Way to go, government bureaucracy

Mental-Health Aid Denied to Killer’s School * By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS *

Published: April 22, 2005

WASHINGTON, April 21 (AP) – A missing signature disqualified a
grant proposal for mental health and conflict resolution aid for the
Minnesota school district where a student last month killed seven people,
federal and school officials said Thursday.

Last summer, the Beltrami Area Service Collaborative, which includes the Red
Lake Indian Reservation and three other school districts in the state,
applied for a three-year, $3 million Safe Schools/Healthy Students grant.

The Education Department rejected the application because one of the school
districts had its business manager, rather than its superintendent, sign the
paperwork.

The grant would have paid for services such as mental health, conflict
resolution and substance abuse, said John Pugleasa, the collaborative’s
executive director.

In March, 16-year-old Jeff Weise shot to death a school security guard, five
students and a teacher at Red Lake High School before killing himself.
Earlier, Mr. Weise killed his grandfather and his grandfather’s girlfriend
at their home.