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The apportionment of funds is ridiculous, Parnell. Instead of doling out
funds by rewarding and denying, we should do it on a per capita basis.
posted by
saul_relative
on October 9, 2006 at 8:54 PM
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General thoughts
Surely this issue runs far deeper than bullying and lack of intervention. These things exist everywhere. However, as far as western countries are concerned, it's only really in the United States that your have a serious chance of getting your head blown-off when you go to history class.
I was reading the other day that in certain American states school funding is based on academic performance. So a school that is priviliged and successful gets the lion's share of the resources, and a school that's in desperate need goes without.
I mean, for God's sake - what do people think is going to happen?
posted by
Antipodean
on October 9, 2006 at 1:26 AM
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Well, Blanche, you can't blame the children. They're works in progress, so
to speak. So that leaves the burden on ... ah, society. I'm all for "brain mapping" and psychological studies of all kind, Blanche. The more we know, the more we can hopefully better ourselves and our social structures.
posted by
saul_relative
on October 8, 2006 at 5:43 PM
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I read Paul Allen is funding a "brain mapping" project, it's still ongoing.
posted by
Blanche.
on October 8, 2006 at 5:08 PM
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It is an uncertain science, more art than science, Saul, it seems
I get disgusted with "experts" who proclaim answers about the brain. However, it does seem that "value programming" takes place in the teens. If left to their own devices, surrounded with angst, nihilism, raging emotions without direction, what else can we expect and who has failed here, the children or us as a society?
posted by
Blanche.
on October 8, 2006 at 5:07 PM
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The study of the brain and its psychological functions is ongoing and
uncertain, Blanche. Some psychologists believe that the core of an individual's psychological development, his core belief system, is formed in the teen years. You get your mindset at the same time your hormones are driving you crazy? Seems like a volatile mix at just the wrong time in a child's/young adult's development.
posted by
saul_relative
on October 8, 2006 at 5:02 PM
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I've read that the teenaged brain is not fully developed in terms of
impulse control, they're under the influence of raging hormones (aren't we all?), but have yet learned how to deal with them, they have influences everywhere except sane, rational ones at home.
It's a freaking nightmare and miracle that it doesn't happen more often. I never had to go to school with metal detectors, afraid for my life? I am so glad I am not a parent.
posted by
Blanche.
on October 8, 2006 at 4:49 PM
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Cowards, one and all, Tonysonit. The most dangerous animal is a scared
and ineffectual animal. Give that animal a way to even the odds or best whatever is making it feel insecure and, sooner or later, they will act. Still, people shouldn't be forced to become cowards and therein lies the genesis of it all...
posted by
saul_relative
on October 8, 2006 at 4:47 PM
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The media is another problem, glorifying every act of social discord,
Blanche. Still, you're right about intervention. And the denial adults continue to stay in really is criminal.
posted by
saul_relative
on October 8, 2006 at 4:40 PM
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Interesting post and discussion, Saul.
Not sure if i can add anything. There have been similar incidents in Britain recently, but usually involving knifing rather than shooting. However, the craze for guns is taking hold over here now as well, so I can't say it couldn't happen here. If you want answers, blame society for being too soft. Kids have bad examples in front of them (e.g. Columbine, general anti-authoritarianism in all its manifestations, parents and media figures boasting about guns and violence, etc etc.). As they are immature and vulnerable and more prone to irrational hatred and violence than cooler calmer adults, it's not surprising in this society that kids snap. There is much less excuse for mature adults to do so. Maybe they have harboured similar resentment about being bullied or ignored for decades. But why they would take it out on children in schools - probably just a soft target with lots of victims all in one place who aren't likel.y to attack them back, I'd guess.
posted by
Antonionioni
on October 8, 2006 at 4:22 PM
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Early and effective (with the emphasis on effective) intervention, Saul,
is my suggestion. Trouble is, those who intervene tend to do it clumsily, and may do more harm than good, by their ham-handed attempts at being helpful. Has every adult developed amnesia as to what fresh hell high school was, and how interminable it seemed. Every slight fatal, it's no wonder these kids go to extremes.
And yes, the fricking media loves it.
posted by
Blanche.
on October 8, 2006 at 3:57 PM
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No doubt about it, Blanche. In a society where we are taught that guns are
the ultimate equalizer, where we are desensitized to killing daily by entertainment sources and news, where death is just a threshold to the afterlife, where might makes right -- well, you get my point. There is little doubt that a more comprehensive course of action must be implemented for our children and society's sake.
posted by
saul_relative
on October 8, 2006 at 3:37 PM
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I think Columbine was certainly a factor, Saul Relative, and a major one.
They took the dark fantasy and made it real, thereby raising (or lowering) the bar for other disaffected, alienated people, who, like Klebold and Harris, saw themselves going down in a hail of bullets, a blaze of glory and history.
They had the psychological profile, from what little I know, I cannot remember which one was an Air Force "brat", with unstable roots, never fit in, moving, always on the outside. Bullies in high school, and in life in general, are nothing new. The temptation to retaliate is sometimes overwhelming, especially if authorities turn a blind eye and do nothing, which often seems to be the case.
I think another factor is that we live in morally ambiguous times, so "hero" doesn't mean what it used to mean. Someone can try to gain rock star status by killing, because now it's been done. The Montreal killer openly admitted emulating Columbine on his blog and website. That's scary.
However, as a society, what do we do? Identify and treat this as a problem before it becomes incendiary, before these people reach their breaking point, because I do believe that everybody, even the finest most solid person with character and integriy and social skills and network has a breaking point.
posted by
Blanche.
on October 8, 2006 at 11:40 AM
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So right you are, freerain. I've been studying this problem for quite some
time. The sociological needs and concerns of everyone involved is not being met. Treating schools as a business works on the logistical side of things, but on the emotional, psychological, and developmental levels, the "target areas" are ridiculously limited. This is an issue of importance on a composite level, where each and every aspect of the school environment needs to be designed to afford children the education they need without the sociological drawbacks associated with bullying, cliques, discrimination, etc.
posted by
saul_relative
on October 8, 2006 at 11:31 AM
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The Bully Pulpit
Schools are an haven for bullies. Those self-righteous folks that think they are better than others, have the right stuff and the right to belittle and demean those of a lesser sphere.
It's like Bush saying calling someone a terrorist and flexing his muscle on the play ground. Enough name calling reduces the afflicted to act out in some manner to get the bully to stop.
In our schools, they now have a "bully alert" system. It isn't aimed at the bullies, but at those who might react to bullying--act out in a psychotic way in order to end the humiliation and degredation brought on by pushes, shoves, name calling, and worse. Be afraid of the quiet kid, he might be a terrorist in disguise.
Bullies don't like peace and quiet. They don't like to see nice people getting along with others. They suffer a bad case of inferiority complex masked over with false bravado. That is what a bully is. But we don't address these psychotic problems. There is more to this violence than meets the eye.
FR
posted by
freerain
on October 8, 2006 at 10:08 AM
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