The Tucson shootings that killed six people and left Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in critical condition prompted moments of reflection and discussion in East Valley schools on Monday.
During an American history class at Chandler's Basha High School, 25 juniors watched a tape of the media coverage of Saturday's rampage. Teacher Charles Johnson asked the students to reflect on the political picture in the state.
Some students said the violent incident may paint Arizona as an "unsafe environment" that "lacks credibility."
The events may show "we're a closed-minded society," said Brandon Detra.
But Cody Fuller said he believes the rest of the country will recognize this event was perpetrated by one person.
"It's just one person," he said. "That's a big leap," to think of the whole state as political radicals.
Students across Arizona returned to their classrooms Monday even as news about the shootings, Giffords' condition, and speculation about the suspected shooter's motivation continued to develop. At 9 a.m., they took part in President Obama's call for a national moment of silence.
For one minute, students in Gina Kelly's fifth-grade class at Gilbert's Pioneer Elementary School closed their books and bowed their heads to remember and reflect on the victims of Saturday's shootings. Six people were killed and 14 were injured during the assassination attempt on Giffords, D-Ariz.
Pioneer principal Mike Davis had informed the students of the moment of silence just after the school day started about 8:40 a.m., during the morning announcements.
"On Saturday, Jan. 8, a senseless act of violence was perpetrated in Tucson," Davis said. "This is a time to come together in prayer or reflection, keeping the victims and their families close to our hearts."
Kelly said she spent a few minutes prior to the moment of silence giving students the facts about the Tucson shooting. Many had not heard about it, she said.
Davis said he asked staff to talk to the kids at an age-appropriate level and to limit the message to the facts that are known.
Students were also told if they had questions or wanted to talk to someone, to let their teachers know. Kelly said a school counselor would be available for anyone who wanted to talk.
In the Mesa Unified School District, a lot of the conversations about the shooting were centered at the high schools, said spokeswoman Kathy Bareiss.
"Because of the timing, parents were able to be that first contact with the children and address it in a way the family would want them to. That was helpful for the children to have that access to mom and dad" over the weekend, Bareiss said.
At Chandler's Basha High, history teacher Johnson had the students discuss the shootings as part of their studies on politics in the 1900s. He asked them how their parents would react if they decided to join a political party opposite of their mom's or dad's affiliation.
A majority of the students said their parents would accept their decisions, and that most people are accepting of each other's differences.
"People make it more serious than what it is. We're all one country. We're all going to have different views," Keenan Garland said.
Leah Boken said she was glad the class talked about the Tucson events and agreed with Garland.
"I don't think we're that politically divided. Everyone is going to have different views, but only some people pay attention to what political party (the speaker) is from," she said.
Media coverage has shown the suspected shooter, Jared Loughner, 22, making several rambling online videos decrying his mistrust and paranoia of the government. Friends and classmates of his have reported seeing those videos and other troubling behavior prior to the shootings.
Boken said most people don't take threats they see online seriously.
"They don't think they're going to take action on what they're saying so they don't tell someone," she said. "Usually people say stuff they don't mean."
Basha students who use social media forums, such as Facebook, said only a few of their friends made comments about Saturday's shooting.
"You stop and read it and think about it, but I'm not going to lie, you look over it," said Stephon Varlow, 16. "I think kids overlook it because they're not as involved as they should be."
Slabside posted at 10:54 am on Tue, Jan 11, 2011.
Butters, my thoughts exactly.
Butters posted at 10:41 am on Tue, Jan 11, 2011.
From the article: "But Cody Fuller said he believes the rest of the country will recognize this event was perpetrated by one person."
""It's just one person", he said. "That's a big leap to think of the whole state as political radicals.""
It is obvious that young people like Cody Fuller, can teach a thing or two to many of the adults who frequent these blogs, attempting to pass blame to everyone, especially those on the right, instead of seeing it as Cody Fuller does, as an act done by one person who may have some serious mental problems.
From evidence obtained thus far, it appears as though the suspect may have had some sort of infatuation with Congresswoman Giffords, no different than what the persons who shot President Reagan and others in his group, John Lennon, two attempted assasinations of President Ford, what the Unibomber did, or many others who have done or tried to do the same since the time our country was first founded. That's right, this isn't the first time a tragic act this has been attempted by a deranged person and sadly, it most likely won't be the last time.
I suggest to those of you who want to continue to play the blame game, to look closely at the beliefs of the shooter, because when you do, you'll clearly see that he wasn't associated with anyone on the right or even their conservative beliefs, as so many of you have falsely claimed.
smarter1 posted at 10:01 am on Tue, Jan 11, 2011.
CHILD OF HOPE
This child of hope, so young and wise
was born 'mid tragedy
that day of 9/11 in '01.
She birthed with other babes like her
as rays of hope from travesty.
And in her few short years she grew
deep interest in helping all.
Her death so suddenly today
has sparked mankind to prayer en masse,
and in the hours as we respond
her life rebirths as Hope fulfilled
to rise above our politics,
our creeds and -isms and our greed
to live high-minded once again.
Thank you, Christina Taylor Green