About the Author:

Since I could remember, I have always been intrigued by tragedy. When I was younger, I was interested in books about the Holocaust and the Titanic. When I visited Paris, I was intrigued by the French Revolution and the life of Marie Antoinette. In history class, I was always interested in the tragic parts of what we study. Today, I am pulled to yet another tragedy: the issue of school shootings and school safety.
            I have always wondered how other people can point a gun at someone else without feeling second thought. How they can pull the trigger and end someone’s life in a matter of seconds.  Especially if that person is a 7 year old innocent student who went to school one day only to have his life change forever.

            With tragedy come the feelings of gloom and heaviness. I always wondered why I enjoyed researching these topics so much because after I read about them, I had a heavy heart.  Every time I would read about these topics, I always thought to myself what would I do in that situation? And what could make someone else do that to another human being?

     Tragedy and School Collide:          
          I like to think of myself as a protector, like a mama bear. Under chaos and stress, my adrenaline kicks in and my instinct to protect comes out. As a future teacher, the safety of not only myself, but my future students is so important to me. Whenever I hear stories of teachers who risked their lives for the students, I always wonder what I would do in that situation. I see stories of teachers hiding their students and sacrificing themselves to save the twenty students hidden in the closet. I know that if the time ever comes, I would do anything in my power to save my students. But as a teacher, this is something I should not have to think about.

                Nonetheless, school safety has become more prevalent and has transformed throughout the years as a result of school shootings. Even intruder drills have taken different forms in an effort to save as many lives if that time ever comes. I think the safety of the students is so important, but we also have to remember the students. Creating a protective environment is important, but creating an environment that students do not fear is also important.