1 Killed in Shootings at Virginia Tech

[SWTXBelle]

I am a weekly columnist. My column next week will obviously have to be about the tragedy at VT. I discuss the killings at Univ. of Texas in 1966 and the Killeen Luby's massacre of 1996. I never mention the killers, and I make a point at the end that the endless glorification of these animals is wrong. You have to report the news, but you do not have to make media stars of the killers. I end my column with a list of the names we should remember - the victims at UT, Luby's and Va Tech. They are the ones who should be remembered - the unborn child and the woman killed trying to help her stricken fiance in Austin, the couple who had just celebrated their 47th anniversary in Killeen, the Eagle Scout who kept his cool, the professor who sacrificed his life for his students, the Pi Phi who was injured as she went to help her sister -this should be the focus.
And while I hope the parents of this latest killer are safe, I do think it fair to ask - How did they not know their son was in such an awful mental state? I realize the university was in a horrible situation - I know they cannot necessarily contact the parents (when I taught college I could not even give parents their children's grades because of privacy issues) - but I can't help but wonder - as, in all fairness I'm sure they are now - how could they have missed this?

[33girl]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

And while I hope the parents of this latest killer are safe, I do think it fair to ask - How did they not know their son was in such an awful mental state? I realize the university was in a horrible situation - I know they cannot necessarily contact the parents (when I taught college I could not even give parents their children's grades because of privacy issues) - but I can't help but wonder - as, in all fairness I'm sure they are now - how could they have missed this?

If they were working 24/7 they might not have had the chance.

[Honeykiss1974]

Originally Posted by 33girl

If they were working 24/7 they might not have had the chance.

True - plus if he only went home for holidays or the occassional weekend, its easy "fake it" and act like everything is peachy keen when in fact, you're tormented inside.

[ASUADPi]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

And while I hope the parents of this latest killer are safe, I do think it fair to ask - How did they not know their son was in such an awful mental state? I realize the university was in a horrible situation - I know they cannot necessarily contact the parents (when I taught college I could not even give parents their children's grades because of privacy issues) - but I can't help but wonder - as, in all fairness I'm sure they are now - how could they have missed this?

While I'm sure I'm in the minority and I'm expecting people to blow a gasket with this comment, I don't believe it is fair of anyone to put any blame on the parents, of any school shooter.

Parents do the best they can. I'm not a parent but I do remember being in high school and in college and I didn't tell my parents an awful lot of what was going on in my life. That is growing up and exerting your own independence. Plus, who is to say that he didn't go home and "put on an act" for his parents?

To blame parents of what their children did is completely assinine. Not that I'm trying to justify what this person did, because I'm not, but I truly believe that he wasn't mentally stable and just broke. Everyone has a breaking point but 99% of the population WON'T pick up a gun and start killing people.

From what I've heard classmates and roomates and professors knew something was up with him, but nothing was done. That really just needs to change in our society. We can't keep brushing things off that we notice and say "that's not my problem".

Like I said, I'm sure tons of people will disagree with me, and that's totally fine, but I'm not attacking anyone so please don't attack me and my opinion.

[angelic1]

[QUOTE=ASUADPi;1432332
From what I've heard classmates and roomates and professors knew something was up with him, but nothing was done. That really just needs to change in our society. We can't keep brushing things off that we notice and say "that's not my problem".
[/QUOTE]

Basically because of comments like this (sorry to just point yours out), I have just basically had to to turn the tv off, stop reading comments, etc.

It is always just so frustrating to me to hear people talk on a subject or make comments on something that they do not know about. Honestly because this is my school it feels personal...

People saying why didn't the school do anything in those two hours? They did, it is so easy to say this when you know the outcome. They thought it was someone else. Obviously no one who even came into to contact with him afterwards realized something was up (i.e. the postal worker)

Why did everyone ignore this kid or not talk to him? People tried. I think honestly everyone who has lived with him has seemed very tolarable to him (from their interviews on tv) despite his very wierd nature more than most people could say.

Why did no one do anything about this? They did, there is only so much you can do based on the law. He was put voluntarily in a mental institution. Police were called (they can only do so much unless he actually does something criminal).

Sorry this is just makes me mad to hear these comments. I know people need to question things, I always agree with that, but sometimes you need to listen to the facts first.

[SydneyK]

I applaud you for saying this, angelic1. I wish more Tech students would speak up, because I'm sure you can't be the only one who feels this way.

Regarding the young woman who lived through Columbine and now this; she impressed me beyond belief. She was amazingly composed, and seemed to be emotionally stronger than I could ever imagine.

I'm so upset with the way the media is handling the coverage of this. Even the name they've given this (Virginia Tech Massacre) implies that the university is somehow at fault, when I don't believe it is. I really wish the media would focus on the positives at this point (the sense of community, the camaraderie, the survivors, etc.) instead of the negatives (letting the killer get his last word in by airing his tape, blaming the university, etc.)

