[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 41 (Monday, March 26, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2842-S2843]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          VIOLENCE IN SCHOOLS

  Mr. THOMAS. Mr. President, I will address an issue that I ran into 
last weekend at home regarding some of the tragedies that have happened 
and continue to happen in high schools. We had a threat in one of our 
schools. Fortunately, it was dealt with before anything tragic happened 
as in Columbine and some of the other schools.
  One of the judges indicated he thought it would be useful, and I tend 
to agree with him, if we could find a way to get one of the agencies--
perhaps the FBI or Education, including someone in psychiatry and 
others--to try to come up with a plan that schools can put into effect 
to try to avoid the problem of terrorism, shootings and guns and, more 
importantly perhaps, describe a better system. It seems in many cases 
the young people who sought to carry out these deeds had indicated they 
were going to do that prior thereto. I believe his view was not all 
communities and not all schools are prepared to deal with those 
threats.
  Perhaps it would be useful if, indeed, we had some assistance putting 
together a combination of educators, law enforcement, psychologists and 
a program that could be put into place in a school to try to avoid 
tragedies of violence; and also, when there was some evidence of it, in 
this case even a note written of people this student intended to deal 
with; and then if it does happen, what you do when those things occur. 
I imagine there are techniques which could be applied, more 
professional techniques than most schools are capable of on their own.
  I suggest, perhaps some Federal agencies, there could be some kind of 
meeting of the involved people to come up with what they think are the 
most useful techniques for dealing with this kind of violence in 
communities and high schools and in detecting it and doing something 
about it, in dealing with it, if it does happen, and to provide that 
kind of leadership to communities and to the very school districts 
throughout the country that would be interested in that type of 
assistance.
  I don't think it is particularly a legislative question, but to 
encourage the

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administration and, as I said, particularly the Department of 
Education, or perhaps the law enforcement department, to try to come up 
with some things that could be used by communities so we can avoid, 
whenever possible, the kinds of things that have happened around the 
country, and I suppose will continue to be a threat. I think it will be 
worthwhile.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the order for 
the quorum call be dispensed with.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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