but most of the general public and media is either unaware or in denial.  Fast forward to this past Sunday, May 17, 2015.  In Waco, Texas, at a Twin Peaks restaurant, there was a meeting of several hundred members of various motorcycle clubs.  They have been deemed 1%, outlaws, and OMGs.  News outlets from local news channels, national news site, and international online sites from Yahoo to others are leading with titles such as "Biker Wars" and "Biker Gang Shootings".  Listening to the news and watching the stories often has the same message, people saying things such as "When Sons of Anarchy meets real life" or similar.  There seems to be a thought that these bikers are copying what was an extremely popular TV show or that they live in a fantasy world.  People do not know the real presence of all types of gangs, from actual outlaw motorcycle gangs to prison gangs to street gangs.  While entire city councils and police agencies continue to deny a presence of gangs in their areas, those same gangs continue to operate.  Gangs are not dead!  This is not the 1980's. Gangs do not operate in the same traditional roles as they did when the gangster lifestyle and gangster rap took hold of this society.  While these traditional roles have gone by the wayside, so has the general publics knowledge of gangs.  Unfortunately, it took 9 deaths at a Texas restaurant to open some eyes.  More unfortunate are the untold number of young people who are victims of gang violence every day.

Legal Club Drugs???

https://instagram.com/p/2EeAiSpTeD/

What happens when you combine the rave culture with the teenagers love for energy supplements?  Now introducing "Moll3" a new "energy supplement" designed for the rave scene.  Name sound familiar?  Perhaps because two of the most popular songs of the last few years, Molly by Tyga, and All Gold Everything by Trinidad James have made enough reference to the more potent version of the club drug ecstasy.  There was a point, in early 2014, where Molly had been so popularized among the teenage youth of America that overdoses appeared to be imminent.  However, the bad press, the potential for extreme side effects, including death, proved too much for the drug to gain intense popularity.  While there were cases, it did not gain a strong foothold.  But then came "Moll3".  Here's a blurb from their website...

Unlike other energy boosters, Moll3 provides all the energy and stamina you need to rage all night without leaving you restless and jittery.  Moll3 is manufactured in an FDA approved factory from a unique blend...

Notice the wording?  An FDA approved factory. This doesn't mean the product itself is approved.

Need a final visual to confirm the advertising ploy, the idea that this energy supplement is being marketed as Molly or Ecstasy?  See one of their newest Instagram pictures below

https://instagram.com/p/1yPW0EJTUg/

Bullying Leads To Arrest

North Texas has seen 2 highly publicized cases of bullying in recent weeks.

In a story that does not need any more attention, Aledo HS was accused of bullying by a parent after beating Fort Worth Western Hills HS by a score of 91-0.  If it was not for the bullying complaint, many people would not have known about this game (as with the other ridiculously one sided scores put up by Aledo this season).  But since a written complaint was logged, the administrators had to conduct an investigation into this.  Unfortunately, the parent that filed this complain remained anonymous and avoided public scrutiny.  Great time waste there that's all.

The sad story of Shea Shawhan has also reached national levels.  Shea is a student at Plano West Senior High School, in Plano, Texas.  Shea was left with a brain injury from complications during her birth.  as a result she suffers from seizures and developmental delays.  Shea was the victim of many harassing text messages, including some hoping for her death from a seizure and others discussing rape.  The coward sending these messages used a third-party app for a smart phone so his identity would be concealed.  Or so he thought.  Today the Plano Police Department arrested a juvenile male in connection with these texts.  Once again, there truly is no secrecy in cyberspace.  IP addresses are linked to many things, and in this case were used to track down this kid.

Shea's mother has come under scrutiny for publicizing both her daughter's condition and the threatening and vulgar texts she received.  She went as far as placing the screen shots of the messages on Facebook.  I applaud her mother for not standing down and being a victim.  By speaking out and placing her daughter in the public eye, she helped the anti-bullying conversation and campaign.  She also stood by and fought for her daughter, something we as parents often fail to do.  We often are too worried about the consequences, what others will think, how they will judge us, etc.  And after speaking to countless children and victims, many of them echo the same sentiments...they just want someone to fight for them.  Well this mother fought, and she won.

