News Matters: Violence in Our Schools

On March 24, 1998, when two young students opened fire on their classmates in Jonesboro, Arkansas, a dumbfounded nation asked: "Why?" The most prominent of a rash of school shootings over the past year or so, the Jonesboro tragedy brought the issue of violence in our schools to the forefront of the American conscience. Even though overall violence has actually decreased in our schools of late, the high profile incidents in Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee and Oregon have renewed debates over gun control and a violence-saturated media. In this installment of the News Matters series, which examines current events topics, kids will see news clips they're likely to have already seen (pointlessly accompanied by ominous music) and hear their peers offer opinions on the breakdown of the nuclear family, adolescent isolation, violent video games, and differences between fantasy and reality, among other topics. Because of the mass media coverage of this particular subject, however, it's unlikely that viewers will be exposed to anything new here. Still, elementary and middle schools may want to consider as a discussion starter (the study guide offers good questions and activities). Optional. Aud: E, I, J. (R. Pitman)