I Wish I Knew.....

Watching and reading the news these days is a task one needs to prepare themselves for, there is a surplus of bad and a deficit of good.

There have been a couple of news headlines that I can't get out of my head.

#1 Yet another school shooting. I wish I knew how we as a country can make sure another school shooting never happens. I wish I knew how to make every student in our country feels safe at school. The truth is there are many layers to why school shootings keep happening in our country, there isn't one answer. The truth is we are all failing our young people in so many ways but we are too busy pointing fingers and getting caught up in semantics to come together to fix what is clearly broken.

#2 The death of a 10-year-old at the hands of her parents who allegedly abused and beat her over several months, leading to her eventual death. I wish I knew how to prevent these types of tragedies. I wish I knew for certain this will never happen to another child. I wish this little girl didn't have to suffer and die feeling like she didn't matter, feeling like she was worthless and didn't mean enough to be safe, cared for, and loved.

The truth is I don't know any of the things I wish I knew, it has me feeling hopeless. I am sad for the lives lost and for those who didn't lose their lives but have most definitely lost any sense of innocence or feelings of safety in the place where they should feel the most safe. I am sad that my students worry about the possibility of a school shooting. I am sad for the little girl who lost her life and for all of those who are in similar situations. Who are losing hope as I type that they will be saved from a life of torment and torture.

If I knew for sure how everyone could come together and fix what is clearly broken in our world I would be shouting from roof tops. All I feel I can do to make even the smallest amount of difference is to keep showing up for my students to make sure they know I care about them more than they could ever know. To continue to do whatever is in my power to make sure they are safe while they are in my care and if there ever comes a day where they need someone to stand up for them, I will be there. It doesn't seem like much in the grand scheme of things.....