-> note: personal post, Coffee Break with Lynn

Today is Friday April 20th, the 8th anniversary of the school shooting at Columbine, and the end of a long week of morbid details about the killer from the Virginia Tech shootings. There are school closings across the US due to threats of copycat events.

Here in our small town the schools remained open. There are rumors however, and many parents let their children stay home from school anyway. I put a lot of thought into that decision, having a teenage son that attends the local high school and a daughter who rides the bus home with high-schoolers.

According to wide-spread rumor, a local Junior (11th grade student) was arrested for threats made. The local authorities refused to confirm or deny whether there were arrests made or threats being investigated, simply saying “we cant comment either way”. That doesnt leave a very positive feeling in the pit of your stomach, does it? It didnt mine…

Obviously no day is truly safe. Tragedies come completely unexpected and happen on random dates. Children (and adults alike) will make threats and do terrible things to each other for any number of reasons. And while we cannot live in fear, nor do we want our children to, it is - unfortunately - important to teach them to be aware and to be prepared.

As my son and I were discussing this last night, it occurred to me that I’ve always referred to the new high school here as “a prison”. It was built on the edge of town, with high fences and locked gates. Law Enforcement officials roam the halls and the perimeters, giving it a “lock down” feel.

But the truth is, I’ve walked in and out of the front door a number of times, never having been so much as stopped or checked. Anyone can get in, and with practically anything. One of those times I was accompanied by an artist friend of mine who wanted to see a print of his work that was hanging in the school. We strolled in and went straight up to the 3rd floor without problem.

And that is what stuck out in my mind as I was making the decision on whether I would send my teenager to school today. I wondered to myself how I would feel about tighter security measures, whether that would be a positive or a negative in the overall high school experience. And whether it would truly do any good in preventing a determined person from carrying out their morbid plans.

I dont know the answers, of course. I do know that as a parent, it makes me incredibly sad and concerns me very much. Back when I was in school the worst that may happen would be a fist fight breaking out, or a rumor starting that could ruin you socially.

Teenagers (and young adults) can be volatile, no doubt. Its a scary thing to see them becoming so increasingly violent though. Granted the news only covers the few extreme cases, and for every one “bad apple” there are thousands and thousands of beautiful thriving children working towards positive futures.

I think that what bothered me the most about the recent coverage of the Virginia Tech tragedy was the spotlight on the shooter. I dislike the fact that they gave him so much “fame” both online and on television. In my opinion, the focus should be on the students & families involved and on preventative measures. Not how easy it is to pull it off and become ‘famous’ for it..

I finally decided to keep the children home today. It’s just one day in the grand scheme of things. Whether there is any real threat or not, the idea that there may be was enough. What parent would knowingly send their child into a path of potential danger?

Of course, every day carries potential danger - and we all know that. This week just happens to be a very sobering reminder of how much danger there can be out there…

Feel free to leave your thoughts…

Best,

Tags: april 20, virginia tech, columbine, high school, raising teenagers