The lessons have been repeated all too often in the nation's school corridors. Calif. But there are other lessons as well. If a child threatens violence, react immediately. Worry later about whether it's an overreaction. That's true whether the issue is a threatened suicide, bombing or shooting spree.
Teens often talk about what they intend to do before they do it.
Listening is one of the few weapons that adults and young people have against the youth violence that besets our culture. Taunts and bullying may be a timeless feature of childhood, but they are not humorous and they're not acceptable. In some cases, they can be deadly. Beginning in the earliest grades, as part of the normal course of character education, teachers and school administrators need to talk openly and often about the consequences of cruelty. They also need to be on the lookout for children who are the targets of humiliation and those who lead the attacks.