Be the Change You Want to See to Help Keep Our Schools Safe

As the community struggles to deal with the tragedy of last week’s Santa Fe High School shooting and, on Friday, the shooting at Noblesville West Middle School in Indiana, one big, trying question remains on most of our minds: “What now?” If you are a parent like me, still trying to process it all, let me tell you that it has not been easy. What unfolded in Santa Fe has shaken us to our core. And the shooting in Indiana marked the 23^rd school shooting of 2018. The loss of life and trauma is unbearable, and the uncertainty of “what now” is terrifying.

So “what now”? Here’s what I’m proposing: Be the change you want to see to help keep our schools safe.

First and foremost, we must continue to rally around those affected by recent tragedies. We must continue to find ways to work together and NOT against each other. Equally as important, we must accept that times have changed, threats to our kids do exist and we must act to “be the change” that thinks about school safety at all times.

Here are ways you can help:

Be prepared at all times.

Know your school’s policy in the case of an active shooter (practice drills, lock-downs, what law enforcement agencies will respond, armed teachers, reunification, etc.)
Establish an emergency communication plan that your child can use once it has been declared to do so by your child’s school. This might include:

Stay calm and always comply with law enforcement authorities and school staff.
Call or text mom, dad or parental guardian, once it is safe to do so.
Be patient until the school is able to reunite you with your family.

Talk to your child – this is so important! You will never, ever regret having that one conversation that has saved your child’s life or mitigated harm that could have come their way. Here are some helpful conversations starters:

How safe do you feel at school?
Have you ever seen a person make an online threat to a school? What about hearing that someone has brought a weapon to school?
Do you feel comfortable speaking to someone about this? Explain that they can report threats/dangers/suspicious activity anonymously through the Crime Stoppers tip line at 713-222-TIPS OR by downloading the Crime Stoppers app called Crime Stoppers of Houston.