Too many knives being brought to school?
By now I am sure you all heard about the stabbing at Coral Gables High school yesterday. That's the Grove's high school,our Grove kids go there.
Yesterday afternoon at a high school cross country meet at Kennedy Park (there were various schools competing, boys and girls: Ransom, Lourdes, Carrollton, Belen and some Gables students were there to watch their friends play), some of the kids starting talking.
They said that as they change classes and walk through the hallways that there are some gang kids that pull out their knives and try to cut kids as they walk by each other in the mob of the hallways. They specifically target new kids or Freshman at the school. One boy said he came within a 1/4 inch of having his face cut last week walking through the halls. It seems to be common knowledge,
but if one student reports another student they target that student and that student's family.
While I agree with Schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho about not turning schools into prisons, random checks for knives and weapons should be the norm, the boy yesterday who was killed was stabbed multiple times with a small pen knife.
Knife Amnesty programs may work, but I doubt those with nefarious intentions are going to
turn in their weapons.
When I was in high school gum chewing was the big issue. Life was simpler then.
posted by Tom Falco at 10:00 AM
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11 Comments:
No weapon to cause harm or injury to any child or youth should be at any school, anywhere, world. And Florida is beginning to pay attention to the curse of the bullies. A bully can ruin a persons entire lifetime, cause an otherwise good person to hate women, attack weaker persons, abuse their children and end up in prison for life or worse. A knife or gun to scarced children may seem plausible----it's always a heartbreak to hear about this. This may not involve a bully, but someone was worried sufficiently to bring a knife to school. These types of incidents are a reflection of a community.
Scary stuff Grape. Great reporting as usual. I think they need metal detectors, that should be obvious.
This incident proved to others that may want to that yes they can get a knife into school, they probably can get a gun into school if they can get a kinfe? There are many troubled youths, so this is a cry for help.
Turning in knives will make little change, although in the right direction. When innocent children watch so much insanity on TV and on computer games they become desensitized and learn that violence is OK. Our aggressive culture needs to be rethought.
Gangs at $20K a year schools like Ransom, Lourdes, Carrolton or Belen.
Definately agree with where you're coming from, but have a hard time believing that some of the best private schools in the county have gang problems.
Maybe I'm wrong.
Somehow I doubt that the listed private schools have these kinds of problems. I'll call it out as some selective listing of the schools present.
Either way, I was at Gables up until a couple years ago (graduated in 06) and even then there were weapons/gangs in the school. Yesterday's incident, so far, doesn't seem to be gang-related at all, so that's actually a good thing.
This stuff about holding out knives and trying to cut people in the hallways... believe me, if someone did that in Gables' tiny hallways, there would be a wing of the hospital devoted to Gables kids. I think that's just exaggeration in light of recent events.
At the end of the day though, I believe that while security is a concern at schools, it's (a) unfeasible and (b) detrimental to try and institute the airport style security measures that parents seem to want in all schools. Metal detectors, searches, even to the point of patting down students; besides the fact that this would grossly slow down any activities at the school (like arriving and going to your first class), it also turns a school into a police state.
It's natural for a panic following such an incident as yesterday's stabbing, but the truth is that violent crime happens, it can happen anywhere, and while it can be lessened by policing measures, it can never be completely eliminated. What needs to happen is the creation of more after-school activities and programs throughout the educational years so that kids don't wind up seeing a whole lot of gang violence and violence in general around them when they get home.
I guess none of you commenting can read clearly, Grape did not say the Private schools have these problems, only Gables High. The other schools were part of a Track meet. Thanks CPayan for also letting us know that Gangs and Weapons at Gables has been an issue since you attended there 2006and nothing has been done to fix the problem? Wake up people.
Try the best kept secret in the Grove-A&M charter school. A fantastic new administration with an experienced Principal and Dean of Students. My kid goes there for free and loves it. Small and safe with great teachers
I agree with last comment. A&M is a fantastic school. The new administration has turned this school into an academic powerhouse-acceptances to Princeton, Duke, etc. The new Dean is from Coral Reef and has a wealth of knowledge. Do yourself a favor and check it out. Their enrollment has soared since the summer. Everyone always has a big smile on their face and my kids' friends all love it. Go to the plaza and check it out
I walked past A&M Charter on the way to our vet's for years; never noticed it...Now I look up and see a great, open concept on the plaza...the glass walls in classrooms make for an even safer environment. Founders Manuel Alonso-Poch and Lili Renteria are true philanthropists. Director William Machado runs a fine, safe and academically challenging institution. His Dean of Students Warren Zucker and Resgistrar Sandii Sellers retired from Coral Reef High School where I knew them. They are phenomenal professionals and dedicated educators.Grove people should send their high schoolers to A&M!
When do we hold PARENTS responsible for their kids...People need to comprehend that there are consequences for behaviors! Schools are NOT the problem...Parents are (for the most part)...try talking with your kids. Turn off the TV...take away the cell phones...Shut down computers part of the day...COMMUNICATE!!!
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