By LAURA DOWLER
The shootings in Paducha, Ky., struck fear in the hearts of many teens and
adults.
A common sentiment was, if it can happen there it can happen anywhere.
Do schools have a problem with security and violence? Can it be solved?
Students say it is too easy to get a gun in school. One student commented,
"I know people who have brought things to school that they shouldn't
have, and didn't get caught."
In Kentucky, a freshman brought a gun to school and sprayed a pre-class
bible study, killing two students and paralyzing another.
Edgewood Senior High School vice principal Jerry Mlack said, "I think
it's
a situation as to no matter what you do, if a student wants to do it bad
enough he or she will find a way to do it."
Some schools already have strict policies. A student sustained minor
injuries while playing "Zorro" with another student who had a
knife at
Madison High School recently. Both students were expelled, even though
the incident was more horseplay than violent.
"While the stabbing is embarrassing, it's not characteristic,"
said
Superintendent Stan Heffner.
What kinds of security measures can be taken to make sure it doesn't
happen?
Schools could increase security like some inner-city areas have done.
Metal detectors have been installed in some larger schools. This kind of
equipment can have a high cost. It is also a problem for students and
teachers.
Some people would feel safer, while others would feel imprisoned. Harbor
High School student Justin Ford said, "I don't want to have to go through
metal detectors at school. If you put them up you know it's like entering
a
war zone."
Others like Edgewood students Audra Hatch and Erin Santee think more
security is better.
Hatch said, "Having metal detectors wouldn't make me feel like I was
in
prison, it would make me feel safer."
Ashtabula student Steve Corp said, "Having to go through metal detectors
really wouldn't bother me."
The next decision is when to install safety measures. "You have to
ask
yourself, `Do you prepare for everything?'" said Edgewood teacher Sara
Wetzel.
Another less drastic way of dealing with the problem is to ban book bags.
Many book bags are used to conceal weapons and drugs. This measure,
though less drastic than metal detectors, is not popular with some
students.
"It would be a big inconvenience if I had to carry my books without
a
bookbag, I would have to visit my locker more often, and it could cause
me
to be late for class." commented Edgewood's Vanessa Bovee. Other
students don't have a problem with it. "I can understand why they would
want to ban bookbags, I think it might be a good idea." said Corp.
One California school found a way around the problem. All students must
carry a clear book bag. "I don't think I would want to carry a clear
bookbag. I would feel like that was a violation of my privacy," said
Bovee.
Many students feel as if discipline is lacking in schools. An anonymous
student commented, "I think they should start suspending people more
often for lesser things."
This student noticed that teachers sometimes turn their heads to swearing,
dress code and other infractions. Hatch commented, "People need to
start
getting punished for breaking the rules more often than they are. If they
can get rid of the people who get in trouble time after time, we can have
a
safer environment," Ford said. "I think that people get away with
way too
much at our school."
Violence is getting more focus now than it ever has. Schools have to ask
how far do we need to go?
"I don't really think we need any more security. I feel perfectly safe
walking through school every day." said Corp.
Magen Plants, an Edgewood student, said, "I don't think we need advanced
security because it's a safe school. It's not like I'm afraid to go to school
every day.
Laura is an Edgewood Senior High School junior.
By ERIC FIDLER
Associated Press
WINNETKA, Ill. - Call it an early economics lesson. When rich kids have
nowhere to park during high school, somebody is going to make some
serious money.
Overwhelming demand and limited supply at New Trier High School - one
of the state's wealthiest - is so bad that many pay hundreds, even
thousands, of dollars a year to secure a space near school, either in a
resident's driveway or a business's parking lot.
The 3,100-student school offers just 220 parking spaces to students, spots
doled out by lottery, and only to seniors. Others must fend for themselves,
with no street parking allowed.
Prime spots are so rare they become family legacies.
"I only got this because my sister had it," said Chris Bartlett,
a junior who
parks his Toyota Celica convertible at nearby G&W Auto Clinic. "We
handed it down."
Taking the bus to school isn't a desirable option for many image-conscious
teens in this affluent, tree-lined suburb north of Chicago.
"I'd be leaving 20 minutes early," Bartlett said. "You have
to wait outside.
It's a pain."
Bob Woyner rents out four to six spaces at G&W. In the past, he's charged
$500 a year, payable in advance. This year, it's $750.
The rent increase drew no protests.
"People just said fine," Woyner said. "Five hundred, 750,
it's the same
thing to these people."
Dylan Nagle got his spot at G&W through a sibling, too. Calling the
school bus no fun, he feels lucky to have someplace to park his sleek
Acura SLX there.
"It's kind of a hot thing around here," Woyner said. "I've
had people say,
'How much is it? I'm willing to pay double."'
The average household income in the village of roughly 13,000 residents
is
about $150,000. While not everyone who attends the school is rich, the
average house in town is valued at more than half a million dollars and
it's
common to see students driving Audis, BMWs and Volvos.
"As a high school in the midst of a residential area, we're a different
story,"
said Judy Brinton, New Trier's dean of students.
Even the school's highly coveted 220 student parking spaces come at a
price: $270 a year.
With the school expected to grow by 1,000 students over the next seven
years, the situation is only going to worsen, Brinton said.
"We don't have any place we can expand to," she said. "We
don't have any
empty fields we can pave."
A 1994 New Trier graduate, Kristen McGill, said the situation has been
bad for years.
"Around here, kids are throwing two grand at the people for a semester,"
she said.
McGill rented a spot in a driveway across the street from the school for
$500, but that bargain ended after other students offered $2,000 for
spaces.
"Finally, my senior year, they threatened to take it away," she
said.
Asked why students didn't just take the school bus, McGill wrinkled her
nose.
"You don't take the bus when you go to New Trier."
James Kang is an Edgewoodian junior and Soundsations
musical group
member because he thinks he looks good in bow ties and white gloves.
James is interested in computers (we wonder how good Bill Gates looks in
white gloves). Not only does he have his own Web page but hopes to
pursue a career in a computer-related field.
Originally from Korea, he's known around school for, well, sort of weird
hiccups. How weird? Well scare him while he's drinking something and
find out.
Happy new year! It's time to return to school. Yep, this is the last big
holiday for a couple of weeks. Then there's Martin Luther King Day.
Actually, the reason kids have to go back to school is taxpayers can't stand
those highly paid teachers being off too long at a time. They pressure the
school boards and administrators and before you can say "get in your
seats," school is back in session.
So if you've forgotten where you go to school, look up your last report
card or ask a neighbor.
Consider this our public service message of the day.
Speaking of schools, we promised two weeks ago we would tell you about
PANDA at Grand Valley High School. Well, if you checked last week, we
didn't write about it. It was Christmas. Vacations. Fill in your own excuse.
Anyway, PANDA really stands for People Against Narcotics and Drug
Abuse. There are more than 100 kids who participate, about a quarter of
the student body.
Says adviser Tanika Jackson, "It's great to have so many people to
work
with. There are a lot of creative ideas being brainstormed and that helps."
PANDA is divided into seven groups, including listening, activities, prom,
publicity, training institute, tutor and skits.
Grade schools are visited by kids to see six different plays, involving
things like drunk driving, coping with divorce and cheating.
Oh, and congrats to GV's "Academic Challenge" team, recently vying
against two other high schools on
WEWS Channel 5 in Cleveland. The team racked up lots of points, barely missing
first place.