On Monday, the Bush administration proposed a school violence summit to be held next week to address the sudden escalate of shootings. The summit would hope to bring together education and law enforcement officials to discuss possible federal action to help schools prevent violence and disorder. On the surface, this summit may give the illusion of something being accomplished, but in reality this meeting has the potential to be an action-lacking appeasement that will soon be forgotten.
This shooting pandemic can't be resolved with new metal detectors, and a bill passing at a national level is useless without a method or means of implementation at a community-specific level. A national meeting may appear to be what we need to address this security problem, and it's not to say that we don't need federal intervention, but if we want genuine actions and plausible solutions each state school board needs to address their campus security at a local level.
Many see the issue as uncontrollable or unchangeable - something interwoven in the fabric of American society. The disgruntled violence of these shooters is caused by pitiable parental upbringing, or because of the music, graphic violence or explicit video games the shooter was exposed to in childhood. While this cruel perspective is in the minds of many Americans, we cannot give up without giving a reasonable attempt.
A good deal of local leaders and government officials will wait to see if this news blows over, just like Columbine seven years ago, but just because it is temporarily put out of sight does not mean it is fixed. This week Americans are being shown the negligence in not addressing campus safety after the tragedy of Columbine, and let's hope this time around actions speak louder than words.
Information protects
E-mailed safety reminders should go to all students
After a jogger went missing on a Clarence bike path on Friday, a University Police safety reminder was e-mailed out to on-campus residents informing them to be extra cautious on paths near the Ellicott Complex. The victim's body was discovered Sunday near a bike path in a scene evocative of the Linda Yalem tragedy.
Although UP has started a campaign to notify students, their job to warn against walking alone is not done.
While students are in a constant battle against e-mail spam and overflowing inboxes, a message of this importance should go out to a university-wide listserv. Of course those who live in the residence halls are closest to the danger and extra measures should be taken to inform them, this safety issue is not a problem exclusive to residents.
Commuters make up a huge chunk of the student body, and although they don't live at South Lake or Ellicott, that does not mean that they aren't there visiting friends or taking a walk in the area. UP should be commended in their efforts in informing residents. Their timely response to relevant events adds an extra layer of protection for UB residence halls, but this protection should not be distributed in the limited scope of University Residence Halls and Apartments. Every student on campus deserves this privilege, and something as simple as an e-mailed warning may prevent the next atrocity from happening.
An e-mail takes a few seconds to send out, but has the potential to leave a lasting impact.
Photo: Courtesy of Matthew Messina, from the RMBERS' Instagram page
