Setting the example

Today I learned from my friends back in my former high school, that the school has made it on the CNN news. When I was told this two things popped into my mind: Has Monroe-Woodbury finally made the top ten high schools in the U.S ? or did the school have yet another food fight? As I searched CNN myself I found an all too familiar heading, and I thought "its too soon for anoher one."









Thank god, no attack was made on my school, but the headline bothered me. The story behind it is a 15 year old boy was planning to make an attack on the school as a result of bullying. When police executed a search of the home they found a torch, machete, four bottles filled with gasoline, three propane gas tanks and other electrical and dangerous equipment. What boggles my mind is how can he have all this and his parents not be aware. After all he is only 15 years old and has a previous criminal record. Secondly the boy no longer attended the school, why would he go back to do such a crime? Yes I can admit bullying at that school was terrible and not getting any better. But why feel the need to blow up the school ? I believe this has much to do with past school attacks and the role of the media with these attacks.

Every year in Monroe-Woodbury a presentation is given about the Columbine attack called "Rachael's Dream." During the program a friend of the family of Rachael ( a girl who was killed during the Columbine shootings), speaks about the shootings, what happened and encourages all to follow Rachael's dream of being nice to one another and avoiding such acts. Then just recently the events of Virginia Tech have resurfaced the fears of not being safe in your own school. I believe the medias role these attacks helps students who are being bullied and are seeking help find a new way to deal with it: Shooting up the school. Just thinking about the publicity brought to the people who committed these attacks is incredible. They go from one day not being known, to all of America's eyes on them. Its as if they are a celebrity, and many might like the attention.

Look at how this young boy was planning to do this attack. He had the weapons hidden in his house, he also had a trench cloak and was bullied and wanted revenge, all similar to the boys of the Columbine attacks.What makes my point more convincing is the fact that this boy was planning on attacking on the anniversary of the Columbine attacks. Is he commemorating the boys who committed those awful attacks? It is obvious he is getting his influence from the Columbine attacks and I'm not surprised. I am just grateful nothing like those attacks happened at Monroe because that would have been another devastating event added to the list. One none of us would ever like to see.