FeedProtect our Children: How?
December 16, 2012 in Elementary Educators, Helping Girls and Women Around the World, High School Teachers, Middle School Teachers, Preschool to 1st grade teachers Tags: 9/11, Child Safety, Newtown, opinion, school shootings
photo by armin_vogel from Flickr
After 9/11, we didn’t feel safe. How could we? People didn’t want to fly. They didn’t want to go on a subway or train. Even a bus seemed frightening. People didn’t want to leave home or go to national monuments. But somehow, we got over it; and now we do all of these things again and most of them without fear. Why? I believe it’s because of the security that we now have at airports–the very security we complain about when we are running late for our plane or traveling with a tired and hungry toddler. But it’s the very security that makes me feel safe to travel. When I go to the Arch in my hometown of St. Louis, I’ve complained about standing outside in the heat or cold, while waiting to go through the metal detectors or have my purse AND diaper bag checked. But I am thankful that the security now exists. I can go to the Arch and have fun with my family.
We need to feel like our schools are safe–just like airports and national monuments. To me, a new security system and REQUIRED safety policies are what we need to implement in EVERY SINGLE SCHOOL as well as money for more counselors–especially in the high schools. To feel safe in schools, we need new policies, and they need to be strict like airport security. Stop debating gun control (although I do question why any American needs a permit for a semi-automatic weapon?) and mental health care (although I agree it is extremely expensive to get help for mental illness), and start focusing on new policies. REGULATE and GIVE MONEY to schools, so they can protect our children.
EVERY school needs an entrance where after school starts, a person–teacher, parent, custodian, principal, student–has to be LET IN by someone already in the school. I’ve been at schools who have been able to do this. You open the front door and a camera greets you as well as a locked door. You push a button. The secretary sees you, and you state your purpose. If the secretary thinks you are all right, then she lets you into the school. And obviously one thing we are learning from Newtown, where something like this was in place, is that the glass needs to be thick and hard to break at the entrance, if possible.
Don’t get me wrong–I’m not blaming any school security. I worked in schools. I was briefed on what to do with my students if a shooter came into the room after Columbine. We had a code word if we needed to protect our students. I still go into schools as a children’s author; and most of the time, only one door is unlocked. But I can walk in that door and walk right past the office where I am supposed to check in as a visitor. These schools are doing the best they can to protect their students, and they need MONEY to create more security, which is what we are going to need. I think at least all middle schools and high schools need to put in metal detectors–again we need money for this. I know we don’t want to go to school in a “prison,” but we are beyond that now. Did you watch the news this morning? Besides Newtown, there was another man shooting bullets in a busy mall parking lot and an 18-year-old arrested for planning a shooting at his high school.
We can’t let this tragedy stop us from going places. Our children still need to go to school. We need to go shopping at a mall. We need to watch our kids at their basketball game or gymnastics meet. But we need to stay safe, and I think the only way to do that is to implement policies in our schools like officials and legislators did in our airports after 9/11.
One last thought–I remember being scared to death to go to school and teach on 9/12/2001. The faculty had a brief meeting with our counselor before we were turned loose to our students. I taught fifth grade at the time, and these students WANTED to talk about what happened. They NEEDED to talk about what happened. The way I approached it was I put on the board when they walked in: Something terrible happened yesterday. If you would like to write about it in your journal, please do. If you would like to write about something else, feel free. If you would rather read, that’s a great choice. Then when I started class, I asked students to tell me what they knew or if they had any questions. This started a wonderful discussion that I will never forget, including this question, “Is a plane going to hit our school and kill us?”
Imagine what kids are thinking about tomorrow then–I encourage you to let them talk if they need to and use the resources around the web to figure out how to talk to them. Here’s a link I found: http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2012/12/newtown-school-shootings-kids-fears
Peace to you.
December 16th, 2012 at 10:08 am
Hi Margo. Thanks for writing about this today. Although I agree about why in the world someone other than authorized personnel should ever be allowed to buy these kinds of weapons, I don’t believe that A) spending money on more security, B) changing gun laws, or C) doing everything humanly possible to try to help the severely mentally ill, will ever totally stop these kinds of horrific events. Somehow, someway, if a person wants to do the unspeakable, they will find a way.
We who are of sound mind and can’t fathom these kinds of actions, always want to try to understand “why” and to prevent it from happening again. And obviously, we all pray that it never will.
December 16th, 2012 at 1:38 pm
Thanks for commenting, Becky. I really appreciate it. I guess I am trying to offer some solution for the problem. ANd we are kind of already all debating this on Facebook, which I knew would happen. But I guess what I am thinking is there’s always an argument against a solution: more gun control–more guns on the black market; more mental health care–where’s the money going to come from; and more security in schools–no money and we don’t want our kids going to prisons. Like someone said on Facebook, people can break a window to get in.
But we secure our homes and our banks. We secure our airports and our national monuments. I think it is time to secure our schools.
It may not solve the problem but it will help.
Thanks again for getting the discussion going.
December 16th, 2012 at 8:03 pm
We can do all we can as a nation, get security, make sure every gun on the streets is licensed and etched with an identity number, give manufacturers’ marks to bullets and start holding manufacturers of guns and bullets accountable and liable for every death used by a weapon purchased legally or illegally. We can make our schools like those in NYC. Metal detectors, security aides, more assistant principals and counselors, etc. We can do all AND STILL THINGS WILL OCCUR.
The information is still coming out. Supposedly, Lanza used the guns at his disposal to shoot his way into the school. How can security stop that? You need police with arms in the schools, then. As more information comes out, we may or may not begin to understand what to do. Prevention may not be possible. But readiness of the heart must be. Faith, hope, love are paramount. Belief and faith are paramount to help families get to the next day and to make sense if possible of a senseless act. Above all it is the understanding each one of us must have about life; that life and death are one…that we are like vapors and can leave and pass at any time…that we are precious, that we must not take each other for granted…that we must love. Short of eternal values, faith in Christ and God, and loving each other, there is no way to arm ourselves against such an onslaught of senseless violence that has no real blame…once we begin to understand the individual and his family and how/why he could be capable of such a sad act against the innocent.
I am grateful for each and every day here…kiss your loved ones and tell them you love them…they can’t hear it enough. Help your neighbors and community in whatever way you can and be involved. We cannot know what really happened in Newtown…maybe never will know. But we can become more loving prayerful individuals, parents, spouses, friends as a result of it. That is my vow; that is my memorial to the lives lost; that is my advocacy.
God bless.
December 17th, 2012 at 8:42 am
Carole: I agree that we have to start with ourselves and try to be kinder and more loving. That is a great message and a great tribute to the lives’ lost. Thank you.
I also agree with what President Obama said at the service last night. He said that if we do one thing to save even one child’s life and one family’s grief–it is worth it. I agree. We may not save every situation, but we HAVE TO LEARN from these. Principals and teachers will learn from the quick thinking and bravery of these teachers and principal. Superintendents and school boards will have conversations about security that is lax. Law enforcement will discuss ways to respond and educate people about gun safety. And politicians will discuss gun control and mental health care. We CANNOT let these children and teachers/aides/principal die in vain and do nothing.
And I agree, everyone can do something. Thanks, Carole!