You Can't Have It Both Ways...

Good morning and welcome to Thursday Thoughts. All month, we’re focusing on teens and the trials they face as they move toward being adults. Today, it’s all about school violence and exactly what everyone can do to curtail school violence.
Continuing our month long look at school violence, we’re looking at the current trend of “having it both ways” when it comes to dealing with school violence.  Recent events have brought to light that bullying on the part of high school students might be part of the root cause of some incidents we’ve seen over the last few years. Some of those who participated in this vile act have even bragged that they had been giving the shooter a hard time for years. Yet, these same people are willing to blame the tool in addition to the shooter and demand that both be dealt with harshly.
Here’s a reality check. If you want change, you can’t be an underlying reason behind the problem. Yes, you were more than likely a survivor of the incident and you can consider yourself a victim, but you are a victim of your own making. However, that doesn’t make the shooter’s actions any less horrific. It doesn’t make them a sad person who couldn’t handle the problem any longer. It only makes what they did worse, because they chose to bully those bullying him.
This is another instance where we need to step back and view the problem from a dispassionate perspective. Strong emotions are good, to a point, but when it comes to finding a solution we need everyone interested in a lasting resolution to be able to discuss all points without shouting and screaming at each other or pointing fingers at their own idea of what’s the root cause.
Fact: not everyone bullied in school gets even by using a gun…
Most of those bullied in school move on eventually. They’ll find a new life, far from those they won’t associate with because of their behavior in the past. Some will become very successful; others will move on to become bullies themselves and justify their actions by saying “It happened to me and I survived.”
Fact: there is no way you can put hundreds if not thousands of teens into a single school and expect to stop bullying…
The teenage years are fraught with what feels like hyperspeed changes. Not only are these young adults growing very fast, they’re experience puberty. That, in and of itself, is enough to drive any crazy all the time. With the guidance of strong parents, good teachers who understand they’re working with walking, talking masses of confused and oftentimes surly children, and a society that is willing to be reasonable and allow these teens to grow into responsible adults with a bit of guidance.
Fact: school violence has been around since the mid-nineteenth century. It’s not going away any time soon.
We’d love to see school violence go away. No one wants to hear the tones for “Breaking News” and listen to reporters expounding on yet another shooting. Although I’m a strong proponent for freedom of the press, there are times when I wish they’d keep their mouths closed until all the facts are in. School shootings is at the top of the list of those times.
Fact: change can happen, if everyone is willing to listen to differing viewpoints and agree this is more than a child showed up with a gun and shot people.
This is a fact overlooked by a lot of people after an incident of school violence. Their emotions are in control and they’re saying whatever they believe without thinking of viable solutions. To solve this problem, we must be willing to take the time to get all the facts and come up with an answer that will allow our teens to mature during high school so they can handle the world as an adult while also keeping them safe.


About K.C. Sprayberry
Living a dream she’s had since she first discovered the magic of books. K.C. Sprayberry traveled the U.S. and Europe before finally settling in the mountains of Northwest Georgia. She’s been married to her soulmate for nearly a quarter of a century and they enjoy spoiling their grandchildren along with many other activities.
A multi-genre author, K.C. Sprayberry is always on the hunt for new stories. Inspiration strikes at the weirdest times and drives her to grab notebook and pen to jot down her ideas. Those close to her swear nothing or no one is safe if she’s smiling gently in a corner and watching those in the same room interact. Her observations have often given her ideas for her next story, set not only in the South but wherever the characters demand they settle.

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