Violence in Public Schools

I am proud to be a taxpayer today as I read the article by McKenna. Not only did he identify some of the major causes of the violence in our schools with candor and intelligence, but his ideas and suggestions with a view to the eventual victory over it were nothing short of visionary.

Among McKenna’s excellent proposals, under the heading of “anti-gang education,” he notes that “male mentors must be actively recruited to serve as role models for male students.” Let me suggest that we recruit those male movie stars who have grown wealthy by teaching these kids that the most manly way to solve a problem is to obtain the biggest, shiniest, most vicious-looking firearm and use that in place of any dialogue; preferably, with an ironic comment over the bleeding victim. Let’s encourage these “Mr. Macho stars” to walk the meanest streets of all, the corridors of the school system.

It might be possible, as McKenna suggests, that these individuals could impress upon the kids and gang members that it was hard work and persistence in the real world that got them their millions, as opposed to the blood-spattered route portrayed in their own movies.

TODD WAITE

Tarzana