This Insider essay (~4 min read) is a pretty raw and vulnerable article. In October, my godson barely survived a mass school shooting, sustaining gunshot wounds to his hands and face. It's a miracle he survived.
In this piece, I tell my story. Not just of that horrific moment, but of the moments leading up to it. I talk about my older son's first bus ride, and how it was for an intruder drill; I recall my younger son telling In preschool that if a shooter came to school he would hide inside his backpack.
I also share that as a former school administrator, I have had a gun pointed at me, have had to remove a gun from a student, and have had the God-awful experience of speaking at several funerals for students killed by gun violence.
This is not a light article, but it's an important one. As of this past summer, guns have become the #1 killer of children in America. I hope this shines a light on the fears and apprehensions of most parents in America. It also reminds readers of the everyday risks and realities our children face as they go to school without the protection they need and deserve.