Children Are Seemingly More Intelligent

As usual, I attended my volunteer work on Saturday. I try to make sure the girls are as well rounded as possible; so, one of the things I have them do throughout the week is pay attention to the current events each week so we can have a discussion when we meet up. One of the requirements is that if you don't know about the subject do not discuss it. Hopefully this will prevent them from discuss things that they are clueless about, that and the fact that it's one of my ultra pet peeves.
This weekend, of course, we discussed the Virginia Tech shooting. The girls were really focused on how it was possible that the school didn't know that the shooter was mentally ill. The questioned whether he "looked" mentally ill...could they not look at him and tell? Good question...I, in turn, asked what does a mentally ill person look like. They couldn't answer. So, I told them...A mentally ill person looks like me. I came out to them. Interestingly enough, they wanted more information. They wanted to hear what made me this "special" person. And, THERE WAS NO JUDGEMENT!! They didn't want to be ignorant, like many people I know. How is it that speaking to high schoolers can be better than speaking to adults? How are they more accepting? Is it because the MAN has yet to completely brain wash them? The sad part is, I can hear that some of them feel the same way I do, and want to get help. They asked, can they go to the doctor without their parents knowing because when they tried to tell their parents, they laughed at them and said there was nothing wrong with them. Sounds wayyyy familiar! So, I pose this question...If we started listening to the children, not laugh at them, and attempt to get them some kind of help...can we prevent another Columbine or Virginia Tech incident?