not quite national health care

Okay, I'm going to preface this by saying I haven't really been following the recent news on this issue so I don't know exactly how things have been going but I'm having a hard time imagining the events that would lead to this result.

This morning's news announcer briefly stated that families of the victims of the Virgina Tech shooting were receiving compensation in the amount of $11.8 million and agreed not to sue the state (or the money was part of the agreement not to sue the state, I can't remember). Now, I'm sorry for those families. That's a terrible way to lose someone close to you BUT the state should not be giving them money AND they have no reason to sue. If there were any reason for the government to give them money it should be for burial costs or grief counseling, though I can't say I even agree with that. I'm not going to say 'these things happen.' They do, clearly and they're awful, obviously but I don't understand how the state is to blame and how the families deserve compensation. Is it that the school failed to provide secure centers for the students? Should metal detectors have been installed in every building? Should the campus have been a walled compound, strictly controlling entry? Do prospective students need to start signing liability waivers? I just read that part of the settlement will go toward supporting talks between the families, the governor and school authorities and this I think makes sense. It just seems strange that the state is compensating these particular families who were involved in a news covered event but not other families who might have also experienced a more personal tragedy not voiced to the world. I think part of the argument is that students weren't immediately told that the first shooting had happened and thus didn't have the opportunity to protect themselves. Maybe this money could be used to enhance communication in the school, sending out email announcements, texting students or whatnot instead of offering a monetary bandage.