Nature Vs. Nurture Case Study

In Littleton, Colorado on April 20, 1999, high school seniors Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris arrived at their school with the intent to become the most prolific killers the country had ever seen. Inspired by the Oklahoma City bombing, they planted homemade bombs in various areas of the school to exact large scale death and destruction, while armed and waiting outside to shoot any escaping survivors. In addition, they placed explosives in their cars to target arriving emergency personnel. After the majority of their improvised explosives failed, they made their way through the school killing fifteen people, including themselves, and wounding twenty-four others. After seventeen years of attempting to maintain as much privacy as possible, Dylan’s mother Sue has decided to step forward in an attempt to prevent others from missing the warning signs she herself missed. Many people held Sue accountable for Dylan’s actions. In times of unspeakable tragedy people often look for someone to blame; since Dylan was gone, people set their sights on Sue. Sue did not see herself as a bad mother. “Dylan did not do this because of
Those on the nature side believe we are a product of our genes and heredity. On the nurture side, it is believed we are the product of our environment, affected by our entire bioecological system. We are actually affected by both. A person can have the greatest genes in the world, but have neglectful parents. Without touch and affection, the child cannot thrive. Another can have the most loving nurturing parents in the world, but also have a congenital malformation. This child may not necessarily be able to achieve certain things. Sue Klebold considered herself to be a good mom, an involved parent. She loved and nurtured both of her boys, as did her work from home husband. She believes they did everything right. Despite this, the sickness in Dylan prevailed-though not without help from Eric