School, Safety, Change....

I have worked in three schools in two different districts during my tenure as an educator. And despite spending the first half of that time in an environment that was hard for many to see as a ‘good’ place, I never felt unsafe; I never questioned walking through those doors. 

Though I felt completely comfortable in that environment, the last thing Brian would say to me each morning before we parted ways was, “Be careful.” As I transitioned to a new district, I think he felt a sense of security and hasn’t shown the same concerns as in the past, and I know that has been important to him. But two weeks ago, I heard those words again. My husband, like many people in this country, feared what would happen in what should be a safe and valued place, school. 

As an educator and now a parent, I cannot deny that there is fear in the back of my mind, not for my safety, but for what may be done - or more likely what inaction we will see - to address this preventable tragedy from occurring yet again. And the thought of having the teacher down the hall, next door, in the room with me armed does nothing to ease my concern. That is NOT the answer. 

I grew up in a home where guns were present, and while I talk far too much and too often to have joined in the hunting tradition, I have nothing but respect for those who are hunters. I do not understand and simply do not believe in the ‘right’ to have weapons of war, weapons not used for or needed for game hunting.  I don’t want my baby growing up in a country where schools, movie theatres, night clubs, concert venues are dangerous places; I don’t want her to grow up in a world where people use fear as a bargaining tool for personal agendas and political gains; and I don’t want to be the person to walk away from a situation that isn’t working, but my pipe-dream of raising Harper internationally is looking better and better (parenting philosophies, policies/public safety, you name it). 

Each day I choose to go to my job at a school, to leave my baby in trusting hands (though not my own) to work along side hundreds of other parents’ babies. I’ve made that choice because I value what I do, and I believe in challenging my students to think critically and to solve problems civically, responsibly, decently. If only the powers that be could take a page out of our kids’ handbook - look at the young people of MSDHS as they have risen up in the face of immeasurable tragedy to fearlessly demand change!