Too Scared To Learn

As I walked home from Starbucks this morning I walked past a couple of children all bundled up and on their way to school. I gave them a smile but they looked down at the pavement (okay, some humor here...I might look a little scary!). I completely understand where we are in 2018. Children have been taught not to talk to any stranger. Who knows what might happen.

For children of the past 20 years or so, they have been brought up in an age of suspicion, anxiety and fear particularly when it comes to coming in contact people they don't know.

If the kids are heading to school a bit scared of this individual then how do you think they - along with the rest of their family -
are handling and processing the spate of gun violence last week and over these past 20 years.

Imagine how these same children, knowing that there are armed teachers (or other individuals) who are carrying some type of firearm, might feel. You can understand the students - some if not many - are likely to be scared; in fact, maybe a bit too scared to be able to handle what's in front of them on their desk.

Before anyone dismisses this I can tell you children do go to school in the inner city with a good deal of trepidation knowing some of the violence that surrounds the neighborhood. I've seen it and so have these teachers. They tell me they often have to deal with the gun violence before they can get the children to learn.

Dick