Is it almost Every Day now? Because it feels like almost Every Day--that almost Every Day a school is On Lockdown, or there is a School Shooting, or we're in the Aftermath of a School Shooting. It feels sad and hopeless, yet I'm full of outrage and anger and motivation, like I have to lift a wrecked car off of my child in order to save him.
I was more than midway through my teaching career when Columbine happened in 1999. Despite teaching in one of Ohio's "Big Urbans," I doubt one of us ever imagined a single one of our students capable of a mass shooting. Some of our kids were in and out of juvie, several had incarcerated parents, and to find more than a handful in class with the same last name as both parents (or their single parent) was relatively unusual. A high percentage qualified for free or reduced lunch. Many lived in public housing. The odds were stacked against so many of our kids, yet the idea of a Columbine-like event at our high school of 2000+ was unthinkable. We were largely ignorant as to the profile of the typical adolescent mass shooter, and we were never given any education, even after the incident.
After it happened, the school district immediately tightened security. All exits would remain locked; teachers would be posted at the doors, admitting no one except through the main entrance (and no, we did not get hazard pay). Students and staff were photographed for I.D. badges, to be worn on a lanyard around their necks at all times, which the kids found ridiculous and irritating. I reminded them that we were a huge school of three floors, three buildings, and that outsiders had sneaked into our school plenty of times. Besides, it wasn't costing them any money. "This is stupid!" they protested. "The Columbine shooters were Columbine students!" The discussion pretty much stopped when one student said, "The I.D.'s are so they can identify our bodies." I retired in 2011, tossing my I.D. badge into the trash can.
Six months later, I joined a community of bloggers trying to grieve the losses of more than twenty grade school children at Sandy Hook by "writing it out". And astonishingly, two short months after that, and about fifty miles from my home, a terrifyingly disturbed boy walked into Chardon High School and murdered his classmates.
Incredibly, I still have so many of the same Outrages, Questions, and Sadnesses today. Because of Inaction. Because of Unwillingness. Because, it seems, of Abject Cowardice by the same politicians and, overwhelmingly, the same political party. Do they not have Children? A Sense Of Humanity? A Soul?
I know that so many of you share my feelings. And I hope you have had a chance to watch and listen to the empowering and encouraging speeches given by the young activists at the March For Our Lives in Washington, D.C. They are inspiring and moving. (Just search "March for Our Lives speeches" on YouTube). These Parkland teens have benefitted from a rich program of the arts and debate and a school system that helped them understand critical thinking and verbal expression. Add that to their ready use of social media platforms, and a true Movement was born. The most vital part of the speeches--aside from their obvious emotional impact--was the idea that they stressed VOTING FOR CHANGE. Tables were set up at these and sibling rallies to register voters and to provide information regarding voting. This injects more momentum to the already-inspired women and minority voters and candidates who have scored seats locally and statewide, building to a Blue Wave in the midterms.
Before I end, I want you to meet Parkland survivor Sam Fuentes. As she took cover from the shooter, a bullet tore through her leg, and shrapnel chewed into her face. Pieces of it behind her eye and cheek will remain there forever, like the memories of her ordeal. She had to post pictures of her injured face from her hospital bed and screen shots of her bleeding body being loaded into the ambulance to try and silence social media trolls and pro-NRA conspiracy theorists. She watched her friend Nick Dworet die, and it would seem her struggles with PTSD are likely far from over. Despite all of this, she took the stage on Saturday and read a slam poetry-styled speech, displaying the humanity and authenticity that is sorely lacking in Washington, D.C. Her courage and conviction, in the midst of becoming physically and emotionally overwhelmed, should inspire us all. Please watch and listen; you'll be so, so very glad that you did.
protest sign
What a wonderful post ... thank you, thank you, thank you.
ReplyDeleteAll regards-
Barb in Texas
Barb in Texas--Welcome to the Dept. Thank you for your kind words here, and I hope to see you here often.
DeleteYou're welcome. It was not an easy post to write, but truly, I had no choice.
I am daily enraged that my children have to attend school with these fucking, excuse my French, lockdown drills.
ReplyDeleteMy son's school had a shooting threat two weeks ago and a third of the students stayed home, despite the assurances of the Police and School District that everything was safe. They put a cop car or two on campus and called it a day.
This isn't right. It isn't normal. I am tired of assholes who think their guns are more important than actual people.
Kids these days are actually quite savvy and cynical, my son being one of them. They smell bullshit a mile away and the Republicans should be quaking in their boots as they age into the voting population.
Gina--I cannot imagine having a child in school, knowing that he or she is practicing for an active shooter. When my sons were last in school, we had bomb threat drills, and I was aggravated enough about those. And those were never in response to an actual bomb episode.
