WTNH News Channel 8 / News / 1999

	Students talk about school violence (Hamden-WTNH) _ Some Connecticut school students are doing their part to stop school violence. A new program hopes to bring together the voices of teens to come up with a solution to the problem. Most of the teens had a lot to say. News Channel 8's Leon Collins reports. Founded by a local radio station DJ, Family First USA made it's debut in front of about 1,000 Hamden High School students. Amy Brownley, Family First USA: "We have a family constitution which has 12 articles for families to follow such as living a principled centered life, hugging your family everyday." For more than two hours this morning, teenagers shared their thoughts and feelings and ideas about the recent violence that seems to have effected everyone. Siobhan Mongillo spoke about the two teens who shot so many out in Colorado. Siobhan Mongillo, Sophomore: "These kids were just teased so much because of the way they were they felt they had to go and shoot somebody because they felt they weren't good enough." Jerome Little, Senior: "People are trying to blame the parents because the parents are supposed to instill morals, right and wrong, but it depends on how you use it. If you don't use it the right way, that's your fault." On student thought that metal detectors were not the complete solution to keeping weapons out of schools. Ryan Bannister, Freshman: "You can only put metal detectors in a door, there's plenty of other ways to get something in a building. How about passing it through a window. It's not gonna work." One student suggested that school finds might be better spent to reduce teen violence. He said that rather than giving the Hamden School Superintendent a $10 raise, maybe that money should go to buying students some much needed track equipment. This was the first event the organization sponsored. But Family First USA plans to hold more seminars with other students later this year. Today's News Page. WTNH Home Page. ©1999 WTNH/WTNH-DT A LIN station.

Students talk about school violence
(Hamden-WTNH) _ Some Connecticut school students are doing their part to stop school violence. A new program hopes to bring together the voices of teens to come up with a solution to the problem. Most of the teens had a lot to say.
News Channel 8's Leon Collins reports.

Founded by a local radio station DJ, Family First USA made it's debut in front of about 1,000 Hamden High School students.

Amy Brownley, Family First USA: "We have a family constitution which has 12 articles for families to follow such as living a principled centered life, hugging your family everyday."

For more than two hours this morning, teenagers shared their thoughts and feelings and ideas about the recent violence that seems to have effected everyone. Siobhan Mongillo spoke about the two teens who shot so many out in Colorado.

Siobhan Mongillo, Sophomore: "These kids were just teased so much because of the way they were they felt they had to go and shoot somebody because they felt they weren't good enough."

Jerome Little, Senior: "People are trying to blame the parents because the parents are supposed to instill morals, right and wrong, but it depends on how you use it. If you don't use it the right way, that's your fault."

On student thought that metal detectors were not the complete solution to keeping weapons out of schools.

Ryan Bannister, Freshman: "You can only put metal detectors in a door, there's plenty of other ways to get something in a building. How about passing it through a window. It's not gonna work."

One student suggested that school finds might be better spent to reduce teen violence. He said that rather than giving the Hamden School Superintendent a $10 raise, maybe that money should go to buying students some much needed track equipment.

This was the first event the organization sponsored. But Family First USA plans to hold more seminars with other students later this year.

Today's News Page.

WTNH Home Page.