“EDUCATION…..YES; FEELING SAFE IN SCHOOL….A MUST”

As parents and teachers, we know what to teach.  What we do not know is how to eliminate the killings in our schools!!!

I will attempt to give some of my ‘practical’ ideas of how to handle the fears that are understandably in the minds of school officials and certainly our students and parents are aware of the rampant violence that must be on all of our minds: these daily/weekly killings in our school environments (and of course, in the shopping centers, …..everywhere!!!

We are in a state of looking over our shoulders expecting the ‘unexpected’ of (what if) ….What should we be cognizant of as we are faced  with being in the presence of an armed murderer

1. I think we should all know the EXITS/ENTRANCES of our surroundings.  Even the stairways, where the other doors/rooms are are or may be available to us in case we need to change spaces.
2. Certainly, in our schools, stores, and houses of worship, we should know the layouts for ‘another possible haven’.
3. All of the above areas should have written/known suggestions to their workers, and inform them of their provisions available for a ‘safe or alternate’ haven. They should have blueprints of these…Parents,  Children, and known visitors should have availability of the ‘what ifs’… This simply means {if that ever happens to me, how will I react, do, and not do}.
4. All areas that are for the public should have several phones that are visible in their closets, drawers, etc., making sure that periodically they are changed….updating all who work there!
5. Parents, be sure to ask for specifics for these plans/procedures several times during the school year for these should be altered just as passwords!
6. Custodians and cafeteria workers who work after hours should triple-check all doors/windows…locking them periodically.

It might seem as though we will become ‘prisoners’ in our own buildings, but isn’t it better to have that label than a label of RIP?

Don’t ask your children, “How was your day in school today?  Naturally, this type of question will give you responses like ‘fine’, or ‘ok’.  Try, some questions like:  “What are some things you did today that you hope will happen again?”   “What are some things that happened today that you hope will never happen again”…Now, be careful, don’t pour too many questions at once; choose a time and place when and where your questions will be comfortable and NOT immediately when he/she comes home (lol).  PLEASE STRESS the ‘SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING’.  This is not tallying or snitching but saving the life of another or themselves … Then they will be the ‘hero’!!!!

Perhaps you can start a conversation (depending on the child’s age level) relating to conversations YOUR parents had with you from the same element!  Younger children can be read with many storybooks that adhere to these types of situations. In contrast, middle and high school (even grown children) can be faced with the facts that they have already been exposed to from the TV/social media details!!!

Please submit comments to this newspaper and certainly give your own suggestions to institutions for we all are on this Earth for a safe, sound life.  The government can’t do it all nor can any of us be everywhere all the time protecting our loved ones (much less ourselves).  We can use our common sense, and wits along ALL PRAYERS for ‘they’ are answered.

Brenda M. Jelks~Hutchinson

(p.s.,) Don’t think of being ‘nosey’… KNOW your child’s friends, what they share on Facebook, etc., and go ahead and search their purses, texts, cell phones,  etc… you are their protector, and parent (not their ‘buddy’!!!!!)