There is one thing of which you can be certain: teachers and administrators will be ready tomorrow to deal with the students and their concerns. School district leaders and administrators have learned so much since 9/11, and much of this has been realized in better crisis management plans and increased security. Unfortunately, all the enhanced security that was in place at Sandy Hook did not stop that madman. This is a reality we face and a vulnerability that continually needs to be understood and addressed.
I overheard people talking this morning outside on the church steps after Mass, and one of the men said something that seemed almost equally scary as the attack. He said that every school needs to become like a high security prison, with an armed guard at the entrance and metal detectors. I did not want to get into a conversation like that, but I kept thinking on the way home that this is beyond a nightmare scenario.
Do our schools need to become so secure that they are shuttered and locked down? My fear is that we will become so adept at keeping people out that the students inside will feel incarcerated more than educated. It seems like a high price to pay for peace of mind, but it may become inevitable in the coming years. How sad for our children; how sad for us all.
Article comments
1 - John Lake
Very nice article, Victor.
2 - Igor
Good article.
3 - Victor Lana
Thank you, gentlemen.