Saturday, April 24, 1999
Teens: It could happen here
Schools have cliques, outcasts
BY WALT SCHAEFER
The Cincinnati Enquirer
NEW RICHMOND — Several New Richmond High School students talked about American schools and society in the wake of the shootings in Littleton, Colo.
The round-table discussion included: Baron Hill and Melis sa Riel, both 18 and seniors; Sarah Curless and Sarah Mallow, both 17 and juniors; and Jessica Robinson, 15, a freshman.
Q: What role do cliques play in your school?
Melissa: “There are cliques, different groups in any school. They are not bad; not killing people. People just like to belong to this or that group ... But there are people who come from bad backgrounds who bring guns to school ... and are caught ... who bring cigarettes to school and they don't care. Littleton could happen here. It could happen anywhere. If you get someone mad enough, crazy enough, upset enough with so many things churning inside them, they just have to take revenge on someone else.
“We have a group who
wear all black — not coats — but it is not like they are bad people. In fact, some are the nicest people. It's just their thing; their personality. They just want to be different.”
Q: Do you have any answers, any suggestion about how a tragedy such as Littleton can be stopped?
Melissa: “Personally, I think Jesus Christ is the answer. Having religious values in your life is the way to do it.”
Jessica: “If someone is set on what they are going to do, I do not think you can stop it unless ... you lock the doors and have a Code Blue — (search the school).”
Q: Do you think fellow students would exhibit behavior or show some sign if they were contemplating extreme violence?
Sarah C.: “People will say something like they are going to kill you. They do it all the time and they are just joking around. But you really don't know. I don't know if I should report that because it happens all the time and you know the people and you really don't think it could actually happen. You hear harsh comments, and now you don't know if someone's joking around or not.”
Melissa: “I had a friend who said she was going to commit suicide and bring a gun to school. I did not think she'd do it; but she brought it. You just do not know.”
Q: What effect does violence in video games, movies, television have on you or your peers?
Baron: “I play video games all the time — nonstop. I don't think it has anything to do with this, whatsoever. I play Doom. It's gory ... and you shoot animated characters. But it's not like you're going out and shooting people because you play it. I like gory movies. But if you see some guy jump off a building, you're not going to jump off a building because you saw it in the movies. I wouldn't let little kids play these games. But if you are old enough — say, in your teens — and you realize it's not reality, you can play.”
Jessica: “In Colorado, I think those (teens) had so much more they were dealing with — like the Internet and Hitler. They probably played video games, but that is nothing compared to the other things.”
Q: Should parents monitor Internet use?
Jessica: “If someone is sick enough to put something on the Internet like they did, where were their parents? I think even if you are 18, parents should be monitoring what you are looking at, at times — at least know what you're doing.”
Q: Would school uniforms have any effect on the school, environment and self-esteem issues?
Melissa: “No. You are still going to have your own personality. You can tell a lot about a person by the way they dress, the way they look, the way they talk.”
Sarah M.: “It could be an answer. I think uniforms would be better than the Trenchcoat Mafia.”
Q: Are there introverts — loners — at this school? How are they treated?
Jessica: “Very much so. We have introverts, loners. I guess some could be scary, but not really. You are a little afraid because you just don't know them well enough.
Melissa: “There are some people who make fun of (loners) and then their self-esteem is gone ... and they go into a shell. The people who make fun of (loners), really don't think they are hurting others ... but, they take away self-esteem.”
Q: What one thing would have the greatest impact on deterring school violence?
Baron: “Parents need to get involved with their kids and not enough of them do. The excuse is that they are too busy ... two jobs. I miss it when we do not do stuff together.”
Melissa: “When parents do not spend time with their kids, it's tough on the relationship ... the kids are not going to say: "Hey Mom, Dad. I need help'.”
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