DeleteYour lament of "This isn't right; this isn't normal" is the mantra of *45's entire term, yet republicans don't give a shit. We have been back-benched, muted, and ignored while the robber barons have taken over the country, wiped their feet on its history, and kept their moron constituency happy with its guns and racism to play with.
The republicans are banking heavily on teenagers not voting, period. They are figuring "this too shall pass." They saw what happened when the minority and woman vote did not turn out last time. They think they'll be safe. We have to work so that they're not.
This is the second time I've seen her speech and it brought me to tears both times. The strength of these kids in Parkland is amazing and they are so articulate, passionate and knowledgeable on the topics they each spoke on. I heard their debate club (which many of the on camera kids were part of) debated both sides of the issue of gun control this year which explains a lot. I am impressed with how they were able to use social media together to get so many kids form marches in cities across the entire country. I'm feeling better about our country. It will be in good hands when this generation are all fully able to vote. I debate on a site that has a lot RNA members on it and the disgusting trash they say about these kids let's you know they were rattled by the march. Another one is planned for registering voters.
ReplyDeleteP.S. I messed up a sentence in there. Sorry about that.
DeleteJean--Please don't ever worry about correctness in Comments here. It's a given that my Dear Commenters are just chatting, using casual speech. I also realize that many are using phones, tablets, and perhaps even unreliable connections and unfamiliar devices in coffee shops or libraries. I'm just happy for the conversation.
DeleteYes, lots of lowlife individuals are using reprehensible tactics in an effort to smear and discredit these young survivors. And your point is salient here: that shows the other side is afraid and threatened. Good.
I taught Honors level students for a large part of my career, and many of my Creative Writers were in AP classes and/or taking college classes for an associate's degree simultaneously. They were breathtakingly brilliant in a huge number of ways.
With the benefit of connection via social media platforms, these kids are organizing and reaching out and making an impact. They know exactly what they're doing. And I'm grateful.
Thank you for saying what so many of my teacher friends are saying, and yet sadly still there are not enough people saying it.
ReplyDeleteRose--You're welcome. I think there are a lot more people saying it than you realize. Of course, it is a political and geographical issue. And some people are so beaten down by political controversy that they simply cannot or will not talk about anything in that arena anymore.
DeleteAnd I understand that very well.
We had bomb drills when I was young, I was on the very end of that era. Tornado drills scared me more because they were much more likely to happen. Now we have this every single day. Our children have been told they are not as important as guns or that they should learn CPR, it is ludicrous. I am with you all the way Nance. I am disgusted with the cowards in our government but and hopeful for the future based on these amazing young people.
ReplyDeleteMeredith--It brings me to tears to think of grade school children practicing for a gunman in their building. Every single congress member should have to go to an elementary school and participate in an active shooter drill. Still, I think many of them--the republicans--would merely come away with the idea that there needs to be an armed teacher in the room.
DeleteThe strength of these young, passionate activists must extend to the ballot. Voting the cowards and NRA toadies out is a massive step.
I agree with you. These kids are the change we NEED in this country right now. So brave, and with a clear sense of what's important. The soulless Abject Cowards who won't fix the gun problem suddenly seem to be doing their best to minimize the kids who are going to make it happen. Fascinating situation.
ReplyDeleteAlly Bean--Luckily, teens are used to dealing with trolls on the various internet outlets. They are the most connected generation ever. It's beyond sad that even adults are making up crap about these Parkland kids, but they did it with the children of Sandy Hook, too. It's disgusting.
DeleteThose base, slimy elements have taken on a far more formidable adversary than they think, however, with these brave survivors. They have a very clear-eyed vision of their ultimate goal. I honestly think that, baptized as they were with gunfire, they are truly fearless.
They are fearless, Nance. You can see it in their eyes and hear it in their voices. And I love that they are including gun violence in the streets as well as in the schools. I just hope someone is looking out for their mental health and grieving process and they don't get stuck in the anger phase grieving not only their friends but their own loss of innocence so to speak.
ReplyDeleteJean--I agree that it's important that they are including the larger issue of gun violence in the neighborhoods/streets. The young Latina speaker whose brother Ricardo was lost to gun violence was especially poignant on that subject. The march in Cleveland spoke to that, and there was a very good article in the Plain Dealer today about that very thing.
DeleteI do think they are moving beyond simple anger by the fact that they are doing so much constructive with their grief and fury. And I would imagine that a vast network of resources are being made available to them; I certainly hope so.
