I've had this post in mind since this blog's conception. I wanted to do an in depth review of America's most prominent issues concerning education. With that I started brainstorming. Should I cover Chicago's teacher strike? I could talk about North Carolina's dramatic teacher pay cuts. Or perhaps I should stay closer to home and discuss the Atlanta cheating scandal. I can, and will, discuss all of these topics as they concern me as a future educator. But I would be remiss if I did not discuss the tragedy of the Sandy Hook massacre that occurred only a few weeks ago. My heart breaks for the community and the families of the babies and teachers whose lives were mercilessly taken from them. I honestly could not sit through an entire report, written or otherwise, about the murders without becoming physically ill with grief, confusion, anger, and shock.
I wish I didn't have to write this. I would much rather never have known the names and stories of these people. I also realize that I would do a great disservice to my readers (aka my mom) if I did not discuss. Here are things that come to mind when I remember Sandy Hook.
The Future: Family
As a big sister to a fourth grader, I was immediately shaken at the news. Who would kill innocent babies? Could this happen again? How can we make sure that our children are being protected? Despite my mulling over this topic for weeks, I still come up short for answers. I do know that as much as we want to, humans cannot control the actions of other people. A tragedy of this magnitude may happen again. So what can families do?
- Treat every moment like it's the last time. I cannot begin to count the many times that I have gotten into arguments with family members before school. Some were warranted. Others were as trivial as "Who ate the last of the Cinnamon Toast Crunch?!" As much as I love to be understood and win arguments, in the grand scheme of things, life is too volatile to fight. I would hate to know that my last interaction with a loved one who was suddenly taken away from me involved yelling and tears. So before anyone leaves the house, hug them. In the car ride to school or work, don't fight over radio stations, just enjoy each other's company. I'm sure the family members of Sandy Hook are longing for one more happy moment. Today, we don't have to long for another memory. We can make them now! Create peace.
- PRAY! So what if prayer is banned in schools? No law can keep us from praying at home. I personally pray for grace, peace, and protection in my home, family and life. Prayer is so comforting, and I do believe it works. Actually I want to pray that a spirit of peace and love follows the entire Sandy Hook/ Newtown community. I know that it can be difficult going into a new year without the family members you love the most. I wish them all serenity and joy going into 2013.
The Future: Schools
1. While we can't pray and worry, we might as well pray while preparing. Every school I have attended has had an "open door" policy. Family members and former students are more than welcome to attend events and simply drop in, so long as they sign in at the front office of the school. So imagine my surprise when a few weeks ago, I was not allowed to attend my little brother's year-end pizza party. (insert tire screech here) Granted this was a week after Sandy Hook, so the school's policy seemed reasonable. Many other parents did not agree. While irritated moms balanced trays of cookies and cupcakes, they waited in line to give the principal a piece of their mind. The school's new policy is that the only way a family member could enter a classroom is by calling 24 hours ahead to announce their presence. While that's completely understandable, a person with a gun would probably shoot up the front office and proceed. Something needs to be done, but I'm not sure what.
2. TALK! Concerning the Newtown shootings, Americans don't know which way is up. If anything, confusion always leads to fear. Americans don't know what do next. We already see that gun sales have increased since Sandy Hook. People are scared and, in an attempt to save themselves, they are putting themselves in the way of danger. I propose schools and communities should hold forums in order to discuss how to move forward. Perhaps communities could elect volunteer security personnel, or have workshops where teachers can learn what to do if anything like this happens in their school.
There are solutions! While we cannot grieve forever, we can all remember Sandy Hook and use this heartbreak to encourage peace, discussion, and prayer. What are your thoughts?
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