[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 4]
[Senate]
[Page 6024]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             NATIONAL SCHOOL VIOLENCE VICTIMS MEMORIAL DAY

 Mr. FITZGERALD. Mr. President, school violence is a horrible, 
senseless tragedy that must not continue. Last year's horrific 
shootings in Jonesboro, AR; Pakucah, KY; Pearl, MS; Richmond, VA; and 
Edinboro, PA, were meaningless acts of violence and should never have 
occurred. That's why I wholeheartedly support and have cosponsored 
National School Violence Victims Memorial Day. This important 
resolution recognizes victims of school violence and encourages school 
administrators to conduct programs on March 24 designed to help prevent 
further occurrences of school violence.
  Mr. President, the statistics on school violence are truly 
frightening. According to the National School Safety Center, there have 
been 225 school-associated violent deaths between July 1992 and June 
1998. What is going on in our classrooms that our Nation's youth feel 
like the only way to resolve problems is through a gun? This resolution 
recognizes victims of school violence and says to our children, that 
there is a better way to resolve problems. By focusing community 
efforts on teaching students peaceful alternatives to conflict, we can 
equip our children to stop violent tendencies before they get out of 
control. This resolution is a step in the right direction and I urge my 
colleagues to put partisan politics aside and join me in encouraging 
local school districts and administrators to use their resources on 
violence prevention programs. All of us--teachers, administrators, 
parents--must work together to show our children peaceful alternatives 
before violence erupts in our schools again.

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