I have not worked as an employee of a school system since 2002. When I was working, I was a special education aide to a teenager with Autism. I found the work very rewarding and also heartbreaking. I remember, the occasional drills - fire drills, and tornado drills; followed by - stranger in the building, live shooter on campus/in the building drills. It saddened me every time we had to do any of those drills, but especially the stranger in the building and live shooter on campus/in the building drills. No one that lives in our great country should ever have to go to school or send their children to school, being scared they may not come home. The children who survived the Parkland shooting should be applauded and congratulated for their strength and resolve to stop the senseless gun violence, and insistence on school safety. I support them 100%.
ReplyDeleteDenise--Like you, I recall the very real fear of so many of our special needs students during drills and especially the rash of bomb threats that seemed to break out in the early spring. It was heartrending to see them try to cope. On one particular occasion, we had to evacuate several blocks to a safe zone, navigating sidewalks covered in a few inches of heavy, slushy snow. Wheelchairs got mired in the mess, panic reigned, and because it was not a drill but a credible threat, none of us had coats or jackets.
DeleteBut we all lived through it. And we knew we would. That's the difference.
I say over and over again that those Parkland kids are magnificent. They have truly started a movement that others are now being swept up in; I love it and I admire it. I think the level of the attacks by the right perhaps show the fear they have of this new generation; they are a force. Those speeches brought me to tears. And to see so many of the parents/siblings from the Sandy Hook families was another heartbreaker.
ReplyDeleteI was so disappointed by the Hudson response to the national 17-minute walkout. Only half of the high school's student body participated, and all they had to do was walk to the gym, for god's sake. There were evidently police posted at every door (which is saying something b/c I think Hudson only has about 8 police officers), and no media were allowed. All around a dismal showing but for those who did participate, I applaud them.
My daughter teaches elementary school in Cleveland, so you're stories echo so many things she says. The violence in the school but also the neighborhoods and the homes is really something. I think she actually worries more about parents (she has been threatened numerous times by parents who somehow get into the school past all the security) or walking to her car than she does her students, most of whom she loves dearly.
Such a sad world we live in, I think some days, but then other days, these kids like those from the march, as well as my own who are trying to make a difference in their own ways, give me great, great hope.
Elle--Hudson's response could have been the result of pressure exerted by its board, community, parents, or general political makeup. I don't know much about the area. And if its student body/government doesn't have a strong presence or leader, it wouldn't have had a robust participation in the walkout.
DeleteAlmost every day in my career I was confronted by a family situation that was alien to me but normal to my students. I had no concept of the lives they were trying to live every single day while they tried to also get through high school. At times, meeting their parents gave great insight in more ways than one.
The very last thing we need is a privileged person holding sway over our national Department Of Education, to say nothing of an ignorant one.
But that is a discussion for another time, and my efforts in that direction remain strong and hopeful, too.
Thanks for commenting. Nice to see you here again, and please thank your daughter for her service.
Yes, the general makeup of Hudson unfortunately is ultraconservative. The pressure was definitely there to downplay the event.
DeleteMegan follows a similar approach to you in her teaching. From the beginning, she has made every effort to know these kids and their families. She is a liaison between the school and the community for monthly dinners; she attends every single thing she is invited to, including basketball and football games, church recitals, and dances; and she mentors kids during spring breaks at the local library as prep for the dreaded state testing. It is a tough, tough world (she is in the Central district); she tells me stories that just make me cry. I don't know the answers to what Cleveland needs to do. I've met so many of these kids, and they deserve better. Effort is needed from everyone, the city, the families; it is overwhelming.
One last note: I am so glad that at least people like Laura Ingraham do not get away with spewing hate.
And that is the end of my rant for today...
Elle--It is only because of my political activism that I ever consider opening a Twitter account. I got dangerously close yesterday, thanks to that Faux News individual. But I knew that it would, on balance, be detrimental to me. I'll stick with what I do, and I'll let the already-burgeoning Twitter community do its thing.
DeleteThe quarterback of my HS football team became a teacher and coach. There was a school shooting on his campus and he had a child die in his arms. I can't imagine. I think of him every time there is another incident.
ReplyDeleteSilliyak--I cannot imagine that, either. Or anything about the entire scenario. Selfishly, I am grateful that I am no longer in school and that my own sons are out as well.
DeleteJust remembered the name of the school. Thurston HS, not sure I remember it either.
DeleteSillyak--Wikipedia has an entry of all the school shootings, and has two entries for Thurston. The one that resulted in fatalities took place in Springfield, Oregon in 1998. Even the brief summary of the incident is quite sad. But then, I guess they all are, really.
