Unacceptable school status quo

Three school shootings in recent weeks are not listed on this map. There may be more that that missing from it, too. This map included 2005 shootings and none from this year.

This is status quo. This includes shootings after Columbine, which is largely thought of as ground zero for school violence.

I called Number One Daughter's school last year and asked about school safety and what they do to prevent shootings. I was assured that they had a program in place.

Last week I sent a message to the Superintendent of Schools and cc: the school board and the principal for Number One Daughter's school, too. The superintendent referred my inquiry to the assistant superintendent of schools. He asked her to reply. She hasn't yet.

In the superintendent's message, he assured me that there is a safety plan in place. This is status quo. All of this is status quo. And status quo is unacceptable.

Among other ideas, I am taking my concerns to the PTA. I am not happy that I was patted on the head and that my ideas and concerns were not taken to heart. I think the reason that I was patted on the head is that the superintendent and school administrators in general believe that there will be a certain amount of knee-jerk reactions to the school shootings. Although I assured them that this wasn't a knee-jerk reaction, my concerns were cast off.

The Wisconsin representative who is calling for teachers to be armed needs to have a refresher course in reality. Arming teachers is not a good idea. Even though he suggested that other countries do so with no major problems. Surely he must realize that there is a far greater danger in arming teachers than exists when you are airline pilots!

We need cameras in and around the school. We need self defense courses for teachers and students so that they have an idea of what to do if they are taken hostage. We need a curriculum that teaches empowerment to everyone so that they realize that they do not have to be victims. We need a national action plan. It is scary, I know. It is very sad, too.

The idea that I am going to float that could help immediately on a national level is very simple: Give every teacher, administrator, librarian, indeed anyone in contact with students a Life Alert necklace. They are monitored 24/7. One push of a button and help is being summoned. No delay looking for a phone-cell or otherwise. The first inkling of trouble is the time to push the button to summon assistance.

In Colorado, the adult who murdered one girl after molesting several, was noticed by many people before school. Suspicions were raised. Hair was standing up on the back of people's necks. See that is the first sign that your guardian angel is whispering in your ear. Indeed, the thing that we must encourage in our schools is for people to listen to that little voice in our minds that says, "Danger!"

I'm ready for the nay sayers who are concerned about prohibitive costs too. What insurance company wouldn't rather spend money to improve security in our schools? They would be preventing lawsuits-potentially. I am a mom on a mission. You can mess with me, but don't mess with children. Not on my watch.