[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 2]
[Senate]
[Pages 1713-1714]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



              WHEN WILL THE CYCLE OF SCHOOL VIOLENCE END?

  Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, the nightmare of violence in our nation's 
schools has grabbed our attention once more. This morning, a first-
grade student was shot and killed by another first-grader at a Michigan 
elementary school. Our thoughts and prayers are with the young girl's 
family, with the young person who pulled the trigger, and with the 
twenty other students in the classroom. Tragically, once again, the 
notion of schools as a safe haven was shattered by the sound of 
gunfire, and we must now begin to face the formidable challenge of 
rebuilding that serene and tranquil school environment that each and 
every student and teacher deserves.
  This tragedy begs some very basic questions of our society.
  First, and perhaps most importantly, what is a first-grader doing 
with a loaded gun? A first-grader is six years old, maybe even seven. 
These are merely babes with sweet young faces who have barely begun 
their lives. They are still putting baby teeth under their pillows 
awaiting a visit from the tooth fairy. How did this child get the 
weapon? And what on Earth possessed the child to bring it to school?
  What has gone so wrong in our nation that students feel the need to 
bring weapons to the public school classroom? Do they think they have 
to show off for their friends? Do they feel the need for power? Surely 
not a child in the first grade. Do they think that carrying a weapon to 
school gives them greater stature? I know that we, as a nation, have 
been struggling with these questions for many, many months, but it is 
time we started to reach some conclusions.
  In the 315 days since the tragedy at Columbine High School, the 
violence has not stopped. We have seen the same tragic scene of 
students and teachers pouring out of schools in fear in Atlanta. In the 
District of Columbia, since this school year began in September, 15 
public school students have been killed. According to police, eight of 
the fifteen slayings were precipitated by an argument in school and 
ended in gunfire on a neighborhood

[[Page 1714]]

street. For some reason that we cannot seem to get our arms around, our 
children continue to injure and kill one another.
  Why in the world are we not concentrating on this? Why is the 
Juvenile Justice bill, which passed this Senate in May with common-
sense weapons controls, still stalled? How many children have to die 
before this Congress sits up and takes notice? How many lives, so full 
of potential, have to be snuffed out: 15, 30, 50, 100?
  We need to find out why these tragedies continue to occur, and we 
need to find ways to stop it.
  There will be a supplemental bill coming before this Senate soon 
which is intended to provide close to a billion dollars in aid for 
Colombia. The White House calls this funding an emergency. I think we 
have more than enough emergencies here on our home soil that demand 
urgent attention. It is time to get our priorities straight.
  I understand that this is not something that Congress can do on its 
own, nor is it something that a local school board can accomplish by 
itself. Putting an end to school violence will take a concerted 
effort--from lawmakers to parents to students to clergy to community 
leaders. No one can be given a pass. We all share a responsibility to 
come together, to look past any historical differences, and to work to 
find real solutions that will put an end to these tragedies.
  I only pray that we can.
  My heart goes out to the family who must be stunned at the loss of 
their little girl. I can only imagine their suffering. All the 
potential in one tiny, small, little innocent life has been stolen in 
the flash of a gun. I hope that this Congress, and I hope that the 
electronic media, the Hollywood movie stars, the movie industry, and 
the whole Nation, will finally commit to taking the difficult steps 
that are needed to make sure something positive can come from such an 
incredible tragedy.
  I yield the floor.

                          ____________________