For more information on Shea Shawnham and the fight her mother is putting up, check out https://www.facebook.com/imwithshea

Nevada School Shooting

http://news.yahoo.com/nev-student-opens-fire-kills-teacher-himself-001840801.html

In more unfortunate news, a student at Sparks Middle School in Reno, Nevada opened fire in school this morning, wounding 2 classmates and killing a teacher before taking his own life.  45 year old Michael Landsberry has been credited with saving lives before losing his.  This incident will immediately bring up thoughts of the Sandy Hook shooting and will no doubt spark gun control debates as well as school safety debates.  I also read in some online comments that this is an example of art imitating life in comparing this shooting to a school shooting on the popular Sons Of Anarchy television show.  While most would agree that this is a stretch, shootings have been blamed on music and video games in the past so the precedent is there.

For more on this sad story, click the link above.

Experts increasingly worried about ’sextortion’ of minors online

Experts increasingly worried about ’sextortion’ of minors online

another huge issue facing youth today! please read

2 Girls Gone

I am copying the text from an article on the Health Blog of the dallasnews.com site dated June 3, 2013.  Copying because the author did an excellent job in her writing and copying because the information needs to be read.  With this post too I vow to get back in the game and begin writing regularly again.

Despair and guns, a deadly mix for two Rockwall girls who had everything to live for

Lost all too often in the contentious debate about gun control is that the people most at risk for gun violence are the potential suicides.

An AP story in the front section of the Dallas Morning News quotes an Austin American-Statesmananalysis of more than 250 gun-related deaths between 2010 and 2012, pointing out that in more than a third of the suicides, drugs for mental illness were found either in the person’s bloodstream or at the scene.

In another story by Tasha Tsiaperas on the cover of the Metro page, we read about two Rockwall students who killed themselves with guns recently. There was no evidence or history of mental illness in either case, just momentary despair in one of the two cases that led to a quick, final solution. After the death of Hanna Clark, 15, on April 25, her devastated, suffering parents found a possible clue on their daughter’s text messages — she had broken up with her boyfriend a day or two before.

Tsiaperas quotes Hanna’s father as saying: “There’s no doubt in my mind that this was an impulse suicide … It has been a nightmare, an absolute nightmare, because she was everything to us.”

The mother of Brianna Escobedo, 14, who died May 22, still hasn’t been able to find a reason. Neither child, adored by their families, left suicide notes.

This all fits in with a compelling New York Times story that ran in February called To Lower Suicide Rates, New Focus Turns to Guns.

The heartbreaking story at the center of the article is the suicide of Kameron Reichert, 17,  of Dayton, Wyo., who had killed himself with his great-uncle’s pistol. A popular football player and good student with a bright future, he was upset when police officers found him with a pack of cigars. The officers told him he would need to come to court to pay a fine and his parents punished him by taking away his cellphone. What may seem like a small thing to everyone in retrospect was evidently big to him at the time. Like Hanna, he might have given in to a moment of despair. The easy access to a gun turned that moment into an eternity of despair for all who loved him.

The New York Times article provides a drum roll of numbers that show these situations are more common than many realize. Nearly 20,000 of the 30,000 deaths from guns in the United States in 2010 were suicides, according to the most recent figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The national suicide rate has climbed by 12 percent since 2003, and suicide is the third-leading cause of death for teenagers.

Suicidal acts with guns are fatal in 85 percent of cases, while those with pills are fatal in just 2 percent of cases, according to the Harvard Injury Control Research Center.

The article also notes that states with the highest gun ownership rates have the highest suicide rates. A coincidence?

If you do think it’s a coincidence, then you shouldn’t be troubled by a May Mother Jones story about a new study that finds that nearly 20 percent of young people between the ages of 10 and 21 who are considered to be at risk for suicide have guns in their homes.

In any case, two lovely, loving young girls from Rockwall are gone. When Rockwall ISD hosted a meeting on suicide in the fall, only seven parents attended, Tsiaperas quoted a district spokeswoman as saying. Now so many want answers, they have had to move a Tuesday talk about depression and suicide to a larger venue.

They will talk about the signs of depression and suicide prevention, something which can read more about in my story about the suicide of yet another teen, 19-year-old Grant Halliburton, who had everything to live for. His mother, Vanita Halliburton has since founded the Grant Halliburton Foundation to address mental health education and suicide prevention. Grant, it should be noted, did not use a gun; he jumped off a building to his death.

They probably won’t talk about guns at the Tuesday forum and the role they play in making suicide too easy and final an option for vulnerable young people. And guns are certainly not the only means available for those who consider suicide, as Grant’s situation demonstrates. But it’s worth looking at the statistics and asking the question of whether we can improve our children’s chances of survival by making the means of their destruction a little less accessible.

