Yesterday, President Bush was at the National 4-H Youth Conference Center in Chevy Chase, Md., for the Conference on School Safety. The meeting, which drew approximately 300 attendees, brought together leading experts and stakeholders to discuss how Federal, State and local governments can work together with schools, communities, and families to ensure our schools are a safe place for students to learn. U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings chaired the panels, which were composed of representatives from law enforcement, juvenile justice, education, as well as youth and school violence survivors.
Several 4-H delegations from nearby states attended the conference and had the opportunity to meet Attorney General Gonzales and Secretary Spellings."4-H is proud that the White House asked us to host this event at the National 4-H Youth Conference Center, and that they recognize the important positive contributions 4-H already makes in the lives of so many children and youth," said Dr. Cathann A. Kress, director of youth development, National 4-H Headquarters, CSREES, USDA.
------------------ News Report - The Associated Press and Los Angeles Times
Bush urges intervention to prevent violence at schools
President Bush urged the nation Tuesday to help prevent deadly school shootings, saying adults should intervene when they notice children are in trouble.
"Hopefully, out of these tragedies will come the sense of communal obligation all throughout our country, for people to take an extra effort to comfort the lonely," Bush said at a summit he ordered in response to recent violence.
Bush seemed most struck by one of the points raised by experts: When students plot violence, they often brag about it in advance to other students. Safety specialists say schools must encourage students to speak up when they notice any ominous behavioral changes.
"The whole purpose of this exercise is to help educate," Bush said at the National 4-H Conference Center, "and if there needs to be a cultural change inside schools, for teachers to become more aware and more active." (Read More)