Shootings

This has been a very difficult weekend for sure, and without wanting to be offensive - reading the title of this blog, was for me, triggering. However, I also believe that is not your intent. Your intentions are good, but there has been some difficulty getting connected with others who have a shared interest.

It is with this in mind that I share (blue text =hyperlink) Nobel Prize Winning Economist James Heckman's work. 

Thank you for seeking a way to make the world a better place.  

Professor Heckman’s newest research looks at the life outcomes of Perry Preschool participants at midlife, as well as outcomes of their children. After putting the data through a series of rigorous tests, Heckman finds that those children who participated in the Perry Preschool program had significant gains in personal and family life outcomes that provided their children with positive multi-generation effects on education, health, employment and civic life. Early childhood education resulted in stronger families and significantly contributed to upward mobility in the next generation—an indication that early childhood education can be an effective way to break the cycle of poverty.

Yes and unsupportive, harmful parents are caused by unsupportive, harmful social structures and attitudes. I have no doubt you are correct that education would be an important part of support for parents.

We should be doing extensive research on why these shooters choose to commit the shootings in the first place. We should be researching Nicolas Cruz and his childhood, what made him snap that day...how many times do poor parenting and poor treatment in our schools or lack of understanding trauma that contributes to this violence? The shooter in Texas at first glance to me as a teacher appears off.. troubled, plagued by something..was it too many violent video games played in isolation? Was it mental illness brought on by neglect, abuse, alcohol, drugs etc? We should be demanding the shooters when they survive are researched not just blasting guns