They can't control our liberal gun laws. But they can be more personal, and when they are they reduce the chance of a tragedy such as the massacre at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colo., or last year's shootings in Jonesboro, Ark., and Springfield. Big suburban schools such as Columbine High School, with 1,870 students, are impersonal. Although many children find places to fit in and thrive in these schools, a substantial number don't. Typically, only a fraction of suburban high school students qualify for athletic teams, debate squads, bands and school plays.
Some students reach impressive social and academic heights in big schools.
Others feel ignored, lost and rejected. Teachers in suburban schools typically see more than 100 children a day, and it's not uncommon for them to see more than 150. However dedicated and well-meaning, these teachers have no hope of knowing more than a fraction of their students. They can't be expected to spot the danger signs of potentially violent students. The traditional factory organization that still prevails in our high schools allows alienated youth to drift through the system largely unnoticed.