STATE OF VERMONT

Vermont Department of Education

120 State Street

Montpelier, VT 05620

March 30, 2005

To Vermont students,

As many of us are, I am disturbed and saddened by events such as the Red Lake, Minnesota and Littleton, Colorado shooting incidents. I am writing to ask your help to prevent events such as these from happening in Vermont. As Commissioner of Education, o­ne of my responsibilities is to work with school administrators, teachers, parents and law enforcement officials to make our schools safe places for you, your fellow students, and those working in the building. State Board of Education rules require every school to have a plan for dealing with emergencies of all kinds, including incidents involving weapons. We must ensure that you are aware of what to do in an emergency and why you should understand the content of your school emergency plans.

However, I believe it is much more important for students and adults to work together to prevent weapons-related emergencies from ever happening in the first place. Unfortunately, even here in Vermont, students sometimes bring weapons to school or use them outside of school to injure themselves or others. We all need to do a better job of understanding why this is happening and how we can get involved to help these individuals and prevent terrible events from occurring.

As a student, you are often aware of how others are feeling o­n any given day through your observations, conversations and interactions. If you feel that a fellow student is likely to become self-destructive or violent, I ask you to inform an adult in your school. I know that this request contradicts some of the rules of peer pressure – the o­nes that say don’t “rat” or “tattle” o­n a fellow student or “don’t get involved.” However, if you are well intended, reporting your concerns to an adult you trust is an attempt to help the individual, not to get them in trouble. Your action could also save lives.

The pressures of growing up in Vermont today can be overwhelming. You are faced with issues that my generation did not experience at all or in the same way. Often, the reason that students bring weapons to school is that they have been driven to desperation and are responding to some real or perceived threat to their own safety, such as being victimized by bullies. Bullying should never be tolerated and students, as well as all adults, bear the responsibility for doing everything possible to prevent it. Even though bullying is a terrible act, we all know that a violent response, especially o­ne involving a weapon, will not solve the problem.

I need your help in convincing your fellow students that violence is not something we can tolerate in our communities. There is no happy ending for anyone when violence erupts in a school. There is always a better way of dealing with problems and I hope you will look for ways to help each other get the support and guidance you need. If you are a student who is feeling desperate, please seek assistance from your parents, a teacher, counselor, principal or other adult you trust.

We in Vermont live in a relatively safe and secure environment, and I appreciate your help in making our schools even safer. Thank you for your help.

Richard H. Cate

Vermont Commissioner of Education