Published August 1999 — Download PDF of the original newspaper column
Byrd's-Eye View By U.S. Senator Robert C. Byrd Back to School
With the new school year just around the corner, students are stocking up on school supplies for their upcoming classes and teachers are putting the final touches on their lesson plans. Yet, despite the excitement that accompanies the first day of school, there is an anxious feeling that parents, educators, and community leaders also share this time of year. Just a few months ago, our nation witnessed the most tragic school shooting of all time. While Littleton, Colorado, continues to cope with the devastating reality of what transpired there last spring, our nation as a whole must work together to ensure that a recurrence of this event does not happen in another American schoolyard. Every step we take in this regard brings us closer to restoring the old-time serene schoolhouse that our children deserve. West Virginia is one step ahead in creating targeted violence prevention programs. From the West Virginia State Police's "Operation Safe Schools" program to the West Virginia Safe Schools program that provides ongoing training for principals, teachers, and school personnel on crisis intervention and management, our schools and communities are working to maintain a peaceful environment in which teachers can teach and students can learn. However, there is no single cure-all to the problem of school violence, and it is important to remember that prevention should not solely begin and end on school grounds. The problem is pervasive, and protecting our nation's children ought to be a team effort of schools, families, communities, and churches, not simply a matter of public policy. Parents and educators are youngsters' role models, and often their greatest confidants. So, teach children the "old values" of integrity, honesty, respect, loyalty, and religious faith that will carry them through the highs and lows of life. And heed unusual behavior and warning signs before a bad day progresses into a violent outburst. One's education is a lifeline to a strong and prosperous future. It begins at home as a child and should never truly end. It saddens me to think that the critical years of elementary and secondary education have been stolen from students caught in the line of fire. Bright futures as scientists, writers, teachers, entrepreneurs, and community leaders are within reach for many of our nation's children. Let us all work together to keep our schools safe, and to watch these visions and aspirations blossom into a reality. August 18, 1999