Zero tolerance? How about zero common sense?

In Delaware, a boy has been suspended from school and could be placed in a reform program because he brought a combo knife/fork/spoon to eat his lunch at school. You see, he's 6, and he was excited about joining that notorious drug gang, the Cub Scouts.

Hat Tip: Many thanks, Keith G in PV and Gary!

German teen attacks high school with ax, Molotov cocktails

The important thing is that he didn't shoot anybody, though he himself did get one in the gut.

Joplin teen cuts plea deal in school shooting

We've written about Thomas White a few times. When he was 13 years old, White allegedly brought a gun to school, fired into a ceiling and tried to shoot an administrator -- only his gun jammed, the Joplin Globe reports. Despite his age, he was certified to stand trial as an adult. Now 16, White has been in custody ever since.

By pleading, White could get a shot at a state program where underage offenders are given counseling, training -- help he would not get in an adult facility. If White were to complete the program, he could get a shot at probation. Or he could be sent to "real" prison at 21. He could potentially be sentenced to 15 years.

"Why are you still here?"

The AP has a nice profile of Frank DeAngelis, the man who was principal at Columbine when the massacre happened. He's still in the same role today, and he doesn't plan to leave until all the kids who were in kindergarten at the time graduate.

"I can't imagine being anywhere else, especially after the tragedy."

(AP Photo/Chris Schneider)

Sedalia teen accused of making school-shooting threat

From The AP: A western Missouri high school student is facing charges after allegedly saying he planned to bring a gun to school and "kill everyone."

Perry L. Crabb of Sedalia was arrested Monday at Whittier High School and was charged Tuesday as an adult with making a terrorist threat.

According to witness statements, the 17-year-old Crabb allegedly told four students he was "going to bring a gun to the school and kill everyone, and then he was going to kill himself."

Thomas H. White

You remember White. When he was 13, he brought a rifle to his middle school in Joplin, blasted the ceiling and then repeatedly tried to shoot a principal. The only reason he ISN'T a murderer? The gun jammed.

He's 16 now. Prosecutors want to try him as an adult on assault and ACA charges, but a state psychologist has found White permanently unfit to assist his own defense. This follows a judge's ruling last year that White wasn't competent.

Imagine that. A young boy who attempted to kill someone might have mental issues. You'd almost think he needed treatment or something ...

German school shooter kills 15

Before police could shoot and kill him. Spiegel Online says the victims include nine students, three teachers and then two passersby. The shooter was 17 years old. It's not clear if he used to attend the school. Police are saying that he appears to be from a well-off family that kept a lot of guns in the house.

Hat Tip: Many thanks, Simone!

Special forces run towards the Albertville school complex in Winnenden near Stuttgart, Germany, Wednesday, March 11, 2009, were a 17-year-old gunman started a shooting spree which ended with at least 15 people dead. The gunman was later shot and killed by police in the town of Wendlingen, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) away.(AP Photo/Daniel Maurer)

What should they do with Thomas White?

Not sure if you remember this case. Back in 2006, a 13-year-old boy named Thomas White reportedly brought a gun to his middle school. He fired one round into the ceiling, and he tried shooting a principal, only the gun jammed, police allege. He was certified to stand trial as an adult, despite being very young, and has been in custody ever since.

He's 16 now. He's being evaluated to see if he's mentally competent to stand trial. Last year, a judge ruled that he wasn't.

Meanwhile, he keeps getting closer and closer to the magic age of 17. Right now, if he's found guilty, he could be put in a juvenile program, get some schooling and counseling. After he hits 17, he must be put in an adult prison. (I remember another case from southeast Missouri, last year IIRC, and another kid, just turned 17, who was being sent to a max-security prison. He killed himself a few hours before they were going to make the transfer.)

I found a really thoughtful post by a Missouri blogger, The Heartland Diary of Betty B, that talks about White's case.

Short guy accused of stealing clothes from Big & Tall shop

Hundreds of dollars worth, KMBC reports. The suspect is 5 feet 5 with a medium build. Maybe he was building a tent?

"When I go on my killing spree the victims are..."

Wisconsin police question a 10-year-old girl caught making a list of people she'd like to kill. (Because they were accusing her of spreading rumors, and her teacher made her leave the classroom for talking.) Thank God we caught this monster! Smoking Gun has the docs.

Hat Tip: Many thanks, Drew!

Florida schools must track all cases of bullying

The law was passed after a teacher's son committed suicide over things that were written about him online. And it covers all forms of bullying, whether that means shoving or somebody simply saying nasty things about you. I think it's an admirable law, but I'm curious to see how they'll actually implement it. Kids say a lot of nasty stuff.