The writer goes on to provide many resources for bullying victims and help

Suicide warning signs

• Sense of hopelessness about the future

• Drastic changes in behavior or personality

• Uncharacteristic impulsiveness, recklessness or risk-taking

• Expressions of rage, uncontrolled anger, aggressive behavior

• Preoccupation with death, dying or suicide through writing, artwork or talking

• Giving away prized possessions

• Loss of interest in personal appearance

• Increased use of alcohol or drugs

• Withdrawal from friends, family and society

• Extreme anxiety or agitation; inability to sleep or sleeping all the time

• A recent severe stressor, such as real or anticipated loss of a relationship, unplanned pregnancy, victim of bullying or family conflict

• A previous suicide attempt or exposure to another’s suicidal behavior

Source: Grant Halliburton Foundation Offers programs that teach how to recognize the signs of distress or suicidal crisis in youths and find help. 972-744-9790

Additional resources:

Contact Crisis Line, with a general crisis line of 972-233-2233 and a Teen Help Line of  972-233-8336.

Texas Suicide Prevention Council: This group of local suicide prevention coalitions and statewide agencies partners with Mental Health America of Texas and the Texas Department of State Health Services on the Texas Youth Suicide Prevention Project. 1-800-273-8255

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention: Offers information and support on understanding and preventing suicide through research, education and advocacy and reaches out to those with mental disorders and those impacted by suicide. 1-888-333-2377

Mental Health America of Greater Dallas: Offers programs to educate the public and promote the use of local and regional prevention, and recovery programs for mental health and preventing and treating mental disorders. 214-871-2420

National Alliance on Mental Illness: Offers access to services, treatment, research and mental health support. Click on NAMI Dallas for local programs including free support groups for those with mental illness and their families. 1-800-950-6264

PLAN of North Texas: Offers resources and services for adults with a serious mental illness and their families. 972-690-7526

askdrlloyd.com: Dr. Lloyd I. Sederer’s website answers questions from readers and offers blog postings aimed at helping people get the care they need to recover from a mental illness or addiction.

depression-screening.org: This online test from Mental Health America (1-800-969-6642), a national organization promoting mental health, can help you see if you are suffering from depression.

Half of Us: Offers an online resource for college youths with information and resources on mental health issues on college campuses and in college communities.

Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance: Offers hope, help, support and education for people with mood disorders. 1-800-826-3632

National Institute of Mental Health: Offers understanding and treatment of mental illnesses through current research. 1-866-615-6464

24-hour hotlines for those with thoughts of suicide or self-harm:

1-800-273-TALK (8255): The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

1-866-488-7386: The Trevor Project’s confidential crisis and suicide prevention helpline for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth.

1-866-672-5100 or 214-828-1000: The Suicide and Crisis Center of North Texas.

911 or go to the nearest emergency room

Thanks to Nancy Churnin of the Dallas Morning News for this piece

McKinney student who made Facebook threat was bullied

http://www.wfaa.com/news/crime/Juvenile-taken-into-custody-after-threat-on-posted-on-Facebook-175412811.html

McKinney, Texas is just North of Dallas.  Unlike my previous story, this time there are facts that this student was often a victim of bullying and harassment.  Reports are that he was also autistic.  While many people may believe that he was merely posting threats on a social network, what set his threats apart and required the action from the police were the specifics about his threats.  As with suicidal ideations, when kids have specific plans, this time down to numbered steps, plans of actions need to be taken.  These cannot be chalked up as "kids being kids."

While the McKinney Police Department should be applauded for taking the appropriate measures, my concern lies with the McKinney schools.  The news story states,

"McKinney Boyd Principal Rick McDaniel posted a message acknowledging the "threatening statements" Tuesday morning on McKinney Boyd's Facebook page, and said "such comments [...] will not be tolerated and the District will prosecute to the fullest extent that the law allows." The post was removed as of 4:30 p.m. Tuesday."

I checked the Facebook page, there is no evidence of the post as stated.  While threats to the school should not be taken lightly, the harassment and bullying of an autistic student which would lead to him to these events should also not be taken lightly.  At least somebody understands that,

 "The boy's classmates said it's a shame it came to this, and it should serve as a wake up call to the community."

Ethan Empey suicide hanging Frisco Griffin Middle

Ethan Empey suicide hanging Frisco Griffin Middle - Dallas News | myFOXdfw.com

Yet another young boy takes his life by hanging himself.  A 12 year old boy hung himself in his home. As with a previous story, this child was an athlete as well.  What was going on in this child's life that made him make this ultimate choice?

