Last Arrow In The Quiver

There was a time in history when the arsenal in your quiver had a great deal to do with your survival. In fact, a good warrior knew the capacity and strength of each arrow in his quiver that would be used for particular circumstances. The placement of arrows in the quiver was much more than putting sharp sticks in a leather bag. The process and planning of how the arrows were feathered, their choice of material for the penetrating point, as well as their widths and lengths were well thought out. Some arrows were of course meant for short range and others were meant for long range. But, there was one arrow among all that were carried, that was the most important arrow that the warrior would possess. It was the arrow that was the last drawn, and which offered his best and greatest chance of defeating his foe. It was only to be used in the direst of circumstances. It was the literal silver bullet of the bow and arrow age. <br /> <br /> This "last arrow" analogy can certainly be used concerning things that we see today as we consider the world that we will leave to our children and our grandchildren. In the past few years, we have responded to one problem after another by shooting arrows in the direction of where we thought the problems were coming from. Some of the targets were hit, but for the most part, our seemingly endless barrage of arrows shot have either fallen short or missed widely as to the intended source of the problem. <br /> <br /> We have been warned of issues such as a rising gang problem for years. At first we didn't waste an arrow, thinking that such a small threat was not worth the cost of the value of the arrow. As the problem continued to increase, we sent a few warning shots and then took direct aim at a foe that was now much larger and powerful than we had earlier anticipated. We continue to shoot in the gang issue direction, in order to keep it at bay, but we are far from eliminating the threat. <br /> <br /> Our schools, which are our greatest asset, are now starting to see some of this threat make its way on to our campuses. In the past, for the most part, gangs have stayed away from our schools and have concentrated on a very focused part of our community in order to thrive. But as the gangs have matured, and as they have gotten stronger and larger, they have also become much bolder. We have seen recent events on campuses that should alert us to the fact that not only are the gangs still here, they are attempting to embolden themselves in our school communities. This natural progression is not surprising to those who study gang activity and based on comparative behavior of areas in our country where gangs have been around for many years. <br /> <br /> The key to turning back this predator, whereby gang related violence on our campuses is not the norm but simply an anomaly, is based on a careful approach as to which arrows we will select from the quiver. Thus far, it appears that our school system has done an admirable job in doing just that. Parental and public notification of issues such as gang activity is not a pleasant message to send, but it is a necessary message to send. Keeping such news under wrap, for fear of negative perception, is a sure recipe for disaster. Furthermore, when used correctly, the coordinated efforts between our schools, parents, students, and our law enforcement agencies will always prove to be an obstacle that is too large for even the most determined groups whose survival is centered on the successful completion of criminal behavior. <br /> <br /> The resolve to meet and sustain this needed coordination seems to be firmly in place. While isolated incidents have occurred, many other attempts to disrupt our schools have been thwarted based on an open line of communication and the constant monitoring of such activity in the midst. Educational processes that teach and inform on the front end and strict and consistent punishment for those at the other end, will be our best chance at defeating this enemy. This process is well in the works and is one that must be monitored routinely. <br /> <br /> The need for reaching over our shoulder and carefully bringing our last and greatest arrow from the quiver is not yet at hand. We have several more target specific weapons to choose from before such action is needed. There is neither reason to run scared nor is there reason to ease our guard. While we may not currently be at the point for such a drastic "last arrow" response, we must be vigilant to inventory the list of weapons that we have and which ones best hit their target. The "last arrow" is one that we should always keep sharp but it is also the one that we should strive to never have to use. <br /> <br /> Stan L. Hall