I don’t know at this point based on so many conflicting reports what is going on, how many people were injured or killed or who did it or why but I know this much: I know it is a tragedy.
Before I get angry at anyone, I am more inclined to be sad. Sad for the families of everyone involved who may not have any better idea of what is happening with their loved ones than any of us do right now.
I’m also thinking about the 31 fourth graders who I’m inevitably going to have to talk to about this on Monday morning. It’d be irresponsible of me not to. How do I explain something like this to these kids? I’m not entirely sure, but I do know that I am going to say this much to them:
Some times bad things happen to good people, and no one knows why. It’s sad. And it’s okay to feel sad and to tell people you feel sad.
Whoever did this was motivated by hate. Hate is the most dangerous feeling in the world. The second you feel yourself feeling hate towards someone or something, you need to stop whatever it is you are doing, back away from the situation, take a few deep breaths and tell yourself that you are better than that.
My classroom has a wide variety of kids with a wide variety of talents and abilities and from a wide variety of backgrounds. Some of the kids in my class have parents who drive luxury SUVs and are already fretting about whether their kid will get into the Ivy League school they themselves went to. Some of my kids live in government housing and have parents who work two or three jobs to try to support them. Some of my kids will be recruited for colleges I couldn’t get into. Some will be recruited for gangs.
But this is a message they all need to hear, and that I think we all need to think about right now while the details of this unfold:
Hate and violence are never the answer, and nothing but more hate and violence and chaos will come from them.
Love and empathy is what we need more of. Instead of thinking about pointing fingers right now, we should be feeling love and empathy and sadness for the family of the people involved in this tragedy.
And that’s all I’m ever going to say about this: to you all or my students or anyone.
Cat Hair Tumbleweeds 