Monday, February 11, 2013
Christopher Dorner-Lessons Learned

Ex-LAPD police officer, Christopher Dorner, has been the target of a state-wide manhunt. He wrote a manifesto which focused on Dorner's perceptions that others were involved in racist behavior or police brutality. He would not stop shooting people, he wrote, until his name was cleared in the case that led to his firing. Dorner's manifesto reached all the way back to perceived mistreatment in his formative years. At one point, he recalled what he said was an incident of racism from his childhood, along with his response to it. Police say Dorner, 33, is on a mission to murder former LAPD colleagues and superiors — and their families — as payback for his 2008 firing. They believe he killed a retired captain's daughter and her fiance in Irvine, Calif., last Sunday, before setting his sights on the four cops he shot. It is interesting to reflect on the behavior of an individual who was once highly respected as a soldier and police officer. Now he is a wanted man. What triggers a person to dramatically change his/her behavior? Clearly, part of his rage is based upon the feeling of not experiencing "justice" and the outcomes devastating his ability to live a productive life. What is the definition of "Justice"? Conformity to moral rightness in action or attitude; righteousness; the upholding of what is just, especially fair treatment and due reward in accordance with honor, standards, or law. Even the Los Angeles Police Chief, Charlie Beck, has offered to reopen the case to see if there was any evidence of unfair treatment. What might we learn from this incident and many others like it? As educators, related professionals, and parents, we must be very diligent about how we treat other people. This, of course, is true in every profession. As a lifelong educator and administrator, however, I am compelled to entreat each of you reading this blog to engage in fair and equitable treatment of every child, colleague, parent and community member that you encounter. Should Dorner kill to vindicate his name? Certainly not! Please be careful, though, that your words, behavior, procedures and routines, nonverbal cues and instructional practices don't "kill" a child's self-perception, self-esteem, goals, aspirations and the pursuit of happiness! We are entrusted with the precious lives of other people's children. Let us always uphold this trust with the utmost professionalism in every aspect of our work!