Knifing in PA

The student who turned on his peers and stabbed at them with viciousness and intent to do bodily harm was a sophomore, and allegedly was bullied.

A couple of times when these school violence incidences are reported, I've caught myself saying, "Boy, things like that just didn't happen when we were in school," and then I stop, remembering. 

There was a kid at my school named Steve.  He was big and maybe he was also a little older due to having been held back somewhere along the line.  He was absent a lot.  He didn't seem to have any friends.

While I never heard anyone bullying him by the time I knew who he was, it seems likely that he got teased in the younger years.  His home life must have been completely atypical for the times we were living in, and he must have suffered much at someone's hands.  He had a sister who seemed okay or at least marginally okay, but who knows about that. He just seemed so damaged.

He scared me to death, and since his locker was across the hall from mine, I had a good chance of seeing him at least once a day -- at the end of school.  I tried never to look him in the eye, tried to stay under the radar because he scared me.  His eyes scared me.  And yet, a girl from my class bravely talked to him and was nice to him -- her locker was next to his.  I thought she was incredibly brave and mature to do what she did, and I admired her for it.  I began to start to see that there was a real person in Steve, a person with feelings, a person who was lonely and hurting, and I shouldn't have been afraid.

I wonder what ever happened to him.  I know that he wasn't in our school building after he tried to stab the English teacher with a knife he'd brought to school.  He got close enough to cut through her dress.  She must have pushed a button since he'd never been violent at school before.  She probably said something that made him feel stupid and I think that perhaps at home someone said those hurtful things to him a lot.

He lashed out and he was put in a reform school.  Given his home life, it might have been a gift. 

These stories seem to be gathering steam to the point where they aren't shocking us like the first stories did and that's sad.  Why is this happening so much?  Is it because the bullied student wants attention, the media attention that they are almost sure to get, that other students have gotten?  Is it because maybe they hope to die as a "suicide by cop" kind of thing?  Or is it because they are hurting inside and don't know how to cope with that kind of anger?  If it is mental disorder, then why do so many younger people suffer from it? 

Hard to say, isn't it?  All I know is that there seem to be far more parents not doing a good job at home, and schools who aren't doing a very good job of finding bullies or the bullied. 

Our Lenten quote for today is:

“Ever since I dedicated myself to think about and meditate on the Passion and Death of our Lord Jesus Christ, all the pain and sufferings no longer discouraged me, but rather they console me.” - St. Clare of Assisi (sister of St. Francis)

Let us pray for parents today, that they understand their role and the sacrifice that it takes to do the job well.  Let us pray that they realize that this work is sometimes without reward, but if not done well, nothing that they do after can make up for their failing.  Let us pray for those in charge of students, that they become increasingly vigilant and trustworthy so that students can come to them with their own problems or their concerns about others in the school.  Amen.