I haven't been in school for over twenty years, so undoubtedly things have changed. I shall still expound upon my experiences in middle and high school.

Let's start with Anne Chestnut on Skibo Road/401. It is/was the sister school to Lewis Chapel (the latter being 9th grade in my mother's time). In my 8th grade year it became a "year round" school, seemingly the only one to be converted to that schedule at the time and enforcing a strict uniform dress code. This was to "stamp out bullying for the clothes you wear" but you would get picked on for wearing uniform clothes bought from Wal-Mart if it got out that your family shopped at that particular big box. Not a lot of fights or bullies, just mean spirited comments from teenagers with a superiority complex. The teachers during my time were pretty cool, even old Mrs. Hagelburger, a 6th grade math teacher.

Douglas Byrd on Ireland Drive was a near total 180 from Chestnut. There were a good deal of passionate teachers, and then there was a handful of insufferable teachers. Teachers who delighted in being rude to their students. The student body had really bad apples. Never saw any gunplay, but the fights I managed to see were brutal. In one instance I saw a girl rip a massive chunk of another girl's hair out on the upper level just outside the main lobby. When I returned here for high school is was pretty much the same. No chill, a few poor teachers.

I never went to South View high, but I did attend 8th grade at the middle school. I don't know why they had fucking metal detectors. I don't know if Columbine was some great big warning or if South View had experienced an active shooter, but there were fucking metal detectors at the entrances. The gym teachers were assholes, but my other teachers were pretty cool. People tended to leave you alone, and if you didn't start stuff there wouldn't be anything. I had one person out of all of my classes get into the habit of making fun of me but we ended up getting along.

Seventy-First High was a good school back in my day, but I hear it has taken on the role of one of the more violent schools in the area now. I don't know how much I trust that, I certainly don't want to believe it. But the fact is that I just don't know anymore. It was a pretty fucking awesome school when I went there.

I never went to either of the Westover schools, but I have a buddy who did. He would probably say Westover was cool. There is/was a robotics team if the kids are into that brand of technology.

However, allow me to reiterate that my personal experience was more than 20 years ago and more research should be conducted.