It would be so much more useful if all the parties affected by this tragedy could sit down with school leaders, law enforcement officials, and others in the community to see how everyone could have responded better and offer recommendations for change. In fact, the district did create a task force that developed a plan for improving school security, and there was much discussion in the community about raising the level of civility in the schools. Now, once the issue has moved into the courts, everyone is afraid to talk openly and honestly about these issues because it might jeopardize their case. And as the district's legal bills add up, these costs could eat into the district's resources for student learning. It seems we've lost our way as adults.
Lawsuits only lead to more hurt, more blame, more finger pointing, and an adversarial climate.
Legal battles won't lead to stronger relationships among schools, police, parents, students, and the community. Legal battles won't create a climate of cooperation that will help teachers flag students with disturbing behavior patterns and won't lead to police officers realizing that they must advise school officials about troubled youths. These are the kinds of issues we need to be talking about.