Re: fuel-air explosives and the next highschool "event"

[VERNON DEWEES <vrdewees@TENET.EDU>]

Michael Edmiston wrote:
> I've been wanting to respond to this issue, but I cannot get a handle
> on what to say.  But before the moment passes, I'm going to say
> something anyway.
>
> If William Beaty (and others) say that high school was hell for them, I
> don't doubt it for one second.  I realize this type of thing can and
> does happen in schools, both public and private.  But  I also know
> there are places where it doesn't happen.  My first response to Bill is
> to say, "I'm really sorry that happened to you.  I wish you could have
> had a high school experience like I did."  And I mean that sincerely.
>  No one should have to go through what he went through.
>  Congratulations on surviving.
I'm glad you replied, Michael, as I wanted to also, but was unsure what
to say.

I also had a good high school experience, although I did have problems
as a freshman being picked on and called a nerd. However, this is not
the reason for my reply.

I have taught high school math and physics for 16 years, 7 in private
school and 9 in public school. Here are some of the reasons I believe
teenagers are different than we were.

1) General lack of respect for themselves and for others, fostered by
media glorification of being sarcastic, rebellious, and having to have a
snappy, funny reply for everything. I see discipline in schools making a
comeback, but the lack of it in the past decade has contributed.

2) Parents that are too busy with their own lives to pay attention to
their kids. Kids seek love or acceptance elsewhere.

3) Lack of curiosity about their surroundings. I cannot count the number
of times that students have said to me," Why would(fill in any
scientist's name) want to spend their time doing that?" or some other
statement indicating that such deep thought is beneath them.

4) More and more students would rather watch someone else do something
than do anything else. Perhaps this comes from watching so much TV. We
may become a nation of voyeurs, if we are not already.

5) General lack of experience with reality. Maybe TV or video games or
just the pampered life styles of many have kept them from experiencing
many of the things earlier generations have experienced. I also think
may of my students today are so over-involved in outside activities like
sports, or dance, or music or more than likely a combination of these
type of activities, that they do not have time to relax and enjoy
thinking.

Bill, I had some of the same thoughts about some of the bullies when I
was in school. I had plenty of access to guns in my house, but I never
seriously considered using them. I knew right from wrong and hopefully
still do. So did you or you would have come up with some creative way of
payback. We were not coming down to their level.

Many teenagers today think it is ok to get revenge, or that you are even
supposed to do that. After all, many movies and video games are about
using violence on your enemies. They have seen people on screen go nuts
and shoot many people(take Rambo as an example), because they were
unjustly treated. Why shouldn't the teenagers do the same?

For every kid who shoots up a school because he was treated badly, there
are thousands more who don't and many were treated worse. Most do
nothing but wait for high school to end, so they can get on with their
lives, much like you did. Others turn to drugs or some other way of
easing the pain.

One way to help kids is to get involved with your local high school and
mentor some of those kids. Hey, start a computer club or an electronics
club or a chess club or some other type of activity that the kids that
are like you could enjoy and relate to. It may not seem like much, but
it is a start.

Thanks for letting me put in my two cents.


Vern Dewees
Physics
Creekview High School
Carrollton, Texas