Kevin Simpson's article " Columbine Effect: Fear over Reality portrays

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Kevin Simpson's article " Columbine Effect: Fear over Reality portrays a controversal tone, daunting Columbine references, and overall emotional appeal to emphasize to readers a clearer understanding of the perceived fear felt by students adn parents. Simpson's article conveys many emotional appeals and examples of the "Columbine Effect".

Simpson introduces controversy in his article by making comments of cyberspace watchdogs that block and scrutinize what is being releasedon the internet and blocking it. Is this a free-speech issue? There are issues about student privacy with the post Columbine security measures. The security is being brought to the table to protect students, teachers, and other school staff officials. The only controversy should be how these students are able to bring such lethal weapons even after the tragedy of Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold. Simpson qoutes Paul harris, executive director of the Virginia-based American Association of School Administration, "For years the conventional metaphor for american schools was the assembly-line education- the factory, Houston says.

Now it is the prison-with gaurds called teachers, a warden called a pricipal, metal detectors, uniforms, cops euphamistaically called 'school resource officers,' close collaboration with the law enforcement and the courts". This controversal qoute leads parents adn other members of society to believe that schools are hindered because of these measures, when much of this helps students concentrate on academics and school in general insatead of what may happen while they are in school. If students could focus on academics, funding to increase test scores could be used for security accomodations. The understanding that parents perceive is that school is a war zone and their children go in day after day fighting for their lives.

Although statistics show school violence declining, the severity of the crimes are increasing. Simpson states it well when he says," Columbine remains a fulcrum for change". Due to Eric harris and Dylan Klebold's success in bringing weapons into school is an obvious reason for something to change. As Simpson aslo states, "will it make a difference?", not all measures are 100% foolproof but they will stop others thatsee America taking an enormous satnd on school violence and violence amoung teens. The statistics show within weeks of Columbine there were at least 3,000 copycat threats, Simpson received these numbers from the National School Safety Center. These stats give creditable status and supports his claim in this article. The Justive Policy Institutue adds powerful support to Simpson, "zero tolerance policies, metal detectors, and video cameras profiling that seeks to identify dangerous kids before the "go-off" all these have found a place in the classrooms". Simpson believes that "Columbine reworte the book on police response," this daunting statement conveys the lackadazical security measures schools had pre-columbine. This emphasizes the fear of violence that parents, students, and school staff have going into the schools of America.

The stand that Kevin Simpson takes is a positive enforcement in school security to make schools safer for the nation's children adn school staff. The second sentence in his article says," The following year,harrowing headlines about subsequent shooting fueled a national pre-occupation with an apparent epidemic of violence in the classroom, " states the purpose of this article.

The fear is America's schools need to be safe for academic purposes along with the safety of the children. Students, staff officials, and parents need a confort level so that they can succeed in the future. The reality is many schools do not have funding for security, not do they have 100% support from the soceity. The word Columbine and Edinboro should be enough to see school serously need some sort of protection.