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

And while I hope the parents of this latest killer are safe, I do think it fair to ask - How did they not know their son was in such an awful mental state? I realize the university was in a horrible situation - I know they cannot necessarily contact the parents (when I taught college I could not even give parents their children's grades because of privacy issues) - but I can't help but wonder - as, in all fairness I'm sure they are now - how could they have missed this?

Sometimes parents see only what they want to see about their kid, especially when their child has left home and they only see them a few weeks out of the year.

[SWTXBelle]

But wasn't he committed to a mental health facility, where they said he was a threat to himself? That is kind of hard to ignore even if you are working a great deal.
I don't blame the parents - anymore than I do the school - but I do hope that one thing to come out of all of this is a discussion on how to prevent this kind of thing. Parents have to look for warning signs - schools have to discuss what to do with a student with these kind of issues. I remember earlier in the year a discussion of schools who made depressed students withdraw, so this is not a new issue.
When I was teaching college I had a student who would sit in the front row making a slitting motion to his throat whilst grinning manically at me. I've dealt with this problem on a VERY personal basis. He was also following me after class. I had my brother the police officer come and escort me a few times, and the behavior stopped. But the school was powerless to do anything.
I don't know the answer, but I know it is a discussion that needs to happen.

[LPIDelta]

I think its sad that people are more concerned with getting sued and protecting privacy than with the safety of a student or all students. It would see that many administrators are following the letter of the law too much, rather than the spirit. I am not blaming the schools, especially not blaming Virginia Tech--but if you are concerned about student safety and your own personal safety to the point of having code words and escorts, I think its better to err on the side of caution and call someone, anyone, who will help. I would rather have somone be mad at me if I was wrong, than see someone get hurt. If that means calling the parents, then so be it. But we don't because lawyers are telling us the students have rights, even if they are a danger to themselves or others?

I hope that the laws will change now.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by Heather17

I think its sad that people are more concerned with getting sued and protecting privacy than with the safety of a student or all students. It would see that many administrators are following the letter of the law too much, rather than the spirit. I am not blaming the schools, especially not blaming Virginia Tech--but if you are concerned about student safety and your own personal safety to the point of having code words and escorts, I think its better to err on the side of caution and call someone, anyone, who will help. I would rather have somone be mad at me if I was wrong, than see someone get hurt. If that means calling the parents, then so be it. But we don't because lawyers are telling us the students have rights, even if they are a danger to themselves or others?

I hope that the laws will change now.

Yeah, but if you're a teacher or admin and make the wrong call - i.e. labeling someone who's not dangerous as dangerous - your career is over, basically.

[PiKA2001]

Originally Posted by 33girl

Yeah, but if you're a teacher or admin and make the wrong call - i.e. labeling someone who's not dangerous as dangerous - your career is over, basically.

What do you value more, your freedom or your safety? It seems you can't have both these days.

[James]

Freedom, unless I am in immediate danger.. . then my safety.

Originally Posted by PiKA2001

What do you value more, your freedom or your safety? It seems you can't have both these days.

[LPIDelta]

Originally Posted by 33girl

Yeah, but if you're a teacher or admin and make the wrong call - i.e. labeling someone who's not dangerous as dangerous - your career is over, basically.

Sure...but, as important as a job is, I'd rather know that students were safe. I can find another job. I would hope others would feel the same way--if not, sad.

Last year, I witnessed some students with what I thought to be guns right outside a door to the building I work in. Needless to say, I was shocked and didn't know if what I thought I saw was real. When I got back to my office, I told the other people what I thought I saw and we called the campus PD. They locked down the president's office and came to ask me questions. Turns out they were fake and the students were practicing a scene for a play they were working on where a person is taken hostage--why you would practice this outdoors is beyond me. I got a lot of razzing from my colleagues and even a little from the police--but after what happened this week, I'd definitely do it again because we just never know now.

[Buttonz]

Originally Posted by texas*princess

I
They aren't gonna say, "Oh, well, we're CNN, and NBC already has this story because the package was sent to them, so let's post pictures or something else instead."

My point is, they are there to inform us (among other things) which is what their doing. Granted, the news coverage is a bit much - but I think it's because it's such a huge story that has touched so many people.
.

Nothing wrong at all with all of theme covering it, but do the pictures of the killer holding guns, etc have to be shown????

Originally Posted by centaur532

And the Columbine survivor at VTech? Holy! Either that's mental fortitude that's never been seen or she'll be in therapy for quite sometime. My goodness.

I didn't hear about this one....I get the feeling that a lot of therapy will be needed for her. To go through this once is unimaginable...to have to deal with it a second time?

[33girl]

Originally Posted by Heather17

Sure...but, as important as a job is, I'd rather know that students were safe. I can find another job. I would hope others would feel the same way--if not, sad.

Oh, I agree. I can just understand why people would be cautious. You honestly do, in your day to day life, forget (not so much forget, but isn't in your thoughts every day) that things like this happen.

Cho's great aunt was just on Headline News. If I didn't mishear, she called him an idiot.