BY CINDY SCHROEDER
The Cincinnati Enquirer
COVINGTON -- Four years ago, Steve Sorrell disarmed a Ryle High School student who had taken his classmates hostage, and forever lost his innocence about school violence.
"I was the (assistant) principal who went into the classroom and took the gun away from Clay (Shrout)," Mr. Sorrell said. "I talked him into handing me the gun. After that incident, my naivete was certainly gone."
Early on May 26, 1994, the 17-year-old Union youth, using his father's gun, killed his parents and two younger sisters. Clay then took the gun to his trigonometry class at Ryle High School, and briefly held his classmates hostage before he was arrested. While Mr. Sorrell prefers not to dwell on the incident, he said it has made him more vigilant when it comes to school safety.
"We need to be proactive in stopping the violence," said Mr. Sorrell, who's now principal of Campbell County High School. He said that students who hear a classmate express a threat need to convey that information to a trusted adult.
"Today, I'm very aware of safety in the (school) building, and taking care of the students that I'm responsible for," Mr. Sorrell said.
On Thursday, the Northern Kentucky educator will relate how school violence has changed his life, when he helps kick off the local observance of National Violence Awareness Month.
To help stamp out violence, more than 20 Northern Kentucky governments and social service agencies are sponsoring a "Day of Peace." Events include a puppet show on how to recognize child abuse and the release of helium-filled balloons bearing messages of peace. Now in its sixth year, the event is broadening its focus to address victims of all types of violence, not just domestic violence, said Maureen Rich, public education coordinator for the Women's Crisis Center of Northern Kentucky.
"We want to raise the awareness of violence, wherever it may occur," Ms. Rich said. "We want to teach people not to tolerate it, and to promote peace within all (Northern Kentucky) families and communities."
Daylong schedule
From 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., the program will focus on "Stopping Violence in Our Schools."
Events at Covington's Madison Avenue Christian Church will include Mr. Sorrell's speech; remarks from the executive director of the Women's Crisis Center; and a 30-minute skit about violence by the Troubadours, an educational teen theatre troupe.
At 2 p.m. residents of nursing homes in Covington and Elsmere will release the helium balloons filled with messages of peace. From 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., the program will move to Goebel Park in Covington, where participants can enjoy free refreshments, view a puppet show that helps children recognize and prevent abuse, hear remarks from the Rev. Mark Witte on violence awareness, and take part in a candlelight vigil for victims of domestic violence, Ms. Rich said.
