School safety

An 11th-grader despondent that his parents might curtail his after-school activities because of poor grades took a rifle to school Tuesday and killed himself between classes in a hallway, authorities said. The gunman, Shane Joseph Halligan, 16, had no intention of hurting anyone else in the 9 a.m. shooting at Springfield Township High School, Montgomery County District Attorney Bruce L. Castor Jr. said. Halligan was an Eagle Scout and a volunteer firefighter whose poor grades had led his parents on Monday to threaten to cut back on his after-school activities, Castor said.

I keep telling that it's stupid to allow kids access to guns. OK, Shane held no grudge against his teachers or his fellow students, and did not harm anyone else then himself. But perhaps his suicide could have been prevented, if he had no easy access to this gun. Don't misunderstand me here, I fully understand, that it would be very difficult to stop Shane, if he really wanted to commit suicide, but making it harder to commit suicide could have resulted in a 16 year old boy who would be still alive today.

But, that is not really what I would like to talk to you about today. Look at the picture, which is a picture taken at Springfield Township High School, moments after Shane took his own life. A random picture, with just a group of students, and if I see it right a teacher. Out of 16 people I see 5 people who I think are to heavy. Fat. Obese. Those are our children, and we should take better care for them. Those kids will face all kinds of problems right now, or in the near future. Social problems and health problems. Even if you don't care about the kids, you should realize that obesity comes with a heafty pricetag for society.

I don't know if Shane was obese or not. I understand that he was very troubled for other reasons. What I do know is that we should take better care for our offspring, both in emotional care and in health care. They represent our future, and that future looks very gloom at this moment. My thoughts go out to Shane's family in this very difficult time. I wish them all the strenght they need.

But, as usually, I don't care whatever you do, as long as you love a soldier. Love, Jenifer Bloom. bloomjenifer@yahoo.co.uk