I guess a lot of it depends on the kids themselves. They have to tell a teacher/administrator if somebody's picking on them. I can see how that's the right thing to do in some extreme cases, if a kid really is facing unbearable harassment, but isn't there something to be said for having students confront these problems on their own?

UPDATE: Kentucky college reopened after gun scare

From The AP: Western Kentucky University reopened Wednesday after someone reported seeing people with weapons in a building on a satellite campus and police later received reports that shots had been fired on the main campus, more than a mile away, said a university official.

According to the university website, police searched the South Campus building but were not able to find any people with guns or witnesses who could confirm the reports.

Shots fired at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green ...

Precious little information right now, unfortunately ...

Hat Tip: Many thanks, You're A Mean Drunk R2D2

1 dead, 3 injured in Detroit school shooting

Missed this from last week. Police have charged three teens in the case, two 18-year-olds and a 15-year-old.

Question and answer

As part of a settlement, Virginia Tech officials sat down with survivors of the school's mass shooting last year and answered questions about how they handled the case. (A similar meeting is planned for families of people who were killed.) One of the big questions has been why the school didn't warn teachers and students sooner about the shooter.

Hat Tip: Many thanks, Keith G in PV!

SC teen, age 15, arrested for bringing cap gun to school

Not suspended, not expelled. Arrested.

It's happened again

This time, in Finland.

It's better than nothing

The University of Denver took a basic step towards thwarting any school-shooters: They put latches on almost all the classroom doors, so killers won't be able to go from classroom to classroom.

UPDATE: 1 killed in TN school shooting

Still no word on a motive. Though it's not like anybody ever has a good reason for something like this.

1 wounded in Knoxville school shooting

Sounds like they've already got a suspect in custody. No word on the victim's extent of injuries. More here from the Knoxville News Sentinel.

UPDATE: The injured student has died. The Knoxville News Sentinel reports that Ryan McDonald was the intended target of the shooting. He was 16.

Hat Tip: Many thanks, You're A Mean Drunk R2D2!

Is the school to blame here?

A California family is suing the local school district after their son, 15-year-old Larry King, was shot and killed by a classmate. The reasoning, though, is a little different.

Larry was gay, and he wore makeup, jewelry and women's boots with his school uniform. His family says that, if the school had enforced the dress code, he might not have been killed. For its part, the school argues that Larry had a First Amendment right to dress like that.

Hat Tip: Many thanks, Ash!

UPDATE: Joplin boy fired assault rifle in school, police say

Thomas H. White isn't mentally competent to stand trial. He's 15 now -- when he was 13, he allegedly brought an assault rifle to his middle school, fired into the ceiling and tried to shoot his principal. He's been in jail for two years because his family can't afford bail. The prosecutors want him to stand trial as an adult.

That won't be possible -- for now, maybe for good. He's being turned over to the state's mental health department. They'll report back in six months and see if anything has changed. His attorney believes White may have become schizophrenic because of the jail stay.

It just seems like this is the last straw in a case that was destined to end up destroying this kid instead of reforming him. It was a very near thing, but he didn't hurt anybody. He wasn't a killer. There was still time and space to save him.

"I want my story told"

In 2006, a 15-year-old named Eric Hainstock brought a gun to his Wisconsin high school and fatally shot his principal. He's now doing a life sentence in prison, and he won't eligible for parole until he's 47. Hainstock has written a series of letters to an alternative paper in Madison, trying to tell his side of the story.

I'm still trying to figure out how I feel about the case. As obnoxious as he sounds in his letters, he probably was picked on quite a bit. Though, you know, KILLING AN INNOCENT PERSON does tend to make one's sympathy evaporate.

I'm glad I read the article, at least. It seems like we're dealing with more and more Eric Hainstocks these days. It's good to know something about how that type of brain works (or doesn't).

UPDATE: Joplin teen accused of foiled school shooting

This is the story of Thomas White, now 15, who brought an assault rifle to his Joplin middle school back in 2006. White is being prosecuted as an adult -- he's accused of threatening teachers and students, and even trying to fire at his principal. (The gun reportedly jammed.)

The latest development? His lawyers want him tested to see if he's mentally competent to stand trial. He's been in jail so long, they think he might be mentally ill, possibly schizophrenic, the Joplin Globe reports.

The secrets of the Virginia Tech massacre

When the survivors of the Virginia Tech massacre signed a settlement with the university, the school agreed to create an archive preserving all the records tied to the event -- in the hope that, somehow, people could learn from what happened and prevent other mass shootings.

The school has released several documents, including email between administrators that day, but they're also going to keep some secrets. There's a whole box of documents on the shooter, emails from his teachers and records on efforts to get him help -- that box is sealed up. And the university won't release notes from its top officials and their debate/decision the morning of the shooting.