Letter to the editor
I was raised in Salem and have three children in three separate Salem schools. I also have nieces and nephews in the Salem schools. Our community is wonderful in many ways.
However, I bristle at any suggestion that we are special. We are not special. We are not insulated. We exist in the same world as Parkland High School, where a 19-year-old can buy an AR-15 and murderously blow seventeen people away. From here, it would take about fifteen minutes to walk to the gun store, and another fifteen minutes to walk to the high school. We all have sleepless nights picturing the potential carnage in our schools.
So, in this environment, I want to express my point of view as a parent, with three main points. I want to know what the school system is doing to protect our children.
I want the details of who in the school system is in charge of planning and assessing security. How are they trained? How often are procedures reviewed? How do we educate our school professionals about how they can do things better? Are school officials attending conferences on security? How do they share and implement what they learn? What resources are going to this effort?
Regarding how I can participate in helping the school system, do you need fundraising? Do you need more volunteers in the schools? Parents can help. Does City Council or the police department need to know that parents want funding for more counselors in our schools, or resource officers or security systems? Tell the parents. Some of us have really big mouths. Some of us, like my sister, have real-world experience and good ideas.
Finally, I would ask that we all take a stand and express our anger at a system that permits a 19-year-old, or even a 50-year-old, to purchase a military-style weapon. Praise our children who walk out tomorrow to protest Congress’ refusal to take action on the gun violence epidemic plaguing our schools. Take off our “rose-colored,” “Salem-colored” glasses, and do not be afraid to support common-sense gun control measures – because we love the children and the teachers more than we love the right to own an AR-15. Ruffle some feathers. Feathers need ruffling. Let us never be afraid to take sides.
-Submitted by Robyn Ellis