Speak Out!

Wow! In reading some of theses comments I see some of the reasons why these children thought this type of behavior was acceptable. It's easy for us to blame it on video games, television, radio, and any other scapegoat we can find. As a conservative mother of two, I soon found out it is impossible to shield them from the negative realities of the world we live in. This after my 5 year old comes home from a private Christian school singing some choice lyrics that she learned at school. Even though they only listened to jazz when they were with me.

We can shield them but we can teach them right from wrong and we must instill in them that there are consequences when we choose wrong. I loosened up on my children and went about teaching them right/wrong, acceptable/unacceptable, ladylike/un-ladylike.

Should these children be punished, yes, as well as the parents. Someone has to be held accountable for when youth make bad choices. When parents start loosing money and time off work maybe then they will take an interest in what their children are doing.

I'm no longer afraid to let my children visit the friend's house whose mom allows them to watch videos or listen to "bad" music because my children at the ages of 9 and 11 know what is acceptable for them to do and say. They also know there will be severe consequences should they choose to get off the path I have set before them.

Hello, Tavis. I'm also one of your MySpace friends. I enjoy your show.

What I think these children need is a greater sense of arts and humanities. I read the other comments and they seem to lean on the punishment aspect only. The question is: Should they be disciplined beyond suspension? No. I think that suspension is enough to initially remind them of what they did. That's one consequence of their action(s). The other consequence, if there has to be one, could be based on the sophistication of the idea to do this to the teacher in the first place. They're third graders. How developed are the minds of third graders to do something like this?

My question is where did third graders get this idea in the first place? Was it taken from a video game, television, or something that they read? Is this a case of third graders acting out something that was abstractly demonstrated for them?

My other question is, where do third graders get a hold of a broken steak knife, duct tape and other items in the first place? Were these items acquired for them by older persons, i.e. students, adults etc.? Were they purchased or stolen or borrowed by the third graders?

Before we talk about serious punishment, I just think that someone needs to address exposing these children's minds to something else that will tap into their creativity. Are they involved in music and arts classes at their school? The 8 and 9 year-olds were creative enough to come up with the idea and ambitious enough to attempt to follow through with it. But, at their ages, I believe that someone might as well try to use the arts and humanities to turn that negative energy around. That's my final comment.

Please...these students need and require punishment beyond the everyday incidentals. At some point we are going to have to hold students and their parents responsible for their actions. It kills me that we sit down and think of these “pie in the sky” ideas about what our schools should look like. Let's get over it people; it isn't the America the Beautiful. It's just...America.

In order for change to happen, change has to be enacted. In the case of these particular students they do have a right to due process which allows for a hearing of the facts. If the facts pan out to an attempt by kids to kill their teacher or anyone else then the consequences are what they are.

I think at the end of the day the punishment should make them regret their decision and be remorseful of their choices. It should also make them pledge within their hearts to not even to think to consider such a horrendous act again.

Without question these children should be disciplined beyond suspension. Psych 101 teaches that a behavior is either reinforced with a positive or negative consequence.

Although I am not encouraging corporal punishment or incarceration; I am suggesting a "scared straight" tactic. Otherwise, these "special children" appear to have all the makings of serious sociopaths. I don't believe the reports are exaggerated and I surely don't think they need a "slap on the wrist". Wow, just imagine if they used their "team work" skills to solve a problem.

No jail. They should adhere to current school discipline policies including expulsion, parent-child counseling, and community service. They also need a good mentoring program. Goodness, where did we go wrong? We need to redirect this behavior now before we are staring at another VA Tech case in the future.

Disciplined beyond suspension?.....Well all I can think about at this point is the little black girl about 6 years old that was shackled by 5 police officers and taken to jail for having a temper tantrum! Measure her "crime" to theirs on the same scale and you will have your answer.

These kids need a butt whoopin first off. Then they need some behavioral rehab, the rest of the year in detention, Saturday school, community service and most importantly Jesus. This is when the family and the church need to step in and teach them. Take them to see a dead body. Let them see what a dead person looks like after being stabbed to death. Let them see what happens to a person after he's accused of murder and put in prison.

These juveniles should be punished and disciplined. Their parents should be held liable too because they are too young to be treated like adults. Therefore, I recommend Juvenile State Detention for a few months since their parents can't control their children and fine their parents.

What about rehabilitation with the third graders, maybe enroll them in an anger management class? A class where these kids can be taught how to channel their anger in a positive way. I cannot understand America’s disposable way of dealing with our youth. Their only solution is to lock them up and throw away the key. It goes to show us that America has refused to give time, money and tolerance to our youth. A small percentage of time is not enough for the majority of our young kids who are in desperate need of counseling.

The district attorney is seeking juvenile charges of conspiracy to commit aggravated assault against an 8-year-old boy and two girls, ages 9 and 10. The girls are also charged with bringing weapons to school.

We have a bunch of happy go luck prosecutors who by the way have nothing constructive to do but prosecute third graders. This is a high profile case for them. This really shines a light on how purblind and detached America really is when it comes to dealing with our youth issues. It is sad to admit but a country as powerful as America is weak in common sense and decisions making when it comes to our youth.

How can a child develop to excellent when every move he/she makes leaves them behind bars?
Is this better than “The rod”?
Alternatively, should we consider jail time as the excessive hand that can be compared to the rod?
On the other hand, is it the exchange that America uses instead of the rod, which is more damaging?

What ever happened to the community counselors who used to intervene when a child messes up? Does every misconduct deserve jail time? This to me is where we should be disturbed not so much with our youth but our justice system. Tell me what good would putting these youth in jail do? Are they old enough to understand their actions? Personally, I do not think so. They have not been exposed enough in life to understand action, reaction, results, and consequences.

Let's demand more funds in our communities and schools so that in an event that our kids face issues like these, instead of jailing them like animals we could use other resources to help rehabilitate.