Findings in the Columbine Examinations

[Shawn]

Slate has a story from yesterday, the anniversary of the Columbine killings.

excerpt:

Five years ago today, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold murdered their classmates and teachers at Columbine High School. Most Americans have reached one of two wrong conclusions about why they did it. The first conclusion is that the pair of supposed "Trench Coat Mafia outcasts" were taking revenge against the bullies who had made school miserable for them. The second conclusion is that the massacre was inexplicable: We can never understand what drove them to such horrific violence.

As well, they dispell the 7 most popular myths regarding the killings here.

The myths:

1. Targeting jocks, blacks, and Christians

2. The Trench Coat Mafia

3. The Hit List

4. Christian Martyr Cassie Bernall

5. Marilyn Manson

6. Escape to New York

7. Outcasts

---

All in all, this is a powerful piece. I would actually recommend reading the myths before the main article.

[Potato]

I did a huge research paper on this a while ago.

It drives me nuts when people try to act like they knew what happened when they say stuff like "Oh they were manson fans" and stuff...

They were a couple of fucked up kids. Take it or leave it.

They had a huge plan and that went to shit so they resolved to what we know happened... walking in and shooting.

Edited April 21, 2004 by Potato

[desdemona]

as a parent of a child that was expelled 3 days for fighting, I only have this to say, ( my daughter by the way, didn't start a fight but unfortunately she fought back, I tried to always tell her to walk away, but this had been building) and the point is for some reason in elementary school social science doesn't seem to include the chapter about dealing with others in confrontational situations, I know teachers can't fill in for what parents should be doing, but they do see the tensions in the classroom with everyday arguments and petty differences, I seem to recall teachers becoming involved more, using those as examples of situations reflecting what the student would face as an adult, and the proper way to handle it, I know these kids definitely had problems that killed in columbine but the school has some responsiblity in keeping the school free from hostilities so that students can attend without stress. Part of growing up is learning how to deal with others and to be able to take insults, but it's also learning fairness, standing up against prejudice, all topics that should be discussed at home, but school is the place to learn the skills to debate and investigate those issues. Am I out of touch?

[DudeAsInCool]

... but school is the place to learn the skills to debate and investigate those issues.  Am I out of touch?

Maybe, but I'm with you. Some people think kids should just study math, english and the basics, and that the other stuff should be dealt with at home. I dont agree... I think the Columbine kids suffered from alientation--nobody was paying attention enuff to encourage what good they brought to the table. The problem with education today is that its all about numbers and being number 1, instead of helping nurture well-balance people...and with that recognizing each individuals talents and encouraging them...