Parents told to monitor Web use and check packs to be safe

In wake of Littleton, police and school officials offer advice on creating safe schools

By Cecily Barnes

Parents must take responsibility for keeping track of their youngsters. That was a key point reiterated at the Campbell Union School District safety forum held at Campbell Middle School on Tuesday, May 11. The program, titled, "Building Community for Safe Schools," was set up in response to the tragedy at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado.

"We have very safe schools, but that doesn't mean that those things that happened in Littleton can't happen here," said district Superintendent Marcia Plumleigh. "And we're joined here today to make sure that it doesn't."

"This is the list kids don't want to hear, so cover your ears," Campbell Police Chief Dave Gullo told Campbell Middle School eighth-grader Anthony Salazar, who sat next to him on the panel.

"Parents should communicate regularly with their kid's friends' parents," he began. "They should monitor their children's Web use, and do surprise inspections of backpacks and rooms. And they should dismiss nothing as adolescence.

"Parents need to balance their child's right to privacy, which is very important, with the need to know what's going on."

San Jose Police Chief Bill Lansdowne had similar advice, with some positive reinforcement as well.

"Know what your kids are doing, where they're going and who they're going to be with," he said. But Lansdowne rejected any kind of teen-bashing: "Don't believe this about Generation X," he said. "These kids are dynamite, absolutely dynamite."

Monroe Middle School principal Bess Johnson told parents to find time for their teenagers, even when it's difficult.

Two days after the safety forum, on May 13, CUSD's board of trustees voted to retain the district's counseling program, which provides one full-time counselor at each of the three middle schools.

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