I wish that I could say I was surprised by the shootings that occurred in Columbine High School in Colorado.

Horrified, yes. Surprised, no.

As an educator with almost 20 years experience, I have watched as discipline has been undermined in the name of “advocacy” for the rights of students.

What about the rights of those large numbers of students who do not threaten, harm or disrupt the learning of others?

Recent advocacy groups and state legislators seem to care more about students who are a danger to others than about those students who come to school to learn.

Until administrators are allowed to remove students who are a danger, this type of incident will continue to happen.

Until Congress revisits the Special Education laws, the Individuals with Disabilities Act, and section 504 laws to allow students who bring weapons onto campuses to be permanently removed then no student or teacher is safe.

The recent Cobb County incident where federal law mandated continuing to educate students who brought weapons to school because they were “behaviorally disordered” should point out the fact that we need to reform these laws.

Steven R. Harbin

Newnan

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