On Valentine's Day last week, a former student of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, shot 17 people dead and injured 14 more in the deadliest U.S. school shooting since Sandy Hook. The accused 19-year-old was caught after fleeing the scene.
Tanai Benard from Austin, Texas, is among the many mothers and fathers who worry about their child's safety. After the shooting in Florida, she asked her fifth grade son if his school had any drills recently. He explained that they had, and that he was one of three students who were responsible for barricading the door while the teacher covers the windows.
My 5th grader and I were conversing on the way to work/school this morning. As an educator, I wanted to be sure he and his classmates were taking the school safety drills seriously and not using it as a time to socialize and goof off."
"Me: Have you guys praticed a lockdown drill in class yet?
Dez: Are you talking about an active shooter drill?
Me: Yes
Dez: Yes, we practiced it
Me: So tell me what you are suppose to do.
Dez: The teacher is suppose to shut and lock the door, put the black paper over the window on the door. Then myself and three other boys are suppose to push the table against the door. Then myself and three other boys are suppose to push the table against the door.
That last line horrified Benard, and she asked her son to explain further...
"Me: The class is suppose to stand behind who?
Dez: Me and the other 3 boys. We stand at the front and they get behind us.I internally went from 0 to 100 real quick. My child is one of only 2 black children in a class of 23. Being transparent, I immediately went to the "why is my black son being put on the front line?" (Just being real) So I asked before I verbally stated my thoughts
Me: Why did you get picked to stand in front of everyone else if a shooter came in your school?"
"Dez: I didn't get picked. I volunteered to push the table and protect my friends
Me: *immediate nausea * Dez why would you volunteer to do that?
Dez: If it came down to it I would rather be the one that died protecting my friends then have an entire class die and I be the only one that lived.
Father God, it took everything out of me not to breakdown. I still have a lump in my throat. 10 damn years old and this has to be our babies thought process in America."
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