Aftermath

I put the following in an email to my sister, then she decided to put part of it on Facebook, which is fine - but as I said to her, actually, this probably should be in a blog post - as I haven't written in several weeks.  By the way, my brother is nagging me gently to write, and I appreciate that.  I wish I were more diligent.  Anyhow, the entirety of the post I wanted to share, edited and including the comments that have already been shared on Facebook are as follows:

I'm somewhat emotional due to the horrific news from CT, and, that although i didn't know her, a fellow school psychologist died - but the children...the evil is too unspeakable.  I've had a FB friend post that he never thought he would be scared to send his daughter to school, and I wanted to reply something like this:  If something happens at your daughter's school, people like me will not hesitate to lay our lives down for your child, and all the children we serve.  I would so do that.  It is something that is engrained in us as educators, not taught formally, but in the everyday business of knowing we are responsible for the safety of 48,000 children in this district every day that we come to work.  We do the very best we can to protect, anticipate, be on alert, question, and watch.  The last time one of my schools was in lockdown status was because someone in the neighborhood called 911 to say they saw a person with a gun walking down the street.  All of the classrooms were locked, outside doors were locked, and -  who patrolled the halls with walkies, looking out doors and windows, checking closets and bathrooms for the next 30 minutes until all clear?  Me and 4 other people.  I do not take my responsibilities lightly.

Many people on FB are posting that God has been "kicked out" from public schools.  They are clueless.  God lives everyday in public schools, through the lives of those who are called by Him to serve.  God is present anywhere His people are, and I know some awesome dedicated servants of Christ who tirelessly and fearlessly serve our students.  I know many teachers who spend their own money, who give their own time, who comfort, encourage, console, discipline, teach societal rules, and who pray for their students every day.  It offends me when people post that God is not in public schools. As Francis Schaeffer titled a book, "God Is There, and He Is Not Silent!"