Guns In Schools, What happened?

[Mascoma]

I was talking with my son the other day (what a novel approach to things) and we we talking about school shootings. Which he his sheltered from because we home school our kids. Anyway I was telling him that when I was his age (16) for gym we sometimes had skeet shooting classes, and I could walk into my school with my 12ga and go out back and blast away. Then he asked me a question. What happen Dad, When did things change? I didn't have to think long at all, I told him 2 major things 1. Christians didn't stand up when they took GOD out of the schools. 2. They stopped making people take responsibility for their actions. And of course I went into more depth about things. He then gave me hug and kiss on the cheek and said I love you dad, and I guess thats what all the spankings were for. I guess what I am trying to say is, If my 16 year old son can understand why can't we get congress to understand.

 

[Hungry Seagull]

I prefer to live in parts of the USA where students dont even feel or think about the need to take a gun to or carry one to school.

Any part of the USA where students pack guns to go to school with textbooks have serious issues. Society have failed in those schools.

Students feel lockdown in public schools because of someone with gun. Big deal... routine. It's normal. Almost... part of growing up. Guns bad = lockdown.

Imagine this student being told now that he or she is 21 the 2nd A gives this person the right to bear arms.

No wonder we have ineffective schools.

 

[Mascoma]

I too wish there were a place in America where our children didn't feel the need have to carry to protect themselfs at school, Where is that place? It's not just our big cities anymore it's all over. There may be a few small areas.

 

[ishida]

Against others, I'm with the OP.

 

[rondog]

I'm old enough to remember all kinds of organizations having shooting programs and teams for youths. Don't recall my high school having one, but I fondly remember shooting .22's with the Police Athletic Association.

 

[wankerjake]

I too wish there were a place in America where our children didn't feel the need have to carry to protect themselfs at school, Where is that

I don't think this is what the original poster had in mind. Kids generally don't take guns to school for protection. They take them because they are misguided. Taking a 12 ga to school for gym class is not taking it for protection. I don't think there is a place in America where kids think they need to carry a gun to school for protection. Universities...maybe. But those aren't kids.

1. Christians didn't stand up when they took GOD out of the schools

I basically disagree with this statement. Not trying to start a fight about God, but I don't see the correlation. There are other forms of discipline that religion. I agree with the lack of discipline, but don't relate it to religion. Allowing soft teachers who don't take control of the classroom is part of it I think. Men used to teach and they had control. I know you old timers remember this. School wasn't just a babysitting facility where everybody screwed around all the time and cussed at the teacher. The biggest problem is the lack of discipline at HOME. The kids bring their attitudes to school.

2. They stopped making people take responsibility for their actions

I think this is the ticket. Discipline is the key. Also the fact that the shooting sports are not as popular percentage wise as they used to be, and with all the stigma surrounding school shootings it just isn't possible to allow it anymore. It is a damn shame, I know. My grandpa tells me stories of taking his deer rifle on the bus to high school during deer season and hunting his way home. Then you have tragedies like Columbine and the wave of shootings that has followed, and it is a sad thing the image firearms have gotten. I hope I don't get berrated for the first two paragraphs because I'm not trying to start a fight, but those are my opinions. I often wish that I grew up 50 years ago.

 

[Joe Demko]

This thread is destined for disaster. Suffice it to say the school system is what the school boards you elected made it. Blame yourselves.

PS
If you have religious beliefs, your kid should learn about them from you. My kid can learn about mine from me. Neither of us has any business wasting tax dollars on "God(s) in school."

 

[N003k]

I agree with one of your points, disagree with the other.

As others have said, I don't think religion in general has any place in the classroom. I'm 19 myself, finished high school not even a year ago. B student, not great obviously, but not bad. Everything related to religion for me took place at home minus discussions about it with my friends during free periods. As Jake said, it comes down to discipline. Religion may be part of how your children learn to be polite and good people, it may not be. I'm personally an atheist, yet respected my teachers, the other students, the faculty, and so on. I never had a detention, the closest to getting in ANY trouble I got was found not to be my fault at all. It really just comes down to discipline.

As for the second point, agreed, the time I DID get in trouble, I took care of everything myself. I talked to a few people who I needed to talk to, and resolved it on my own. However in highschool I saw parents coming in to get their kids out of detention. I know someone whos parents bought him a new Mustang AFTER he wrapped the first one around a tree (Relativly rich town...) Very few of the people I went to school with learned to take responsibility for their own actions, and that is one of the main problems.

As for the shooting sports at school, I personally attempted to get one set up at my school, but had to prove that other schools in the area had them first, of course none did, but I still researched it and found private schools had them, wasn't good enough unfortunatly, then again even if I had found public schools in the area with them they probably still wouldn't have cared...

 

[TRGRHPY]

I guess what I am trying to say is, If my 16 year old son can understand why can't we get congress to understand.

Umm, maybe because your son is educated?


I remember in jr high, that the jr rotc cadets shot .22's in the cafeteria/gym, and one of the activities of PE was archery. And I'm not that old.

OMG, the lead from the .22's must've contaminated the mac'ncheese....

 

[Justin]

THR doesn't do discussions about religion.