Also this week in North Texas,

• 2 students from Coppell High School were killed in seperate incidents. A very popular football player was cliff diving at a local lake and did not surface after a jump.  His body has still not been found.  Several days later another senior at the school took his own life.
• It's been found that a student at Creekview HS in Carrollton, Texas died from a cheese heroin overdose.  His friend admitted the use to his mother after she was dumbfounded of his death. He too was a popular athlete. 

What is going on with our children?  Sports and athletics used to be an outlet for many.  Now it is often an avenue for drugs and for bullying.  Parents and schools need to be aware of so many more threats to their children and students. 

Teen nearly overdosed because of bullies

Teen nearly overdosed because of bullies, mom says - Dallas News | myFOXdfw.com

Not only happens with small kids. This time a sophmore in high school took up to 9 pills in the cafeteria.

This mother was aware of the drop in grades and her son prying his braces off?  When was action taken?

Student commits suicide at Oklahoma junior high school

Student commits suicide at Oklahoma junior high school - Dallas News | myFOXdfw.com

Sad. As the story develops it will be "interesting" (not sure if that was the appropriate word choice) to see if bullying, gangs, or drugs played a part.

And So It Begins

Last night in Dallas, Texas, two teenage girls were shot in separate incidents.  While the details on one of the shootings are not as available, one is all over the news, and all too common.  What started as a 14 year old girl arguing on Facebook, lead to an early morning argument and drive-by shooting.  And by early morning, I mean 1:30am.  The details of the story can be read here. 

While I am not one to judge the actions of this girl nor her parents, I am going to point out one major issue I have with the parent, as I usually do. 

"Johnson told News 8 the fight escalated when her daughter's friends showed up in the front yard and got into a physical fight with her daughter at about 1:45 a.m."

Regardless of what is going on, as a parent do you allow your 14 year old child to go outside to confront these people at 1:45am?  What good could possibly have come of it?  As a parent it is your responsibility to protect your child, not send them out to fend for themselves. 

School starts in Dallas in about 3 weeks.  As summer winds down and the pressures of "back to school" crank up, there are bound to be several incidents similar to this. Hopefully they do not lead to gun play. 

The question to ask for any parents out there is...what are your kids involved in today that will affect them when school starts in 3 weeks? What online arguments are they involved in now that they will have to face when they see these people in person? 

(sidenote - I've been gone from here a while, the posts will resume if anyone cares lol)

Too Young...

On January 21, 2010, nine year old Montana Lance, a 4^th grade student at Stewart Creek Elementary School in Lewisville, Texas took his own life.  After being sent to the office, he asked to use the bathroom and locked himself in the nurse’s closet and hung himself with a belt. 

Nearly two and a half years later, the case is still in litigation. 

Parents from Lewisville and several other school districts staged a demonstration today due to their feelings that schools are not doing enough to protect students from bullying.  What many parents fail to realize is that the US Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, called for school districts across the country to adopt anti-bullying protocols last school year.  It was mandated in Texas as part of the most recent legislative session.  While parents do have an expectation of safety when their child is dropped off at school, it is important for parents to familiarize themselves with their school district’s code of conduct.  At the beginning of every school year, parents are given a stack of paperwork to fill out from their child’s teacher or school.  One of those papers is usually an acknowledgement of receipt of the code of conduct.  The majority of parents simply tear the signature paper out, sign it, and return it with the rest of the stack.  However, it is the parent’s responsibility to know the information.  While it happens that some schools and districts fail their students, it also happens that parents fail their children. 

Whatever comes of the litigation in Montana’s case, there is still a family that is missing their son.  There is still a little girl, now 8 years old, who witnessed Montana’s lifeless body being taken down and laid on a bed in the nurse’s office.  There are still classmates and teachers who lost something that fateful day.  And there will be victims of bullying who get no media attention, whose parents grieve in silence, and whose deaths and victimization go unnoticed. 

No amount of legislation or lawsuits will put an end to bullying.   Parents, it’s up to us to teach our children that their words and actions, even at such young ages, can have devastating effects.  It’s also up to us to watch how we speak to and in front of our children before.  We need to be the change we want to see in our children.

For more on Montana Lance, read here

A Reason To Come Back

Man it's been forever since I've typed on here.  I've had the desire and the want to but the time has been escaping me, and the list of excuses has been mounting.  Back to the grind I will go though, and get this ball back rolling...

