Monday

United States
April 18, 2007 3:35pm CST
I was working in my office on Monday when my administrative assistant came in. "Paula, there's been a shooting at Virginia Tech. There have been at least a dozen kids killed." We work at a small private Christian school in Arkansas. It's a long way from Virginia. But it hasn't been that many years ago since Arkansas suffered their own tragedy at the hands of two teenagers at a Jonesboro middle school. It can happen anywhere. This incident hit me hard, because on Monday, my family was spread out. I called my husband, who works at another high school across town. He assured me that while they were on high alert, that everything was ok. We were of course worried about copycats. "Have you talked to James?" my son is a college freshman in northwest Arkansas. "Yes. He called me about 15 minutes ago. Everyone there is kind of nervous, but they're ok." he said. His school is small...only about 100 students studying various forms of religious education. They had all gathered in the chapel to begin praying for the victims and their families. My middle child, a daughter was in Florida on her Senior Trip. I knew that they'd planned to be at Universal Studios. I called the cell phone of one of her sponsor's. They hadn't heard anything. He said that the kids were all supposed to meet for lunch and a headcount in about an hour. They would say a prayer and he'd have all the kids call home. Two down...one to go. I shut the door to my office and headed for the high school up the hill from my building. My youngest was on campus with me. I knew she was safe, but I had to see her for myself. I found her class glued to CNN, most of the girls were crying, the boys looked shell-shocked. This class was involved in an Entrepreneur endeavor that was based around school security. Several of their theories could have been tested at VTU. We talked with their teacher, for almost an hour, about whay could have been done differently. We told them to take the incident, and adapt it to our campus. Because it could happen here. We are not immune just because we are a Christian campus. I know this is a bit long, but I needed to vent. I'd love your thoughts...where you were, what went through your mind. I do not want the police or university personnel bashed. If you want to do that, go somewhere else and start your own discussion. Did you, like me, want to gather your children close and just hold them?
2 people like this
1 response
@lightningMD (5931)
• United States
18 Apr 07
Definetlty You just want to know where everyone is and make sure they are safe. This happens so often now days It's so tempting to just pull your kids out of school and home school them. We live in Pa. My husband was in the little town where the Amish school shooting occured that same day for his job. All I wanted was for him to come home and hold me.
1 person likes this
• United States
1 May 07
I wanted so desperately to drive the three hours to the college campus where my son was in northern arkansas and pack his stuff and bring him home.