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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Endorsements and editorials are made solely by the ownership of this newspaper. As is the case at most newspapers across the nation, The Spokesman-Review newsroom and its editors are not a part of this endorsement process. (Learn more.)

Past opinions provide perspective

Looking Back reviews opinions published in The Spokesman-Review during this week in history.

Apollo 13, April 19, 1970

An S-R editorial saw positive developments in the aborted Apollo 13 flight even though it didn’t achieve its moon-landing mission.

“The successful return to Earth of the astronauts in the face of unanticipated mishap in itself yielded much of value for the future. It was shown that the selection and training processes of the astronauts have been good. It was shown that the human mind and spirit are equal to unusual tests. It was shown that mechanical performance can be programmed theoretically and still work out as expected.”

It went on to say: “It has shown that even serious accident does not mean death in the circumstances that now prevail. The yield of scientific knowledge was less than hoped for, it is true. Nevertheless, the exercise was not a barren one. Some questions have been answered; some valuable information gained.”

Columbine tragedy, April 22, 1999

The S-R editorial board weighed in after the massacre at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado

“Why are our children killing each other? How can we stop the seemingly random and unpredictable violence in America’s schools? Today, we all feel sorrow, frustration and helplessness because there are no simple answers to these questions. And, tragically, because 15 more people are dead.

“President Clinton has asked Americans to pray for the students, teachers and parents terrorized in Littleton, Colo., by the mass murder at Columbine High School. We agree with the sentiment behind his call for prayer but also believe more direct, concrete action is needed to stop the bloodshed.

“In general, we know what works. Aggressive prevention and early intervention are proven to reduce violence among our youth. ‘School safety is everyone’s job,’ reads a report from the National School Safety Center.”

The editorial continued: “The problem is, our nation’s schools are simply not prepared. Teachers and school administrators are not trained to be social service providers. There are few, if any, school counselors in elementary schools, where the warning signs first become noticeable. Most counselors at the middle schools and high schools are far too busy helping hundreds of students with their class schedules to do any real intervention.

“One striking similarity in all of the school shootings in recent years is that the perpetrators felt rejected and psychologically victimized. As a result, they became isolated and began engaging in anti-social behavior. Students, parents and teachers knew these were troubled kids but in most cases either ignored or didn’t recognize the warning signs.”

The editorial concluded: “The ultimate solution does not rest solely with the schools but with the entire community. We all need to communicate better with our children to find out what’s causing fear and anxiety at our schools and what can be done about it. We must break the silence. Talk to your children. There’s too much at stake.”