If administrators find, after conducting an investigation, that the suspicions were accurate, the guilty party will be suspended for at least a semester and strongly recommended for expulsion. And even after the period of suspension is over, the student will have to demonstrate his or her maturity to a special committee before returning to school. The Columbine shootings could have been prevented because both gunmen had demonstrated definite warning signs. The gunmen had posted several threats on their web site, and at least one of their friends was aware that they had access to semiautomatic weapons. If a school official had been tipped off, then action could have been taken to prevent the horrific murders of 13 people.
Students have a clear choice when they are faced with potential threats.
They can either choose to trust a school official, who has an untarnished record of protecting confidentiality, or a disruptive adolescent who has already committed a crime by bringing a gun into school. By voicing their concerns to administrators, students can help eliminate the presence of weapons and maintain a safe learning environment here at Blair.