Ever since I've been teaching, I've been a bit afraid of a student with a gun. Not actively afraid, just something that was always in the back of my mind. And at my school, security is lax at best. It would be really easy to get a gun into our building.
Well, today it happened. A student had a gun in his coat, and it went off during class. It happened in another teacher's room down the hall from mine. It happened during 8th period, which is my lunch period. I knew something was up, because I was outside my 9th period class waiting for the bell to ring and I saw the school police officers talking to the teacher outside her room.
I guess the gun went off and the kid immediately ran out of the building. I have no idea if he's been bringing his gun to school for awhile or if this was a one off thing. There were some major fights yesterday, so perhaps it was in response to that. I don't want to think about it too much.
I've never seen so many police officers in my life. I think the whole 29th Street station was there. They finally made an announcement during 9th that we were to keep our kids in the classroom until further notice. My kids were freaking out, of course. Then they announced that the police would come room to room to release us. Then they announced that kids that were done for the day could leave, but kids with 10th period had to stay. Well done, folks. Finally our 3rd floor security guard sent everyone home. There were cops all over the place, though.
Then they weren't going to let the teachers leave, but they finally did around 3:25.
I emailed Todd and then I texted him. Then I called him before they let us leave. I wasn't really upset until I talked to him, then I thought I was going to start crying right in the foyer. But I managed to keep it together.
It's just so senseless. What if the bullet had hit someone? Our kids are surrounded by so much violence that I don't think it even fazes them. But it fazes me. I am really tired of the ghetto. Thank God no one was hurt. I was so glad to pick up my baby girl after work.
I wonder how many kids will come to school tomorrow. I'm really ready for Christmas break. I just am not sure I know what the point of my job is anymore.
2 comments:
Holy flippin' crap.
Don't make me worry about you!
It's such a grand cliché, but doesn't everything change when you've got a baby girl and you can pick her up and hold her and look deep into her eyes and wish more than anything in the world that she'll never know this kind of fear or senseless violence?
Like I said already, I ♥ you.
Don't worry about me -- I'm ok. They are apparently going to initiate new security measures. That's just how it is when you teach where I do. But I was so happy to pick up Emiko. And I'm ready for Christmas!!!
I love you, too.
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