I need to rant, because boy what a long day. Today my school was at risk for a shooting. An armed…

I need to rant, because boy what a long day. Today my school was at risk for a shooting. An armed man roaming around near by who made threats to shoot up our school. The police caught him after about an hour but that hour felt like a whole day.

As an educator, I hear about this stuff constantly and you always get a knot in your stomach and think “Please don’t be us next time.” My students were scared, I don’t believe in freaking them out but I was very honest about what I had been told about the whole thing to the extent I found appropriate. Luckily my art classroom has brick walls, a heavy metal, and the only windows are at the top of the room, so we felt pretty safe. Only the art building has this, the rest of the school isn’t as fortunate. I thought of my husband teaching in a classroom lined with windows on a whole wall and only one door. No privacy, no protection. I shot him a text telling him to be careful. He said he loves me and we’re totally ordering out tonight.

Your children’s teachers always have a “what if” plan that they talk though with the kids, or at least they should. The air raid siren is going off and everyone is quietly sitting on the floor, I’m making my rounds checking on people and I get to a group of stoney-faced boys who have been nothing but giggles all year. They looked me dead the eyes and told me that if someone gets in somehow, they wanted to be the ones to distract the intruder because they wanted me to protect my baby and be able to go home to my family. They said other extremely mature, kind hearted, selfless things but that’s their story to tell and not mine. Obviously I’d never let them do that, but I was completely stunned. I almost felt tears weld in my eyes. What was I even supposed to say to that? It’s so sad the world these kids are growing up in. They should not have to be planning who is going to live and die. Maybe I’ll take this down, maybe I’ll leave it up. I don’t know where I’m going with this. Just moms, know that teachers love your kids, and while I can’t speak for all, I know I would do anything to keep them safe.