We can fix this by doing the right thing at home
- Bryan Schaaf
- April 2, 2018
- 1577
When I was 13, I was involved as a passenger in a nasty car accident. My side of the vehicle took the brunt of the impact, and were it not for a seatbelt and the sturdy frame of a GMC SUV, there’s a high likelihood I wouldn’t be here today.
Now 25 years later, I still vividly remember waking up on the stretcher in immense pain, blind in one eye, a broken femur bone on my right side and seriously questioning if I was actually alive.
For the longest time, that was as terrified as I’d ever been. But last week while traveling on business, I got a text outlining that a threat of gun violence had been made to multiple schools in the city I live, more specifically, the schools nearby where my children attend.
I was 1,000 miles from home and wasn’t returning for another two days, experiencing an irrational urge to hunt down, draw and quarter the responsible party.
Mostly though, I realized that fearing for one’s own life pales in comparison to worrying for your children’s safety.
But just as quickly as the notice of the threat was communicated, the local police department sprung into action, quickly announcing plans to have at least one officer and in some cases two officers stationed at each of the schools.
The result, according to my wife during dropoff and pickup the next day, was a peaceful, secure exchange, one highlighted by friendly officers receiving heaps of praise and gratitude from other concerned parents. Oh, and no incidents to speak of.
I still don’t know what the best method is of fixing this issue of violence in schools, at least in the short term. But having trained professionals on the grounds certainly went a long way to quelling my worries.
It’s often in times of tragedy — or at least the perceived threat of tragedy — that we bear witness to the best society has to offer. For all that’s wrong with the world — and believe me, we have much to repair — seeing the number of loving parents coming together with concern for their children and showing appreciation to those charged with their protection is certainly refreshing, despite the context.
I’m of the belief that much of what ails society can be fixed in the home by involved parents focused on raising strong-willed, morally grounded children and a society that puts the safety and well-being of their youngest and most vulnerable and impressionable residents as its priority.
There’s an old saying that it takes a village to raise a child, and that’s probably never been more true than what we’re experiencing in this day and age.
Guns and deadly weapons have always been around. What’s changed is how we view humanity and how we teach our children to value life.
We can fix this, as with most things, by doing the right thing in the home.
What I witnessed last week shows that there is still a lot of caring parents right in my back yard. And that’s certainly where all this needs to start.