What the H Happened While I Was Gone?

Earlier this week my daughter was a bit upset when I picked her up from school.  Apparently some graffiti had been discovered in one of the restroom stalls in the high school threatening a shooting on Friday.  The middle school my daughter attends and the local high school are physically connected and the students of both brought home letters informing parents of what had happened.  The letter also stated that extra security precautions would be in place, but students would be excused from classes Friday if their parents called in.  During the week the students were given updates of the situation and changes in the normal procedures.  Given the heightened alert of school personel along with extra police presence, the fact that from the outside the schools are pretty much locked down during the day, and that there was only the one common connection between the two buildings I sent my daughter to school as usual.  Granted it took some explaining during the week, and an offer to wear my body armor if she could lift it (my vest sans plates weighs just about as much as she does if not a bit more), but eventually my daughter calmed down and realized it was extremely unlikely anyone could do any harm to the middle school via the high school.

When I dropped my daughter off this morning I was surprised at just how much extra precautions the school system took.  The usual crowds of students waiting outside the school socializing were nowhere to be seen.  In their place were faculty members politely reminding students that only one entrance was being used today (metal detectors and other search measures were in place).  It was rather odd to see such an empty school yard, not to mention the noticeable lack of traffic from parents dropping off their children.

About a half an hour later I dropped my son off at the elementary school a few blocks away from the high school/middle school.  This is where things were extremely odd and left me a bit un-nerved.  The usual mass of children out on the playground, buses, and adults outside was completely missing.  In its place was just a line of cars as parents dropped their students off in front of the main entrance, many walking inside with them.  I couldn't help but notice the momentary fearful pause from people going to or from their vehicles when a speeding emergency vehicle went by with full lights and sirens, everyone looking to see which direction it was headed.

I totally understand the students being upset over the incidents this week.  The rumor mill was alive and well (my daughter would tell me the latest ones as soon as she got into the Jeep each afternoon as her daily "news"), and I commend the school system for its immediate notification of parents and the extra steps it took to ensure the safety of the students.  They did a very find job of keeping everyone in the loop of what was happening.

What saddened me was the impact the events had on everyone.  The elementary school that's not even connected to the high school had students that were worried.  Thursday night before bed my son gave his sister a hug and told her she needed to be extra safe Friday and not "get shooted".  Middle school students were expectedly concerned, as well as parents.  However, down inside it feels like the town has given in to fear.  I cannot help but wonder at what point, or was it a gradual process, did such a thing happen?  I totally support taking extra steps, when needed, to ensure people's safety, but I am a bit disapointed at the larger scale disruption of the normal daily routine I've seen today as the result of a threat of violent action.  I think it was the ghost-town like elemntary schoolyard that drove the point home.  Have we really reached the point where we will let terrorists (that is after all what the incident boils down to, an act of terrorism) control our lives?  I can understand children being afraid, but isn't it our job as adults and parents to show them by example that you still carry on and don't shut down your life just because somebody threatens to do something?

I don't know, maybe after all these years I'm farther off base than I thought, but I have to wonder what the H happened to this nation/town while I was gone.  I can't remember an event like this happening in our town before, and it saddens me to see such a trend has reached the heartland like this.

Be safe.

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