Stratford School Officials React to Ohio HS Shooting

An Ohio high school student opened fire on his classmates Monday, killing one and injuring four others, according to CBS News.

The suspected gunman was a teenager who a witness to the shooting said was an outcast who had been bullied by his peers, CBS News reported.

Stratford Board of Education Chairman Gavin Forrester said it is always a tragic event when a young person kills another young person.

"It points out how fragile life can be and how difficult [a school shooting] is to anticipate," Forrester said Monday following a school board meeting. "It's a vulnerability all schools have."

To help prevent such a tragedy from happening in Stratford, school officials reviewed and updated its policies on bullying last year, Forrester said.

He said new guidelines took into consideration cyber bullying, which is when someone seeks to do harm to another via the Internet or with a text message or a similar electronic message. Incidents of cyber bullying among students across the nation are on the rise, according to new government data cited by an Associated Press education writer.

"We continue to expand policy to encompass anything that could exist," Forrester said.

The Stratford Board of Education offers cyber bullying tips for parents on its website.

"I feel Stratford is taking the necessary steps and precautions," said school board member Andrea Veilleux.

Veilleux also referenced the new bullying policies. There is now a 'school climate officer' at every school in the district, she said. When a teacher notices a student bullying another, the teacher is encouraged to report it to the school climate officer, Veilleux said.

Former co-president of the Stratford Academy PTA, Veilleux was part of a seminar that invited members of the public to learn about the dangers of student bullying. She said workshops for parents with the PTA could spread awareness.

Before she won a seat on the school board, Veilleux participated in a public forum where candidates at Stratford schools.

The district's amended bullying policy can be read in full as it is attached to this article as a PDF in the photo gallery above.

What do you think should be done to ensure Stratford students are learning in a safe environment? Share your thoughts and concerns in the comments section below.