> But I certainly can't condone a knee-jerk, panic response, similar to
> yours, that throws out common sense and absolves the principals and
> counselors of any responsibility. The situation here has been
> extreme enough to warrant a fight for the control of the school board
> and media attention, as it should.
I have had some experience with responses of suburban public schools, elementary and middle, to incidents of disruption in school which resulted in police involvement, as a result of which I would say that, in this mostly lily-white, post-Columbine environment, there is often intense pressure by parents on some principals (or at least the principals feel they are subjected to this pressure) to respond in a hair-trigger manner by calling the cops. On the other hand, there are also school administrators who have a very sensitive approach to these situations. It seems to vary a lot by district and even individual schools.
In the middle school years, especially, there are so many kids who are going through personal crises that very complex cases that are hard for parents, counselors, principals, police, courts, and everyone else to sort out often arise. The results can often be rather devastating for the kids and their families. Sometimes, in fact, involvement of the juvenile courts (when they are staffed by competent caring personnel, as they may be in suburban towns that can afford to hire good professionals) can help, but all too often, of course, police and courts just act out the vengeance lust and terrors of the community.
Jon Johanning // jjohanning at igc.org __________________________________ Had I been present at the Creation, I would have given some useful hints for the better ordering of the universe. -- Attr. to Alfonso the Wise, King of Castile