A few weeks ago I was at a school.  A kid and his gang went to a local park and got beat up by a rival gang.  He was upset about this so he concocted a story about being jumped and he was going to retaliate by bringing a gun to his school to handle his business.  Needless to say, there was a significant amount of police presence at the school that day.  A co-worker talked to the kids mom and instructed her to leave her son at home that day and that if he showed on campus he would be arrested.

Fast forward to this week.  In the past three weeks at this school, a 14 year old kid died from an overdose of heroin.  3 kids just this week self-admitted to their addiction and checked into rehab.  One of those 3 kids was the kid that was supposed to bring the gun that Monday morning.  They were all friends with the deceased kid. Every one knew him.  He was not a gang member nor a "bad kid" but he had been using heroin since middle school.  As his chase of the dragon became worse, he started mixing his heroin with Zanax.  This proved deadly.  A few nights before his death, he gave a friend of his all his user names and passwords to his emails, video games, social networks, and cell phone.  It's as if he knew this information was going to be needed.  Sad thing is, his friend took them and did not ask the important questions.  Nor did he inform his parents or any adults at his school.  A few days later, his friend was dead.

Thursday afternoon I stood in front of 230 9th graders from the school.  I tried to teach them about the dangers of drugs without giving them any new ideas.  I made eye contact with the kids I had worked with in the past due to their gang affiliations.  And as I closed my presentation to them, I let them know that we as parents have failed them.

I can only hope that as I continue to speak to kids, I can one day tell them that we as parents, and as a society, are no longer failing them.

Warning Signs, Part 4

As I continue in Bob Larson's 6 warning signs, the next one is number 4 - Deteriorating Physical and Psychological Health.

Wow what a powerful and often overlooked stage. 

A key fact that Mr. Larson states is that kids, often teenagers, often have mood swings and different stages of health. Pattern and consistency are key.  it is also important to think about how many doctors are getting RICH by prescribing mind and mood altering psychotropic medications to kids.  From ADHD to bi-polar disorder, kids as young as 5 and 6 years old are given these pills in hopes that they get "cured."  What level of cure could happen if parents were just loving and involved???  But I digress. 

Whatever ill a child is dealing with, he/she will often begin exhibiting this form of deterioration.  Younger kids will often experience stomach or headaches, bed wetting, and/or crying.  Older kids and teenagers will withdraw from school, friends, stop doing activities they love, change friends, stop eating, etc.  The mental pain they are going through engulfs their whole world.  As this happens, they fall deeper into the fantasy worlds which i talked about earlier. 

Intervention with this step? A keen eye and an involved parent.  Mr. Larson states it well,

"Don't just focus on what they may be doing, like crying or receding emotionally from the family.  Find out what they feel like doing, what they'd do if they could, even if such talk turns to thoughts of suicide and violence against others." 

Kids who are pushed to the bring of suicide, violence, drugs, and gangs are scared.  They are looking for that person to embrace them through their fears.  It is important for parents to realize that our children are capable or violence.

Warning Signs, Part 3

Escaping Into a Fantasy World

Bob Larson’s third warning sign is a perfect continuation of the previous one, which centered on an absence from family interaction.  While the issue there was the absence itself, I happened to focus on what a kid is doing during that absence, which is more focused on this sign.  When children immerse themselves in positive activities, there is not much concern.  It is sometimes easy to real someone back in when their time and energy is focused on real world events, sports, or reading. 

The issues arise when the escape leads to a fantasy existence.  Role playing games have evolved into second worlds.  I have written a few topics of the dangers of certain video games, which Mr. Larson details as well.  The Columbine HS shooters spent countless hours playing, mastering, and developing their own worlds in the game Doom.  There have been several episodes of the CSI television series centered on the game “Second Life” which allows users to experience an alternate existence.  Users of these games often forget their real lives and develop the minds of their characters.  The violence associated with these games can also be desensitizing to the young mind.  When more and more hours are spent in the fantasy realms, kids lose more of their touch with their real lives.  When the number of at-risk factors or stressors on a kid’s life is in an acceptable or normal range, it is easy to bounce back.  But when the number of stress factors increases, the higher the percentage of harm that can be cause by time spent during these escapes. 

Again, as will continue to be the main focus of most of these writings, parental involvement is key.  No video game is a substitute for family interaction.  Unfortunately, many parents feel that as long as their child is in the home, they are not causing any harm nor at any risk.  If you have a child that plays video games, whether they are console based or computer based, spend some time watching them.  Have them show you the game, the playability, the community.  Read the chat rooms.  And if you see anything alarming, be the parent.

