Lynda/WA
03-22-2001, 09:39 PM
Today the topic on the talk radio show I was listening to was a specific case of almost school violence. I'm not sure what the intended weapon was and its really immaterial to this debate. Here's the case:
At a HS in Bend, OR at least a pair of students planned to kill a teacher and a couple of students. One of the students, TJ, called his mother and told her. She went with him to tell the police prior to the plan being carried out. The leader is currently charged with numerous offenses including conspiricy to commit murder. The District Attorney says TJ will not be charged with anything. He had been part of the *conspiricy* but since he did the right thing and came forward that is nullified.
The school had suspended TJ for a month when there will be a hearing to determine if he will be allowed back. The show commentator was trying to find out why he had been suspended. The DA says it has nothing to do with the schools decision and won't be charging him with anything. The school principle has refused to comment.
The show commentator pointed out that by punishing a student for comming forward the school is sending a message that it doesn't pay to do the right thing. This is the only case that the commentator had heard of in which a potential participant came forward and prevented anything from happening. He used the example of Columbine in which two students were involved. One was the leader and the other the follower. If the follower had come forward and prevented the shootings/bombings would he have been punished for that? Or if a third person had been in on the plans would they have received more punishement then just keeping their part hidden after the fact?
So - what do you think should happen to a student if they are in on the planning of violence but tell authorities in time to prevent anything from happening. Should the school punish them or not? (Note legally he isn't in any trouble)
At a HS in Bend, OR at least a pair of students planned to kill a teacher and a couple of students. One of the students, TJ, called his mother and told her. She went with him to tell the police prior to the plan being carried out. The leader is currently charged with numerous offenses including conspiricy to commit murder. The District Attorney says TJ will not be charged with anything. He had been part of the *conspiricy* but since he did the right thing and came forward that is nullified.
The school had suspended TJ for a month when there will be a hearing to determine if he will be allowed back. The show commentator was trying to find out why he had been suspended. The DA says it has nothing to do with the schools decision and won't be charging him with anything. The school principle has refused to comment.
The show commentator pointed out that by punishing a student for comming forward the school is sending a message that it doesn't pay to do the right thing. This is the only case that the commentator had heard of in which a potential participant came forward and prevented anything from happening. He used the example of Columbine in which two students were involved. One was the leader and the other the follower. If the follower had come forward and prevented the shootings/bombings would he have been punished for that? Or if a third person had been in on the plans would they have received more punishement then just keeping their part hidden after the fact?
So - what do you think should happen to a student if they are in on the planning of violence but tell authorities in time to prevent anything from happening. Should the school punish them or not? (Note legally he isn't in any trouble)