Sunday Reflections: I Survived Active Shooter Training but I’m Bitter about It

On Friday, the library locked it’s doors and the police shot off fake guns. My co-workers learned that I can scream pretty loudly. And we tried to track down where all the best exits were in the building and how to form a good barricade.

Although I’m thankful that my library took the time to help make sure the staff is safe, I’ve decided that I’m bitter that we live in a world where we have to.

The police who did our training talked about doing the same training in schools, from grades Kindergarten and up. That’s right, we are now spending valuable class hours discussing not reading, writing and arithmetic, but how a 5-year-old needs to sit quietly in the corner in a locked room with the lights off in case an armed intruder comes into their school and starts randomly shooting at them and their classmates. Good job world, look what you’ve become.

At the same time, for the first time since having children, I did not take my children with me to vote out of fear of armed “poll watchers” who are seeking to intimidate voters in what I can only describe as the most distressing and soul crushing election the United States has faced in my adult years as an informed voter. Good job America, look what you’ve become.

Dear America,
Our kids are watching and learning how we handle this election. We're setting the tone of our future not just in how we vote.

— TeenLibrarianToolbox (@TLT16) November 6, 2016

The other day, as we were listening to NPR, The Teen turned to me and said, “I will be old enough to vote in the next election.” I hope that today’s teens do a better job in the next election then us adults have done in this one. I hope they can talk about their differences without resorting to name calling and bullying and threats and intimidation, but I’m doubtful because they are – after all – learning from our example. Good job adults, look what you’ve become.

So I survived active shooter training on Friday. But did I, did I really? No, because it’s just another incident to remind me that we – the adults of this world – are failing each other and our children. And more than that, because we are their role models and mentors, we are setting the tone for our future. And we are failing.

Filed under: Sunday Reflections