According to the National School Safety Center, 29 school staff members in the United States have died violently at work since 1992. One of those slain was Barry Grunow, a Language Arts teacher at Lake Worth Middle School in Florida.

On May 26, 2000, Nathaniel Brazill, a 13-year-old Lake Worth Middle School student, shot and killed Barry Grunow when Grunow refused to let Brazill speak with two girls in the teacher?s classroom. Brazill had been sent home from school earlier that day for throwing water balloons, and in an act of rage returned with a .25-caliber handgun (which belonged to his grandfather) and murdered Grunow.

Despite being a minor, Brazill was tried as an adult for second-degree murder under Florida?s strict gun-use law, and was sentenced to 28 years in prison.

A friend of Brazill's, Brandon Spann, testified that just hours before the shooting Brazill asked him if he had a gun. When Spann asked Brazill why he wanted it, Brazill said he was "going to f---k up the school" (CNN.com).

But according to defense attorney Lance Richard, "There was never a premeditated intent to kill Mr. Grunow. There was never even a plan to harm Mr. Grunow. Nathaniel Brazill admired Mr. Grunow. He loved him as a teacher. Mr. Grunow was one of his favorites."

What would prompt a middle school student to kill one of his ?favorite? teachers? The answer to that question is unclear. But as a result of such senseless acts of violence as that which occurred in Lake Worth Middle School, The National Education Association, the nation?s largest teachers? union, will offer a new $150,000 Unlawful Homicide benefit for the families of teachers slain on the job.

Will violent acts such as the murder of Grunow continue? Should teenage murderers be tried as adults? Should parents/guardians be held legally responsible if their children commit crimes with their guns? What is the cause of these senseless acts of violence?

Carolyn Lastowski, Editor