Sandy Hook Elementary School

Same Old Sad Story

/ skidaz / Leave a comment

December 14, 2012, twenty first graders, the school principal, and five other adults were massacred at Sandy Hook Elementary School. On that date, I was president of the school board at a large suburban school district, and I was devastated. I knew I couldn’t bear such a tragedy if it were to happen in one of our schools. On May 24, 2022 nineteen children and two adults were massacred at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. Armed with an AR-15 rifle, the murderer rendered his victims unidentifiable. One little girl was only identifiable by her new green tennis shoes. Now as many of you know, this is not my first blog about green tennis shoes and why my nail tech has painted my nails green for the last 3+ years.

On Wednesday, October 14, my dentist had just completed my crown preparation, and I walked to the reception desk to pay my bill.

“Oh, Sue, I love the color of your nails.”

“Thank you, but you wouldn’t if I told you why.”

All three office folk looked at me and said in unison, “Why?”

I told my Ulvade story, and added, “My nails will remain green, until we put an end to killing children in schools!”

Their eyes teared up. They nodded in agreement. And one said, “Thank you for sharing. I agree. My children weren’t afraid to go to school. My children didn’t have to practice shooter drills. We need some form of gun control and more mental health services.”

“Hopefully, the next time you see me, I can change my nail color. Sorry, if my story ruined your day.”

Then, Thursday, October 15 in Bend, Oregon at Silver Rail Elementary School, three children and one teacher murdered.

And so, my nail polish remains green. Amen.

Validating Student Voice

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Supreme Court Ruling: “Students do not shed constitutional rights of freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate.” Tinker v. Des Moines, February 24, 1969.  (Unless their acts of expression are disruptive to the educational process.)

Many of the key participants in the Revolutionary War were surprisingly young:

  • Marquis de Lafayette, 18
  • James Monroe, 18
  • Gilbert Stuart, 20
  • Aaron Burr, 20
  • Alexander Hamilton, 21
  • Betsy Ross, 24
  • James Madison, 25

Young people, like the students in our schools and universities.  However, unlike the founding fathers our informational world has shrunk.  Students today are much more aware of global affairs and have key-stroke access to myriads of up-to-the-minute information.  They are socially conscious, they are articulate, creative thinkers, and they don’t want to be murdered in their schools.

In 2012, when 26 were slaughtered at Sandy Hook Elementary School, we gasped in horror.  Even POTUS wept as he met with loved ones of those lost. Yet, school shootings continued.  The recent heinous act in Parkland, Florida, awakened teens across the country.  When I was in Houston earlier this week, my high school teacher/coach niece said her students were suddenly aware.  “Mrs. Cook, Parkland is so similar to us.  It could happen here at TJHS!”

With this new realization, students have held walkouts–all peaceful, most of them where they stood silently for 17 minutes in remembrance of the 17 lost in Parkland.  Thankfully, most school leaders worked with students to ensure their safety by opening their football fields, gymnasiums, or auditoriums to allow the kids to gather for 17 minutes.  Of course, there are a handful of schools who chose to suspend student participants–stupid. A teachable moment lost.

Many of the these high schoolers will vote in 2018.  They will outlive you and me.  We should guide and applaud their activism in hope our world will be a safer, kinder, and more inclusive place than it is now.

Who wants to go dump some tea in Boston Harbor?

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Twenty-six Candles: December 14th

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Reprise:  I wrote this blog two years ago, and nothing has changed.  Massacres continue.  Congress okays folks’ right to carry concealed weapons.  As I complete my 17-year-tenure on the school board, every night I pray a Columbine, Virginia Tech, Sandy Hook, or a Las Vegas slaughter, doesn’t occur in my district.

I’m weary of the Second Amendment argument.  Really?  Obviously, many have no understanding of US History.  A single musket, fire and re-load, as compared to a semi-assault rifle with a bump stock?  No comparison.  Reread a part of my blog and weep for all of the innocents lost since 2012.

“Like many of you, I’m sure you’ve almost or already completed your holiday shopping.  Thanks to the convenience of online shopping in jammies, the wish list of children and grandchildren has been answered.  The presents are wrapped in whimsical paper and sparkling bows for tomorrow’s mail.  December 14th.

Tomorrow evil strikes! Twenty children and six, valiant school employees will never see a new bicycle, and iPad, nor the must-have, limited-quantity, hottest gift of 2012.  The gift you stood in line to buy at 6:00AM on Black Friday or assembled for three hours.”

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Imagine the anguish of families who planned funerals amidst the holiday gifts they’d never see their children open.  Every time I think about the horror of Sandy Hook Elementary School I gag.

As I said in my original blog, President Reagan changed his stance on gun control after his attempted assassination and the serious wounding of Jim Brady, i.e. the Brady Bill.   We must advance conversation and legislation about access to assault weapons, bump stocks, and rigorous background checks, prior to gun purchase. We must address mental health care in our country.

Yes, I know.  Nothing is going to change.  The fire of hate is fanned by those in DC and the nut case who says Sandy Hook didn’t happen.  I get it; I’ve but one vote.  Yet on December 14th, I will light 26 candles.  Will you?

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