Thirteen Hours…..

Today I am grateful that it is still summer vacation…… not because there is much I still need or want to do before the new school year begins, though that is true, but rather because of El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio ….

Today I am grateful that I am not in school, because…

…..I am not ready to have another conversation about mass shootings…….

….I am not ready to reference Columbine, Parkland, and so many other communities whose names have been forgotten by so many…..

….I am not ready to try to come up with explanations for why mass shootings occur…..

….I am not ready to try to explain to students why we are having the same discussion  again…..

….I am not ready for another discussion  with students about possible measures, solutions that, after previous mass shootings, have not been implemented….

….I am not ready to try to reassure students and colleagues that we don’t need to worry about mass shootings…..

….I am not ready to practice active shooter drills……

….I am not ready to hear solutions that involve arming teachers with guns…..

My hope is that – when I do return to school in three short weeks -that El Paso, that Dayton (and that Gilroy, too) will not be forgotten…. And that there will not be any other communities added to the list…..

Today I am grateful it is still summer vacation……