Student Fear and Mass Legislative Inaction
Today my daughter called me from high school shaking with fear in her voice. "Mom, there was a school shooting threat today. The school's going on a lockdown and all my friends are being picked up by their parents. Can you come get me?" she inquired fearful of becoming another mass shooting victim. Begging her to slow down on the phone, I asked her to repeat the details as I quickly scanned social media for any breaking news. Unsuccessful, and desperate not to succumb to fear or inaccurate information without source verification, while sympathetic to my child's needs, I hung up the phone, assuring her I would verify details with the principal's office. The principal's secretary confirmed a threat was received, unspecific to the high school. The threat was unsubstantiated, and likely a social media post gone viral. There would be no lock-down. Nevertheless, the administration assured me that police presence was escalated in the neighborhood and school, and ...