What's the deal with all the high school shootings?

[Janell]

Sometimes I feel like the press encourages this kind of behavior. The kids want to be famous and get all this attention and the press sure seems to hand it to them on a golden platter. Sad really we can't let our kids go to school anymore without worrying.

[davethetruth]

Sure, the media shares some of the blame, but I think it really falls on bad parenting. Parents just don't care anymore, and spend little to no time actually raising their kids. That, plus a violent childhood is a deadly combo.

[vger]

I don't care what anyone says, I think television, music, and video games all have a certain influence on this sort of thing too.

But responsible parenting is paramount. Nothing is more important than that.

[Evil Chris]

My belief is that this is the age where young people feel more invincible than ever. Untouchable, no consequences for their actions, and they are going to live forever. Every young generation of the past has felt a little bit like this, but never to this extent.

I have to agree that TV, gun laws, the media, and this whole "me first" state of mind are not helping matters. But like anyone with a problem, we'll have to hit bottom before anything or anyone can be helped.

In the meantime, take care of your kids and teach them right from wrong.

[Panky]

For me, I'm glad I grew up in the 70's and 80's. The 80's were a fun time to be a teenager. The music was just happy and goofy for the most part. The clothes were just as odd and goofy as some of the music. I personally wouldn't want to be a kid growing up in the 90's-2000's. Kids seem to be taking things to the extreme now. What the hell went wrong? Why can't kids just go and have a fist fight after school anymore and be done with it? Girls made fun of one another and passed rumors around, but it never went to the extreme these kids are taking it now. It's horrible.

You have kids controlling the schools because teachers can't really discipline a student anymore. There's just little to no respect either. I had some teachers that were worthless, others that we just knew not to get out of line in class, and then the ones who were cool. Regardless, kids got detention or suspension for stupid shit, practical jokes were played and normal things teens do, but violence to the point of mamming or killing another human being never seemed to cross someones mind. Fist fights, cat fights, and name calling was about the extent of violence. Ocassionally, M80's, smoke bombs, lady fingers, or a can of hairspray and a lighter were involved in someones stunt, but those things didn't harm people, just objects.

I was also one of those kids that was raised that if I got in trouble at school, I was in trouble when I got home as well. Whatever authority figure would've done to me would've been 100 times better than having to go home and tell my dad I got in trouble at school. My dad never once struck my brother or I, but he ruled and what he said went. We didn't dare piss my father off.

Kids just seem angrier for some reason. Even still, why can't they channel the energy into something else more positive? Doesn't anyone pay attention to the kids anymore? Growing up is not easy, we all have memories from things that happened to us growing up, all the insecurities and that crap, but we all somehow survived it and didn't kill people.

[Terrence]

Let's hope it stops NOW. It's all so tragic and pointless.