DeleteThank you, Nance. I know how difficult it is to open oneself to the grief and despair these horrible events stir in us. In the late '80s, I was teaching freshman writing in Montana, and a very sad young man shot and killed two other young men in a dormitory on campus. One of those killed had been in my class the previous semester--a totally open, pleasant person whom I would never have cast as a victim in this tragedy.
ReplyDeleteThe University didn't respond very well, I suppose because they had no idea what to do--the next day, classes went on as usual, and I don't remember what the admin. communicated to the student body (pre internet). But a day or two later, the parents of the 2 young men came to campus for a brief memorial convocation. Classes were still not cancelled, but I dismissed my scheduled class so I could attend the ceremony, and asked my students to please reflect in whatever way they could about this loss.
We left Montana that next summer, and I don't know what happened to the shooter, but I know that my heart broke for all three of those young men. I guess all we can do is give them our hearts, and trust in the life force that they will find their way. (I'm going to go drink more wine and cry now, but that seems appropriate.)
Kate--I'm sorry about that. I think the culture of the geography had a lot to do with it as well.
DeleteAs we all know, there have been, sadly, many school shootings that have happened and have not had the wide attention that Sandy Hook and Parkland MSD attracted. Perhaps my readers not from Ohio never heard about the Chardon High School shooting. Even in the age of Instant News and the internet, school shootings are not as shocking as they should be unless there is a substantial loss of life. To me (and to so many of you), the very idea of a school shooting is shocking.
I've been so encouraged & amazed by these kids. I remember when I went to college in 1982 a couple of my professors were old hippie types & were so disappointed at our lack of social activism. I wonder if this same thing had happened then if we would have had the same drive that these students do. I'm guessing not, since our generation has done so little to curb gun violence. I'm putting a lot on this new generation - gun control, lessening of racial tension, more acceptance of "different" people - I want them to be the change I've been looking for all these years! No, I'm not expecting much at all, am I?
ReplyDeleteBug--Luckily, it's not up to them alone to be the change. Thanks to technology, we all can participate and be activists, even right from our chairs. Electronically signing petitions, emailing members of Congress, making phone calls to Senators on pivotal committees--all of this is simple to do once you're hooked into the vast network of like-minded organizations like Change.org, MoveOn.org, ActBlue, and all the smaller causes like NARAL, GunsDownAmerica.org, CREDO, WWF, and way, way more. I encourage you to help change the world.
DeleteI'm so damned sick of crying over kids being murdered. Of crying over adults being murdered as well. So damned sick of it. I hate that our politicians are such damned cowards that they won't do anything about it. I hate them and I hope they all go to hell. (Says the atheist). I really hope the movement these kids have started makes a difference. I think it's going to take legislation and the Supreme Court to make any difference at all. I think banning some of these guns is a good idea, I think requiring registration, insurance, and gun safety training, are all good ideas. I fear the only thing that would TRULY help might be for people to give up their damn guns. It has worked in other countries, but gun culture is so much a part of people's identities here, I don't really think it will ever happen.
ReplyDeleteJ@jj--I join you in "being sick". And as far as America's "gun culture", I really think that's an erroneous mythology being promulgated by the NRA and the gun owners themselves. In late March of this year, Remington, one of America's oldest gunmakers, filed for bankruptcy. (Colt filed in 2015). Recently, a study by Harvard and Northwestern universities found that fully half of the guns owned in this country are owned by only 3% of the population. Why is this minority mentality in charge of our government?
DeleteI watched that speech and all the others from the Parkland students and guest speakers. It was amazing. Will the government listen to teenagers about to be voting age more than they acted on the Sandy Hook elementary students who were brutally gunned down? I wonder, given the iron grip that the NRA has on Congress. That said, these teenagers seem to be starting a movement, and they are so articulate. There is zero reason for *anyone* to own an assault rifle--- no one needs one for hunting and their only obvious purpose is mass killings of human beings. I am so tired of all the "2nd Amendment" defenders who think Black Hawk Helicopters are going to land in their back yards and they need this ridiculous arsenal of defense. The 2nd Amendment should either be removed or greatly altered to reflect the fact that THIS COUNTRY HAS MORE GUNS THAN PEOPLE! And when 3% of civilians own half of the civilian guns in the country... it should be obvious what the problem is. Up until now, no one has given credence to this. These young students could well be our only salvation. Because even the ones who can't vote in the 2018 Midterms will be eligible for 2020.
ReplyDeleteOrtizzle--I think a lot of gun owners have an assault rifle merely because they CAN. It's the collector mentality. That's discounting the Gun Nut Mentality, which is the Other Reason.
DeleteI truly hope that Midterms are a Big Blue Wave. I'm working hard on it every day, and I know I'm not the only one, but it's just SO IMPORTANT. #VoteThemOut