{"id":6737,"date":"2018-02-22T09:54:29","date_gmt":"2018-02-22T14:54:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.caskeys.com\/dc\/?p=6737"},"modified":"2025-05-22T12:20:04","modified_gmt":"2025-05-22T16:20:04","slug":"dramatic-or-deadly","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.caskeys.com\/dc\/dramatic-or-deadly\/","title":{"rendered":"Dramatic or Deadly"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Is it Fair to Preemptively Assess Threats Due to Student Expression?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Attacks on schools and other vulnerable public venues might not be happening more often – but they\u2019re definitely drawing a bigger share of public attention. Whether it\u2019s through media saturation, social media amplification, or our collective fear, the presence of violence in public consciousness has become hard to ignore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At time of writing, another deadly mass shooting had just unfolded in Parkland, Florida. The motives behind these attacks are all over the place – ranging from personal vendettas to mental health struggles to ideological extremism. Still, most of them seem to have one thing in common: the perpetrator feels powerless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another heartbreaking similarity is the trail of missed warning signs. In so many cases, we\u2019re left wondering why the red flags weren\u2019t enough. Why didn\u2019t authorities act? Why didn\u2019t school administrators step in? Why didn\u2019t peers say something? It\u2019s tempting to assume incompetence or indifference, but the reality may be more complicated. At its core, our society operates on the principle of innocent until proven guilty – and that standard makes preemptive intervention extremely tricky.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now let\u2019s put adult threats aside for a moment. What happens if we start investigating every edgy piece of writing, every vaguely threatening comment, every social misstep from teenagers? Beyond the sheer logistical impossibility, there\u2019s a deeper risk: in trying to prevent violence, we might strip away one of the last outlets for a teen in crisis – self-expression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those expressions aren\u2019t always comfortable, popular, or even ethical. Sometimes they\u2019re dark, inappropriate, or disturbing. Still, without them, we begin to erode the foundations of a society built on personal freedom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Take this real-life example from an undisclosed northwestern university, cited in Freedom of Speech vs. Student Safety: A Case Study on Teaching Communication in the Post-Virginia-Tech World<\/em>. During the final minutes of class, one student made a shocking comment:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u201cI think that the homeless should be shot and ground up for dog food because, after all, they are useless anyway.\u201d (Kane, 1986)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Understandably, this upset several classmates. The adjunct instructor was torn. Ignore the comment and risk minimizing the distress of the class – or overreact and possibly traumatize the student who made it. There was no direct threat, no plan of action, just a horrific opinion. What\u2019s the right call?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the end, the situation was defused without official disciplinary measures. A friend of the course director – who was a psychologist – offered advice. The student was gently informed about the broader impact of his words and, after some reflection, apologized to the class.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It worked out peacefully, this time. Of course, not all scenarios will resolve so neatly. Still, most can. And that leads to the hard question: would it have been fair to treat that student as a threat? What would he have learned from a more aggressive response?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s no one-size-fits-all answer. Yet it\u2019s worth asking. Because while student safety is paramount, the way we preserve that safety matters. Preemptively labeling expression as threat might reduce risk – but it also risks flattening nuance, silencing those who already feel unheard, and undermining the very freedoms we claim to protect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

References<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Kane, P. E. (1986). The New World Information Order and Freedom of Communication: The Communication Case for the New World Information Order<\/em>. Free Speech Yearbook<\/em>, 25(1), 69\u201369. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080\/08997225.1986.10556064<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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