People were quick to assign blame in the Virginia Tech shooting that took place last month. Many school officials were at fault for not taking immediate action when attacker Seung-Hui Cho first showed signs of disturbing behavior. But should teachers share some of the blame?

Cho killed 32 people and injured several others in the blood bath that took place on April 16. The college student was perceived by many as a loner. His English professor even referred Cho to a psychiatrist because the student’s explicit writing alarmed her. His works contained violent images and profane language.

Some students should receive help from psychiatrists; they may feel the world is against them. Without receiving professional help from someone the victim can become dangerous and take lives like Cho did.

English teachers frequently read student-written poetry and stories that may send off red flags. How does a teacher know when to report a troubling piece of writing? How does a teacher know when a child is upset about something or just has an active imagination?

Some teachers would rather not report it because maybe the student is just creative. But teachers could be held responsible if a student goes on a rampage like Cho did.

But teachers overreact sometimes. For instance, a creative writing teacher might become concerned if a student writes about committing suicide. But teachers should also pay close attention to other signs.

In a New York Times article Cho’s English professor said, “It is not necessarily the work alone that raises concern, but the work plus the student’s … behavior.”

Therefore, the lesson to be learned is that writing teachers should use good judgment.

In the New York Times article, Cho’s writing professor said: “… there is a huge difference between writing about violence and behaving violently,” he wrote. “We could not have known what he would do.”