We All Have a Voice But Not Always Heard . . . We All Have Ears But Not All Listen

          I dragged my family to the high school last night.  I understood the meeting to start at 5:30, but it must have started at 5:00 as we walked into a mass production that had already obviously started.  It seems that the focus was mainly on just one school, though the elementary next to it had been mentioned.  There were parents there for both group.  I saw several youth but not a huge number.  The meeting was at the high school library and it was filled and overflowing.

          Three separate events had taken place.  The first was a threat made by a person that was being bullied.  The threat made was toward the bullies and not the entire school.  On October 23 a "prank" phonecall had been made to 911 about a shooting.  Two youth were arrested.  Last week there a note had been left in one of the bathrooms leaving the impression of a bomb threat.  The school was placed on lock down and the adjoining elementary was put on a soft lock - dismissed from elementary - and I have learned they keep all of the doors locked anyway.

          Of course there were and are concerns about each time the police have been called in.  While searching the lockers, police did find evidence of other misdemeanors NOT related to  the bomb threat.  It was announced last night that 17 youth have been arrested for various reasons - though the only I remember mentioned was possession of drugs which were discovered when the police were combing the area for evidence of weapons and just happened upon other criminal activities during their search.

          Sadly, there are some youth whose parents just don't care.  I was pleased by the turnout of so many who do.  Unfortunately, many of them are so caught up in speculation and fear of what might be that they aren't seeing that the school and police really are taking measures for the safety of the students.  Not enough tax payers were willing to pay for a new school when it was proposed on the election of 2016.  Our school buildings are OLD - they start in the early 1900's - I think Canyonville (the main building anyway) may be even older than that. The most current building was probably built in the 1950's.  Architects didn't make plans for extra securities as it was a foreign concept at that time. 

          Some of the parents want the police to patrol the schools and add securities - which of course, require money.  But I am not fond of having the school appear have the a prison feel to it.  I think about 1989 film "Lean on Me" in which Morgan Freeman portrays a principal determined to change and not live in fear.  I don't want our schools to become how they were before he stepped up and made changes - many against the parents' wishes. 

          I've learned that it does not matter which direction you take, someone is not going to like it.  Someone is going to be offended.  Others are going to react - but not all the reactions are going to be positive.  Some are going to create more problems if they feel ignored or if they misinterpret or (here's a big one) they panic.  Don't panic!  Don't make worse.

          I think some valid points were made last night, but for some nothing was resolved.  Some will be (or already have) removing their children from the school.  Home schooling for some.  Transfers perhaps for others.  Jenna and I share the same attitude - don't stress over what you can't control.  Changing schools doesn't guarantee that your child will be any safer.  Stop the bullying.  Chances are really good that they are connected.

Treat Others With Respect

     I started my blog on New Year's 2012.  My goal was to create a new post for each day.  My goal was to keep them positive.  For the most part, I think they were.  It appears that I had been faithful about blogging each day for the first few months, and then it tapered off into at least 20 posts, but by summer it was less.  I had a great excuse though.  Jenna was home from school and I needed to spend time with her and not on the computer.

        December came and I was once again going to post every day.  All of my posts would center around Christmas.  I didn't want to be so cold as to not acknowledge the shootings on the 14th at Sandy Hooks elementary in Newton Connecticut.  Innocent children . . .

        I did not mention any other shootings . . . my blog had somehow turned into thoughts on dementia, assisted living, transportation and weather . . . it isn't because I didn't feel or grieve.  I feel sad, I feel anger - my emotions are not different from any other.  I wasn't trying to avoid the topic by not mentioning what has happened - way too many times.  I haven't felt my words on the subject would be of any comfort or interest or have relevance.

        Two years before the shootings happened in Las Vegas, I heard about the shootings that happed at Umpqua Community College.  We were still new to the area.  I had such a great respect for our community at that time as it appeared the entire county had pulled together during this tragic event.  Two years later (both took place October 1st) I am reading facebook posts from both Corey and Joh that they are alright.  Oh, but I fail to mention Orlando and all the other shootings (Trevor Noah, here, says there's been over 20 in just the last two years) . . . what is wrong with us?           

        As I was reading the summary of Bonnie Oscarson's talk (found here)  she says "we are touched when we see the suffering and great needs to those halfway around the world, but we may fail to see there is a person who needs or friendship siting right next to us in class?"  Actually, I think that was the theme of conference as it was mentioned in several other talks in all six meetings.

        I cannot say if all  the shooters have been bullied - though I think it's a safe guess.  What evidence have been researched into these people's backgrounds?  What is it that they have in common?  Were they mistreated by others until one day they just snapped?  We don't even know why they did it as they ended up turning the gun on themselves.  The police make speculations.  The media makes speculations.  I'm making the speculation that each of these men (or boys) had been mistreated by others. 

        Be kind to others.  Treat people as you would want to be treated.  Make time to understand if not to love.  Treat people decent.

        Remember the poem  "Sticks and Stones can break my bones, but names will never hurt me?"  What idealist thought that up?  Name calling and disrespect hurt people all the time.  How many innocent people were shot at because somebody snapped - possibly because they hadn't been treated kindly by another.  Think about it.