I picked Emily up the other day, and she told me about the drill they'd had that day. The instructions were for everyone to run into the nearest classroom and lock the door. Then they were to turn out the lights and be very quiet. She was really scared at first, because she didn't know it was a drill, and was afraid that there was really someone with a gun in the school.
I have to admit it was hard for me not to get choked up over that. The very thought of my daughter cowering in a dark room, hiding from a gunman was way too easy to imagine.
For Joel and I it brought back Cold War memories-- 'duck and cover', among others. But back then we were hiding from enemies in other countries, not unknown enemies in our own neighborhoods.
It's only been a couple of years since a plan for a shooting spree was prevented at Uintah High in Vernal, where I attended so long ago. And I'm sure that for some of you who are reading this post, all I have to say is 'Trolley Square' to bring back memories of headlines from Salt Lake City; some of those victims are still in the recovery process.
Would it be a terrible thing to screen kids for difficulties before they reach for the trigger? Would it label a person for life to know that they are 'at risk' for becoming a murderer? What if, someday, I have to face the fact that my own children may dream of taking others lives?
How can we help these kids? Preferably before they turn into criminals?
For my children, I hope that love and prayers and bedtime stories are enough.
2 comments:
Poor Emily, that would have been terrifying. Those drills used to get my blood pumping as a teacher because I was in charge of so many kids, my classoom had 3 doors to lock and countless windows that wouldn't have been hard to break and enter. We live in ugly times...
Aww, poor Emily. I'm sure that was so frightening for her. And maybe even more so for us as parents...
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