Thank you for being concerned about the VIOLENCE in US Schools.

This issue weighs heavily on my heart and I ask for your help. We need to stop the violence in our schools, and the time is now.

This fa!l, according to USA TODAY 53 million children will enter public and private elementary and secondary schools, the highest enrollment in U. S. History. In our Miami Dade County Public Schools we estimate that we will have 8,893 more students than we had last years bringing our total to approximately 368,750 (359,857 last years. These numbers represent the highest number in our school history.

This growth comes on the heels of some horrifying events.

For example:

April 20, 1999 LITTLETON, Colorado: Two high school juniors, members of The "trench coat mafia" enters and proceeds on a killing spree of jocks, Blacks, and others who allegedly ridiculed them. Pipe Bombs and weapons were fired off leaving 15 dead including the two shooters and an equal number wounded.

April 16, 1999 NOTUS, Idaho: A high school sophomore fires two shotguns Blasts in a school hallway. No one injured.

June 15, 1998 RICHMOND, Va.: A 14-year-old student opened fire with a Pistol in the hallway of a high school as students took final exams, wounding a basketball coach and a volunteer aide.

May 21, 1998 SPRINGFIELD, Ore.: Kip Kinkel, a 15-year-old freshman, opens Fire in a cafeteria, killing two and wounding 22. Kinkers parents were later found dead at their home.

May 19, 1998 FAYETTEVILLE, Tenn.: A high school senior shot and killed a Student in school parking lot. They had apparently argued about a girl.

April 24, 1998 EDINBORO, Pa.: Teacher John Gillette is shot dead at a School dance, allegedly by Andrew Wurst, 14. Two students and another Teacher are wounded.

March 24, 1998 JONESBORO, Ark.: Mitchell Johnson, 13, and Andrew Golden, 11, allegedly fake a fire alarm and open fire on students and teachers at Westside Middle School. Four female students and a teacher are killed. Both boys are charged as juveniles with five counts of capital murder and 10 Counts of battery.

Dec. 15, 1997 STAMPS, Ark.: Joseph "Colt" Todd, 14, is arrested in the Sniper shooting of two students outside their high school. The students Recovered; Todd, who faces trial later this year, said he was tired of Being picked on.

Dec. 1, 1997 PADUCAH, Ky.: Michael Carneal, 14, entered his high school and Headed for a prayer meeting where he shot eight students, killing three.

Oct. 22, 1997 NORWALK, Califf: Khoa Truc "Robert" Dang, 21, fatally shot His 16-year-old ex-girlfriend on her high school campus.

Oct. 1, 1997 PEARL, Miss.: Luke Woodham, 16, opened fire on his classmates, Killing two and wounding seven more in the school cafeteria.

Feb. 19, 1997 BETHEL, Alaska: After making multiple threats, Evan Ramsey, 16, fatally gunned down his high school principal and one of his Classmates.

Jan. 27, 1997 WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.: Tronneal Mangum, 13, shot and killed Another student on the sidewalk in front of his middle school.

Oct. 31, 1996 ST. LOUIS: A student with a gun critically wounded another Student in a school hallway.

Sept. 25, 1996 ATLANTA: David Dubose Jr., 16, shot and killed a teacher in A school hallway.

July 26, 1996 LOS ANGELES: High school junior Yohao Albert Rivas, 18, shot And wounded two classmates in a stairwell on campus.

Feb. 29, 1996 ST. LOUIS: Mark Boyd, 30, fired into a school bus after its Doors swung open, killing a pregnant 15-year-old and wounding the driver.

Feb. 2, 1996 MOSES LAKE, Wash.: Barry Loukaitas, 14, killed his teacher, Fatally wounded two teen-age boys and wounded a girl.

Oct. 30, 1995 RICHMOND, Va.: Edward Earl Superman, 18, shot and wounded Four students outside their high school.

Jan. 18, 1993 GRAYSON, Ky.: Scott Pennington, 17, walked into Deanna McDavid's seventh-period English class at East Carter High School and shot Her in the head. He then shot janitor Marvin Hicks in the abdomen. Pennington was sentenced to life without parole for 25 years.

May 1, 1992 OLIVEHUST, Calif.: Eric Houston, 20, killed four people and Wounded 10 in an armed siege at his former high school. Prosecutors said The attack was in retribution for a failing grade. Houston was convicted And was given a death sentence.

Let me came fast forward top July 31, 2000 where one of our students at Ruben Dario Middle School was jumped by several students and beaten with brass knuckles. The offenders were arrested and charged with crimes ranging aggravated battery to attempted murder.

Most recently here in our Miami Dade County Schools we had some of our students being violently assaulted on one of the school buses on their way home.

I am convinced now, more than ever, is the time that we said enough is enough.