10 Year Old Girl Dies After Fight At School

While the shooting in Chardon, Ohio continues to grab the nation’s attention, buried under the headlines on cnn.com is “Girl, 10, dies hours after fight at school.” 

In an all too common occurrence, two fifth grade students planned a fight after school last Friday.  The girls, ten and eleven years old, met in an alley near their school.  Surrounded by classmates, the girls fought for less than a minute and parted ways.  One of the fighters returned to school immediately after for a scheduled tutoring session.  There were no reports of the fight until after the girl complained of not feeling well and went to the hospital.  6 hours after this planned fight, 10 year old Joanna Ramos died of blunt force trauma to the head.  Grief counselors will be at the school and the fate of the 11 year old girl is uncertain at this time. 

Any YouTube search of “(insert school name here) fights” will often lead to a multitude of cell phone videos of students fighting.  While onlookers cheer and instigate the fighters, there is often no regard for safety.  Kids as young as elementary age throw each other to the ground, kick each other in the head, and slam each other’s skulls into the pavement.  Usually only after a clear advantage is gained will the onlookers break up the fight, or simply separate the fights for another round. 

In this case, there was about a 15 minute window for these girls to leave school, fight, and return to school and act as if nothing happened.  It is time for parents to wake and realize that kids, even as young as 10 years old, even girls, are capable of planning and carrying out dangerous plans without considering the consequences.  It is very cliché to say that kids are growing up in a different time, but it is a point that many do not seem to understand.  Our kids reside in a secret world.  Cellular phones and social networking have helped fuel not only the imaginations of these kids but their rage as well.  Just ten years ago, schoolyard disagreements were often forgotten about overnight.  With the advent of texting and instant messaging, kids get home after school, disappear into their online worlds, and the disagreements evolve.   They are never given the chance to die.  Unfortunately, many parents praise their kids for their technological savvy.  Many of those same parents do not know the ins and outs of texting and social networking, and they do not take the time to learn.  If a parent allows their child to partake in social networking and the freedoms associated with a cellular phone at a young age, extreme diligence and scrutiny must be paid to those accounts.  It is not an invasion of privacy for a parent to monitor their child’s activity, especially on a phone or internet service they pay for! 

Chadron, Ohio...Thoughts?

Outcast…Nice guy…2 words that do not seem to fit together nor describe the same person.  However, those words were used today to describe T. J. Lane who is accused of shooting 5 people, killing one of them, in the cafeteria of a high school about 30 miles outside of Cleveland, Ohio. 

Early reports are that the suspect was essentially minding his own business during the breakfast period prior to classes when he stood up, pulled out a handgun, and began shooting towards other students.  Witnesses report that this did not seem to be a random act.  The victims attended a different high school and were waiting there for their bus.   The shooter fled the campus and was later apprehended. 

As thoughts and prayers go out to the families of the victims, what about the shooter.  What prompted T. J. Lane to commit this act?  Here are a few statements made about him after the fact;

• "He was one of the nicest kids here; it was really shocking that it was him"
• "He just came from a really broken down home and he was living with his grandparents"
• "He was more of a quiet type of kid. He was really nice, though, if you did talk to him"
• "A teenager described as an outcast"
• A witness also stated that Lane may have posted about this on a social network site, but that no one took him serious. 

As more details emerge about T J Lane, it will be interesting (to some) to see what motivated him to commit this act.  How many of Bob Larson’s “6 warning signs” did he portray?  Why did he target the students he did?  As the witness pointed out, Lane was a nice kid IF he was talked to.  How many people took the time out to reach out to him?  Was he written off as the “quiet kid from a broken home” and thus was not very popular?  Was he singled out by his peers because he was different or awkward?   I think back to the “Chain Reaction” mindset or Rachel Scott and the Rachel’s Challenge program.  What if the actions of a few, maybe even one student could have altered the course of this day? 

People everywhere are posting and commenting about schools no longer being safe, cherishing every morning with their kids because no one knows where this will happen next, etc.  Parents everywhere over the next few weeks are going to caution their kids about looking out for the quiet ones, to remain vigil and alert, and have a plan in place.  How many parents are teaching their kids to reach out to those that are different?  Do we teach our kids to speak to the loners, to befriend the different, or simply not to partake in the ostracizing of those who are the victims?