With the ongoing problem of violence in our nation's schools, the school board in Fayette County decided to begin looking at ideas to make our students safer. While it is wise for us to take a look at our schools to make certain we have taken steps to make them a safe place to learn, we must be cautious not to overreact and take steps that would turn our schools into boot camps.

Two of the ideas under consideration definitely qualify as overreaction; the move to impose a tighter dress code and the move to ban backpacks. If either of these ideas are utilitized, I believe we are punishing all students for the actions of a small few.

Look at the disciplinary numbers recently published. It is a very small percentage of students that are creating problems, and rather than impose tighter restrictions on the 99 percent of students who are obeying the rules, it would be far better to more agressively punish those that do break the rules.

Spend money to hire more counselors to help students deal with their problems in a non-violent way. Train teachers to be able to better recognize potential problem students and act to help those students before it is too late.

A dress code or uniforms is not the answer. The problems of those students who have acted violently at other schools have nothing to do with the way they dress; their problems run much deeper. Keeping them from wearing certain attire will not make them any less violent.

Backpacks are a needed item for today's students. With the large number of books that they must have for each class it is foolish to force them to find other ways to carry their books. Again, punish those that are the problem not those that are not. I doubt that not having a backpack would have prevented the actions of the individuals who were involved in violent acts elsewhere.

The world as a whole is a violent place. Would we all be safer if we were forced to dress alike and were unable to carry any item that could conceal a weapon? Let's hope the focus is on viable solutions that will work, not ideas that have no merit.

Steve Fodor
Peachtree City

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