Scary

No, not Halloween kind of scary. This is REAL scary.

School shootings in Pennsylvania and again in Colorado.

MamaChristy wrote a comment that got me thinkin'. As a teacher of adolescents, I suppose I am in a position to "finger" some kids I feel might be at risk. I have. Well, not in so many words, but I do point it out to our school Social Worker if I notice a pattern of bullying, playfighting, aggressive tendencies. I don't say, "Student X may bring a weapon to school soon if you don't talk with him/her." I wouldn't say anything at all if it was just a student having a bad day. Lord knows I myself have those, too. But when one or two students stand out, angry at the world, yes, I have an obligation to bring them to the attention of someone more skilled in counseling than I.

Thank goodness for school social workers. They provide a tremendous and tremendously needed service. Shouts to Miss Helen (wherever you are) and Miss Sloane.

In what I've heard and read, I don't think anyone is ready to blame teachers for not spotting kids who could potentially come to school with firearms. On the contrary, I think most people have the notion that teachers are doing everything they can for their hormonally challenged and mixed-up kids. In these most recent unfortunate incidents, the teachers were just as scared as the poor students under attack.

I hope I never have to feel what they felt.