(Editor's Note: Paule T. Pachter, A.C.S.W., C.S.W., is Assistant Executive Director of Central Nassau Guidance and Counseling Services, Inc.)

There is no escaping the seriousness of the alleged sexual attacks, assaults and bias crimes that took place in Wayne County, PA at the hands of three accused members of the Mepham High School football team.

There is no excusing of the visible "wall of silence" that immediately followed the report of this act of violence to school administration by one of the victim's families. And there can be no denying that this event will shape both Mepham High School and the Bellmore-Merrick community for years to come, in the same way that Littleton, Colorado was shaped by the events at Columbine High School four years ago and the way that communities in Oregon, Mississippi, Florida and Alabama have been shaped by acts of school violence.

The only difference now is that a national spotlight has been focused on Long Island, and school officials, concerned parents and communities all the way from Bellmore to Buffalo are looking for answers to two simple questions: "How did this happen?" and "How can it be prevented?"

There can be many assumptions and contributing factors as to how three seemingly healthy children could commit the numerous acts of violence that they have been accused of. From a clinical standpoint, it is apparent that the alleged perpetrators are not too healthy. Their behavior can be classified as sociopathic, devious, anti-social, aggressive and other diagnostic labels that will be applied by those mental health and forensic professionals that they will come to know during the course of their hearings and trial.

Whether these individuals are charged as juveniles or adults, the mental health system will be mobilized in an effort to evaluate the reasons for their actions and prescribe various treatment interventions in an effort to rehabilitate them. In an effort to find out the "whys" the environment in which these children have been raised and nurtured will also be examined. This will include an assessment of both their home and school environment. Were there signs of past aggressive behaviors? Is there a history of abuse or neglect? What about a history of mental illness or substance abuse? What about the absence of guidance and adult supervision? Who are their peers and reference groups?

Sure there are those who would like to blame the media with its glorified portrayal of violence in movies and on television. Sure we can take our best shot at MTV and say that there are subliminal messages in music videos. We might blame the news media for its imbedded reporting on the war in Iraq. We might also blame ourselves for not knowing enough about our children or taking the time to reach out for help when we suspect that they are in trouble.

What is clear to those of us in the mental health field is that this type of violent behavior doesn't just happen overnight. There are often warning signals associated with this type of behavior. The warning signals at Columbine High School were the student's identification with the "Trench Coat Mafia," previous threats that they had made to other students, and acts of vandalism.

Ultimately, the blame for the Mepham High School attack will rest on those found guilty of the crime and those that might have contributed to the event in some culpable way. But where does that leave the rest of us? Where do we go from here? Many football seasons will come and go before the community heals. Time will stand still for the five victims and their families, who will carry the emotional scars of this event and whose feelings of security will be questioned for years to come.

There is a lesson to be learned from Mepham High School. For parents, it is to know who your children are. Be aware of their environment and social circles. Know when something is troubling them and help them to verbalize their feelings. Raising children takes patience, skill and a willingness to learn new things, even if what we learn is painful. For educators it is time to re-evaluate the school curriculum as it relates to violence, bias and zero tolerance.

It is time to re-evaluate how we protect our students and how we supervise our activities. It is also time to forge meaningful partnerships with parents and families and those professionals able to assist in this process. It is also a time when educators learn much about the system they work in. Times have changed. We live in a world filled with violence and aggression. We live in a time in which we demand honesty, responsibility and accountability from those in positions of authority.

For New York State, it is time to join our neighbors in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland and nine other states that have established Legislative Committees to examine, manage and prevent School Violence. Our children's education, safety and future depend on it.