We need new reality on school violence

Guns, guns, guns! We are truly living in a disgusting, distressing, and dangerous moment in our country's history. In the span of a few days, a Buffalo Grove mother is shot and killed while driving home with her family from the Dells, a man shoots at his wife as she runs out of their home in St. Charles during a domestic dispute, and a Naperville high school boy is arrested on charges of bringing an unloaded gun to his Aurora school and faces a year's expulsion.

All three incidents are tragic, but the one involving the Naperville teen was chilling, because of this statement from Aurora police spokesman Dan Ferrelli. "Students today tend to look at school place violence as something that can happen in their schools. By accepting its realities, they've become empowered to report suspicious activities and that is indeed in everyone's best interest."

Accepting the realities of school place violence is in everyone's best interest? This is a reality that cannot continue. School is a place for children to learn and grow. School is not a place for children to learn the realities of violence. School place violence and its realities should not be accepted by the children, by their parents, by the schools, or by the community. We need a new reality, and we need it now.

Diane Niesman

Wheaton