Shooting in Montreal

[Booche]

It's exactly the kind of celebrity that he and his ilk are after.

Making simplistic statements like that certainly isnt going to prevent things of this nature in the future.

[Dr_Evil_Mouse]

It's exactly the kind of celebrity that he and his ilk are after.

Making simplistic statements like that certainly isnt going to prevent things of this nature in the future.

It appears by the way this guy set himself up on his website that publicity was precisely what he was after. He seemed obsessed with being photogenic.

[ollie]

It's exactly the kind of celebrity that he and his ilk are after.

Making simplistic statements like that certainly isnt going to prevent things of this nature in the future.

That wasn't my point. I don't think we can prevent this kind of act of violence. But at the very least we don't have to give these scumbags any glory. And just to be clear, I am not saying that the killer shouldn't be identified... it would just be nice if the media could refrain from putting a money shot on the front cover.

[Dr_Evil_Mouse]

The Sun is an instrument of terror.

That is all.

[Booche]

It appears by the way this guy set himself up on his website that publicity was precisely what he was after.

Welcome to the world of ones and zeros. So, what is your take on MySpace?

[Dr. J]

There are many sad and disturbing things about this tragedy. One of them is that this is exactly what the gunman wanted....to go down in a blaze of bullets. That one's life and the life of those around them should mean so little is so frightening.

As a longtime high school principal one of the best lessons I ever learned didn't come from a book, or a course, or a conference or a consultant. It came from a young student dressed in black with heavy eye make-up sitting alone in the corner of the cafeteria who in her rather simplistic (and perhaps stereotypical outlook on life) explained to me that all schools were made up of 3 groups (the preps/the jocks/and those that are neither). She pointed out that each had its own look, its own language, its own values etc., but that schools were designed for and dominated by the first two. I said ours wasn't. She said take a look, sir.

So I did and it scared me. When I looked at our school, and schools in general, through the lens of the third group (spirit days/dances/athletics/pep rallies/honour roll/scholarships etc.etc.) I began to understand just a bit of where she was coming from.

The fact that the central figure in this sad, sad story felt bullied by what he called high school jocks and hated authority figures (for seemingly doing nothing about it) is an all too common complaint. The most frightening part is that while we spend millions and millions and millions of dollars in education to drive the test scores of the first two groups up, we spend very little to help us deal effectively with the alienation of the third group.

Until we do........

[phishtaper]

The Sun is an instrument of terror.

and an instrument of blowout stereo sales and sex phone lines. be fair now

tragic events.

[Kanada Kev]

... Until we do......

Wonderful post Dr. J. Thank you for that. It is amazing how these events all fall into this scenario in one way or another. Do we learn? Obviously not. Sad.

Later . . .

Kanada Kev =8)

[Im going home Donny]

apparrently...according to someone on the CBC... amongst young men between 18 and 25 Montreal has the highest suicide rates in Canada and 3rd in the world.

Gees whats up in Montreal?

[ollie]

I see that the Sun has decided to give this jerk his glory by plastering him across the front page. I really wish the media would resist the urge to sensationalize this guy's pathetic life. It's exactly the kind of celebrity that he and his ilk are after. Shame.

I was just out for lunch and noticed the Sun now has a different front cover showing paramedics attending to victims. I wonder if this is the late edition and they decided to go with a more sensitive front cover. Online still has the original.

[Birdy]

There are many sad and disturbing things about this tragedy. One of them is that this is exactly what the gunman wanted....to go down in a blaze of bullets. That one's life and the life of those around them should mean so little is so frightening.

As a longtime high school principal one of the best lessons I ever learned didn't come from a book, or a course, or a conference or a consultant. It came from a young student dressed in black with heavy eye make-up sitting alone in the corner of the cafeteria who in her rather simplistic (and perhaps stereotypical outlook on life) explained to me that all schools were made up of 3 groups (the preps/the jocks/and those that are neither). She pointed out that each had its own look, its own language, its own values etc., but that schools were designed for and dominated by the first two. I said ours wasn't. She said take a look, sir.

So I did and it scared me. When I looked at our school, and schools in general, through the lens of the third group (spirit days/dances/athletics/pep rallies/honour roll/scholarships etc.etc.) I began to understand just a bit of where she was coming from.

The fact that the central figure in this sad, sad story felt bullied by what he called high school jocks and hated authority figures (for seemingly to do nothing about it) is simply an all too common complaint. The most frightening part is that while we spend millions and millions and millions of dollars in education to drive the test scores of the first two groups up, we spend very little to help us deal effectively with the alienation of the third group.

Until we do........

thanks for writing this... awesome and inspiring.

[Dr. J]

I wonder if this is the late edition and they decided to go with a more sensitive front cover.

I would hope so.

I quite agree with you, Ollie, that senstationalizing such people is absolutely the wrong thing to do. It only confirms (for the disconnected) the notion that only with such drastic measures does one's life gain relevance or importance.

[YearsAlongTheSea]

I like your take on all this Dr. J... Thanks for the insight.

[Dr. J]

Thanks for the kind words folks.

Having worked many years with young people, the issue of school violence is one that concerns me deeply.