Another school shooting.
This time in Georgia.
Widner, Georgia.
Apalachee High School.
I can’t imagine.
I can’t imagine…
The fear.
The sobs.
The anguish.
The emptiness.
My heart breaks.
Again.
My wife collects provocative and thoughtful quotes which fill multiple bulletin boards in our house. When I went to look, I could not find the one I remember seeing on one of those bulletin boards, but it went something like this:
“Who has to be killed, before something changes?”
Your next door neighbor?
Your nephew or niece?
Your parent?
Your child?
The quote was, obviously, directed at those in positions to effect some change.
Who, at moments like this both past and present,
Find that the best they can do
Is offer thoughts and prayers.
And excuses.
So,
To all of you who can do something, but don’t
Before you open your mouth this time.
Or issue a statement this time.
Be honest.
Please.
None of that has worked, has it?
And, you quietly are grateful
That it is not your child.
Joanna Menolasino says
September 4, 2024 at 6:33 pmMy heart aches for the families that sent loved ones off to school today never expecting that something so horrific would happen . As those in power to effect change continue to do so little to make reforms to protect our communities, I can’t help but wonder if they realize the ongoing damage being done to so many students who haven’t directly experienced a school shooting. In Ohio, we are mandated to hold 3 lock down drills per school year at all grade levels. I teach preschool special education. My program is in its own building with no other grade levels. The mandate applies to our school. I can’t begin to explain the trauma I witness some of my students experience during these drills. Is consideration given to their age, their developmental level, their disability (especially those with sensory issues)? Absolutely not!! This is my third week back with students. One of my returning peer models who was in my class last year, has already told her mom that she doesn’t want to come to school because the drills scare her! All I can do is send social stories home to be read to her, reassure the child that I will always tell the class when a drill is scheduled and reassure her that my job is to keep her safe. Meanwhile, I am forbidden from discussing details of the drill with her family. The icing on the cake… in addition to traumatizing children with these drills (which again, the details I am not permitted to discuss) every student who has come through the district for the past many years, has participated in the drills 3 times a year! Do the math… if you attend a district from K – 12th grade, you will have participated in 39 lock down drills! Now consider who the most frequent shooters are in school shootings… and ask yourself, at what point do we start to wonder if in addition to traumatizing students, whether we might also be providing all the information needed for a future school shooter to plan a very effective and efficient massacre. It’s amazing what those in power will do to protect their “rights” to guns!!!
Paul Alcorn says
September 4, 2024 at 8:07 pmJoanna, thank you for sharing what you did. It is too easy to forget the impact that drills have on both students and staff. While it is important to be prepared, we should not overlook how it reinforces a sense of not being safe.