School shootings enter new dimension.

[Randall Flagg]

Faculty on faculty at UAH (University of Alabama in Huntsville).

Before, it was troubled students on pretty much other students. Now, in a horrendous turn of events, a Harvard trained geneticist pulls a gun and kills three, wounds three after being denied tenure. At appx. 4:15 CST she did the shooting and was shortly after taken into custody. Details are not available yet.

AND. The shooter was a woman. This is unusual in American workplace violence.

This is but another sad commentary on the acceptance and ease of wholesale violence within our country today.

The victims were all but one faculty. All were involved in teaching and helping create this country's future by teaching. The loss today is beyond accessing.

My thoughts go out to all those involved.

http://web.archive.org/web/20060704233143/

http://blog.al.com/breaking/2010/02/biology_professor_accused_in_u.html


edited to add image.

[Randall Flagg]

1. Well that didn't take long for an unrec.

I wonder why or what faction?

NOT.

[sharesunited]

2. I think it was a preemptive unrec in anticipation of my comment.

It is way too easy to get your hands on guns and ammo in this country.

Remarkable to see a woman as the rampage shooter.

[Randall Flagg]

3. That is a very upopular opinion with what seems to be a small but very vocal part of DU.

And yes, to see a woman in this role is disturbing. I don't know if there is any truth to it, but the husband seems to be a suspect as well (who is another who would not fit the typical profile for this sort of thing).

BTW, I agree with you completely.

[surrealAmerican]

4. This is really a variation on the ...

... "employee going postal" theme. It just happened that the employee here was a professor.

[farmout rightarm]

11. Exactly. That the workplace happened to be a college is simply a variation on a theme.

As you said.

[Randall Flagg]

15. But, as I mentioned earlier, it happened in a building with students

in class.

I feel that it should be classified as both a workplace shooting and a school shooting. (as obviously, it happened in a school)

[farmout rightarm]

17. It's common journalistic practice to describe crimes in terms of where they occur

if it had taken place in say, a sanitation facility, the headlines would probably have been "Shooting in city dump leaves one dead"....that really doesn't have anything to do with the "classification" (whatever that means) of the incident.

[Chemisse]

5. I'm not sure you can really categorize this as a school shooting

It seems to have been a 'disgruntled employee' and a workplace shooting. The fact that this was at a university does not seem relevant, particularly since no students were targeted.

On a more human note, and I say this as the mother of a college professor, how really horrible for those poor victims and their families.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

6. For what it's worth, I agree....

Probably is no comfort to the victims.

I'd like to hear more about how the husband may have been involved.

[Randall Flagg]

8. I can sure see your point.

But the fact that it happened in a school with students in the same building lends credence to calling it a school shooting IMHO.

[farmout rightarm]

13. Perhaps "provides excuse" is a bit more accurate than "lends credence"

Just a thought.

[Fumesucker]

7. There was a faculty on faculty shooting the other day..

At a middle school I think it was..

[tonysam]

14. It was a Knoxville, Tennessee, elementary school.

Similar story of the person not having the contract renewed (denied tenure).

[Fumesucker]

19. Yep, that's the one I was thinking of..

Thanks..

[Manifestor_of_Light]

20. Male teacher shoots two female principals.

After being told his services would not be needed next year.

[xchrom]

9. Recommend

[Randall Flagg]

10. This woman was working on bio-computers.

Neuroengineering

My laboratory’s goal will be to continue in our effort to develop a neural computer, the Neuristor™, using living neurons. This computer will exploit all of the advantages of neurons. Specifically, neurons rich with the nitric oxide NO dependent learning receptor, N Methyl D Aspartate receptor NMDAR, will be utilized. These have previously been studied in the context of induced adaptive resistance to NO IAR. For the Neuristor™ we will take advantage of the IAR phenomena since it has been demonstrated that IAR neurons express more learning and memory receptors NMDAR as well as increased neurite outgrowth. The neurons that we are currently using are mammalian motor neurons. We are exploring the possibility of using neurons derived from adult stem cells, and from bony fishes provided by Bruce Stallsmith Ph.D. This laboratory has created a portable cell culture incubator, the Cell Drive™ that is an ideal support structure for the Neuristor™.

via Amy Bishop, Ph.D..

http://heretic.blastmagazine.com/2010/02/amy-bishop-has-a-cyborg-laboratory/

[tonysam]

12. I'll tell you what.

Between this shooting and the Knoxville, Tennessee, elementary school shooting of a couple of days ago supervisors, principals, or whoever is given the responsibility to continue employees' contracts better be protected in the event of having to fire or let go of employees. And especially in this economy which is in such rotten shape.

In education it's much worse because of the stigma of not being renewed or being denied tenure.

[prolesunited]

16. Stigma?

Basically, you have to find a new career after investing years into schooling and working -- not that this justifies anyone.

[Tutankhamun]

18. As a teacher in California public schools, I've been expecting this from a public school teacher for

the last few years. There is no such thing as earning tenure anymore in the two counties in which I've worked (Orange and San Diego). Also, class sizes have dramatically increased.

Try teaching forty students at a time with no chance at tenure and see what happens to your mental state. Teachers are very tough people; most find a way to cope. However, I fear that if conditions don't change something like the incident discussed in this thread will start occurring in public schools.

[Randall Flagg]

21. I can only imagine the stressors introduced.

Just by dealing with students. Add job security to the mix...

Not that I'm making excuses.

[mitchum]

22. Will the breathless media brand her as a member of the Lab coat Mafia?