My Worry For Tomorrow's Generation
I don't normally like to voice my opinion on things in the news, but on this one I had to.When I was in school, I generally felt safe. Aside from the one time someone threatened to fight me, I went to school with no worries that physically I would not be harmed.I went to schools in the suburbs of Kansas City, Missouri.
I guess they call them "urban" schools now, but what ever.
In middle school, I saw a pretty violent fight where this girls head was thrown into a window and her nose bloodied. That was the worst thing I had experienced as far as violence.
We had bomb threats against our school regularly, but no one really thought much of it.
We just assumed it was a student trying to get out of taking a test or a disgruntled parent, whose child had been suspended.We did fire drills and tornado drills on the regular, but that was it. Now in school, a nephew of ours tells us they have active shooter drills? I guess he's been having to do this since he started elementary school.When I was in high school, Columbine occurred somewhere around 1999-2000, when I was a Sophomore. Incidentally, this guy who always wore a trench coat to school all the time, I'm talking way before that incident occurred was asked to stop wearing it. He meant no harm, it was just part of his "Goth" style.
Even after Columbine, I felt safe at school.
We had security guards that we knew, on a first name basis and were often the reason many of the students stayed inline. They made an effort to get to know the students, know about their home life and even maybe lend a dollar or two to those who didn't have lunch money or wanted to get a snack cake or candy from our student concession stand.But now, almost 18 years later ( I graduated from high school 2002), violence seems to be the norm sadly.As a parent, I worry. When I drop my child off at school will I see them alive again.Here recently, I read about a girl from Alabama who was shot in class by a student that apparently had nothing to do with her.Why?But, then sadly last year here in a suburb of Kansas City called Lee's Summit a girl took her own life.
I'm not only saddened, I'm sick!
In only a few months my son will be starting school.What is this sickness in our world?Is it a problem with the parents or lack there of? Do we blame society? Do we blame laws? Do we blame children individually?Today, I hear kids are walking out of school here in Kansas City to protest the whole Florida shooting that occurred last month...and this is right of them!Not writing this for views, but rather to try and express the upset and shame and worry I have for the generation to come.Until next time...