Thursday, August 21, 2008
School Shooting in Knoxville
Obviously, the news of the morning is a school shooting at Knox Central High School. Since this is near our house and only a few hundred yards from where Leo attends daycare, Angela and I have been concerned with the story.
Especially troubling is that one of our neighbors is a teacher at Central and works before school in the cafeteria, which is where the shooting occurred.
From what I can tell (from a source with no actual confirmation), the student who was shot has died after taking a shot directly to the chest. The shooter was Hispanic and apparently acted like some sort of gangster after pulling the trigger, walking calmly out of the school. He did not resist arrest when encountered by police about three blocks from the school.
The scene is complete chaos, and our church, Central Baptist Church of Fountain City, is acting as a staging area for parents. Adding to the confusion are radio reports that police have been seen responding at high-speed to Halls High School.
Reactions from the community have been passionate, if a bit misguided. In one call to WNOX's radio show, a woman in one breath praised students for updating panicked parents on their cellphones but advocated metal detectors be placed at the entrances to all Knox County schools. Uh, I'm just guessing here, but I bet those cellphones are made of 100% plastic...
Knox County schools have problems educating the children. I have yet to hear of anyone moving into the county for the school system. (Not saying that it hasn't happened, but I haven't heard of it.) The bigger issues are with Knox County schools keeping the kids safe. If they're not being sexually molested or raped by the teachers, then they are being shot at. Angela and I have never planned to send Leo to Knox County schools, and I bet that this event didn't help anything.
I guess this sort of thing should be somewhat expected in Knox County. Our leadership revels in unethical behavior and has a penchant for being completely unable to resolve conflict. Why should we expect anything less from the children of Knox County's citizens?
Just another tragic day here in Knox County...
Especially troubling is that one of our neighbors is a teacher at Central and works before school in the cafeteria, which is where the shooting occurred.
From what I can tell (from a source with no actual confirmation), the student who was shot has died after taking a shot directly to the chest. The shooter was Hispanic and apparently acted like some sort of gangster after pulling the trigger, walking calmly out of the school. He did not resist arrest when encountered by police about three blocks from the school.
The scene is complete chaos, and our church, Central Baptist Church of Fountain City, is acting as a staging area for parents. Adding to the confusion are radio reports that police have been seen responding at high-speed to Halls High School.
Reactions from the community have been passionate, if a bit misguided. In one call to WNOX's radio show, a woman in one breath praised students for updating panicked parents on their cellphones but advocated metal detectors be placed at the entrances to all Knox County schools. Uh, I'm just guessing here, but I bet those cellphones are made of 100% plastic...
Knox County schools have problems educating the children. I have yet to hear of anyone moving into the county for the school system. (Not saying that it hasn't happened, but I haven't heard of it.) The bigger issues are with Knox County schools keeping the kids safe. If they're not being sexually molested or raped by the teachers, then they are being shot at. Angela and I have never planned to send Leo to Knox County schools, and I bet that this event didn't help anything.
I guess this sort of thing should be somewhat expected in Knox County. Our leadership revels in unethical behavior and has a penchant for being completely unable to resolve conflict. Why should we expect anything less from the children of Knox County's citizens?
Just another tragic day here in Knox County...
Labels: Education
Permalink posted by Rob Huddleston @ 9:14 AM 
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I don't understand your belittling of the idea that metal detectors might prevent, or at least reduce, the number of knifings and shootings in schools. I'm a gun owner. Heck, I even have a carry permit, but I'm not at all okay with the thought of school-age kids taking guns to school or any place else other than a shooting range. Metal dectors have proven their value. Most middle and senior high schools in other regions of the country that are run by responsible boards of education have them.
I think that it is wrong and small minded to blame an entire community for the actions of one child. This is not a Knoxville issue, this is an American issue. What happened to us this morning is no different from all the other communities in this nation that have had these violent tragaties. The same thing could happen in YOUR community as it happened to us this morning, believe it or not. Instead of making judgements against us; pray WITH us. Pray that this WORLD will change it's ways. Pray that these kids will learn non-violent ways of resolving conflicts. Pray that this nation will band and bond together for the greater good of this land. It's much easier to stand pointing a finger than it is to hold out a helping hand. We, in Knoxville, are not bad, violent, or uneducated. We are simply human.
According to, I think, Brian's blog, metal detectors were purchased long ago and just put away in storage. Is that what our tax dollars were wasted on? Buying something we weren't even going to use anyway. Of course, that's just the word going around.
I think metal detectors wouldn't necessarily prevent but at least lessen guns in our schools, even if the metal detectors weren't at the same shools every day.
Maybe McIntyre will be here long enough to clean up what's perceived to be a Knox County educational mess. What a rough week for him! I hope he's able to handle what's ahead of him.
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I think metal detectors wouldn't necessarily prevent but at least lessen guns in our schools, even if the metal detectors weren't at the same shools every day.
Maybe McIntyre will be here long enough to clean up what's perceived to be a Knox County educational mess. What a rough week for him! I hope he's able to handle what's ahead of him.
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