Colorado Tragedy Demands Renewed Commitment to Every Child
Statement by Bob Chase, president, National Education Association
On behalf of our 2.4 million members, the National Education Association
extends its deepest sympathies to the families of the victims, the students
and staff of Columbine High School.
For those of us in education, this has been an especially difficult 24
hours. The horrific events in Littleton demand a renewed commitment on
the part of every adult in America to help stop our young people from
killing other children.
None of us can afford to be bystanders any longer. The children of America
count on us to keep them safe, to teach them, and to help them grow, and
each of us - whether parents or not - must be part of a national movement
to ensure the safety and welfare of every child.
The National Education Association calls for an immediate ratcheting
up of efforts to implement a comprehensive planning process that involves
parents, schools, and law enforcement agencies to identify ways of ensuring
the safety of our children in our communities and in our schools, such
as:
- Implementing effective mediation and conflict resolution programs,
so that children are taught to settle differences in non-violent ways.
- Providing training to every school employee - teachers, bus drivers,
and administrators alike - to identify and report warning signs of violence
and mental health problems.
- Making sure that guidance counselors and school psychologists are
brought back into the school at a ratio per student that allows them
to provide personal attention to every child.
- Urging every adult to reconnect with children and with the community
as a whole. Our children need role models and mentors, and adults to
listen.
- Working with Congress to immediately pass legislation that promotes
safety, order and discipline, and prevents violence in and around schools
and campuses.
- Demanding that the media and the entertainment industry stop the endless
violence paraded before children night after night on television, in
the movies, in video games, and in music.
The Safe Schools section of the NEA Web site puts you in touch with
experts and solutions. You'll find out what you can do about school violence
and discover resources for children who have witnessed gang- and drug-related
violence, domestic abuse -- even the horrors of war. From policy and psychology
to resolutions and research, NEA provides tools to help create safer schools
and communities. http://www.nea.org/issues/safescho
Posted April 21, 1999