To the editor: There was another mass shooting at a school; this time the suspect is a 14-year-old from Georgia who was interviewed a year ago for his threat to do this.
And yet, nothing will be done in Georgia or most other states except to tell them to hug their children, that they are loved and that the victims have our thoughts and prayers. What nonsense!
We need better gun laws. Even Republicans who praise the National Rifle Association and extol the Second Amendment should at least try to get some of these guns off the streets and enact sensible laws to make these shootings less frequent.
It's interesting that Republicans care so much about children that they want to ban abortion, but if a child is born, they have to go through school shooting drills to stay safe. I'm outraged, scared for my grandchildren, and sad for our country.
Barbara Azrialy, Los Angeles
..
To the editor: I don't understand why authorities are so surprised by school shootings. As a former high school teacher for 30 years, I remember that it wasn't hard to see red flags when students felt marginalized, disaffected or bullied.
In the community where I taught, I estimated that at least 35% of the parents were alcoholics. I counseled children who had been sexually abused by their families and many others who had been ignored or mistreated in many ways. These children come to school with a “school face” and unless they are seen by a teacher or someone else, their problems are not addressed.
Of course, we need much better gun control, but we cannot ignore that we need much more personal interaction with individual children. Schools could set up small (mandatory) classes in which children talk about what is going on in their lives, led by teachers specifically trained for this task.
There is much work to be done. In the meantime, if you are a parent or family member, listen to your teens and pay attention to how they are coping, how they are feeling, and what is on their mind.
Phyllis Molloff, Camarillo
..
To the editor: Politicians who oppose gun control argue that the solution is better mental health programs. If they truly believe this, they should support a comprehensive effort to provide mental health programs.
Since gun violence is the leading cause of death for children and adolescents in the United States, policymakers should focus their efforts on funding the training of counselors in every school in the country. There should be a massive push for affordable mental health programs with expertise in identifying and treating people at risk of committing acts of gun violence.
If politicians truly believe that more effective mental health programs are the answer, they must demonstrate their sincerity through action and make mental health programs a priority. Thoughts and prayers are not effective alternatives.
Ronald Kotkin, Laguna Beach
..
To the editor: Even before much was known about the 14-year-old boy suspected of killing four people at a Georgia high school Wednesday, officials announced they would prosecute him as an adult.
That will solve everything, no doubt. No doubt the next mentally challenged student who has a gun — a child who, at that moment, cares nothing for himself or others — will stop and think, “Hmm, I better not pull the trigger because I might be tried as an adult.”
Susan Goulding, Seal Beach
