This is a sad time for our state. No doubt there will be many people offering any number of opinions and pointing fingers in all sorts of directions. Or, people may have grown tired of school shootings--or maybe even see this one as different from previous ones for any number of reasons (some immediately obvious, some not).
What I am certain of is that once again our policy responses to this situation--at least the ones that, after all the furor dies down, see the light of day--will be short-sighted, surface and narrow, filled with concessions and political deal-making, and co-opted for individual, institutional and political gain.
That outcome will virtually guarantee we'll see yet other similar news feeds for years to come.
EDIT:
This comment is a valid question. I guess I would make clearer what I said above: "policy responses"--plural. Phenomena with many underlying contributing factors likely require multifaceted policy responses. Such a multi-pronged response will require unprecedented cooperation among lawmakers, advocacy groups, and others. I do not have the answers about specifics--But neither does any other one individual or group. That's why solutions require the participation of many voices.
Can the University assist in pulling these stakeholders together? I think it can and must.
Posted by perry032 at March 22, 2005 08:37 AM | TrackBackWhich policy response would be appropriate to prevent such tragedies in the future?
Posted by: Jim at March 22, 2005 09:46 AM