Pure Acts of Evil, Pure Acts of Love. We Know What Needs To Be Done. They Don't Don't Do It.

I was in Kentucky, teaching, when my administration sat us down to talk about Columbine. This was after Paducah, and years before Newtown.

I will not forget Newtown because it was way too close to home. I've written about it, tried to process it, reflected, written some more, and still don't know what to do with the reality of it all.

18 school shootings in 2018. It's not even February. These are suburban, large schools where calm, safety and tranquility are supposed to occur.

My friends are writing that it is a cultural norm. A school shooter comes in, destruction occurs, families are upended, prayers go up, and then nothing changes. Politicians continue to defend the gun policies in this nation because it lines their pockets and it falls into the state of fear they spread to keep people voting for them.

Children die. Teachers die.

Meanwhile, funding is removed from public schools: for professional development, for training for teachers for materials or safety. Greatest Civilization of all times, and this is the truth of the nation.

It's disgusting.

In my files, I have a 25 page paper that highlights all the ways that schools have reacted as a result of such violence. I wrote it to highlight how English teachers can come together in solidarity to react to the violence in our schools. I wrote it for Sandy Hook, knowing that other schools would need it, too. Why? Because I see how too many rationalize the insanity of guns in this nation and skew reality to justify their own politics. Meanwhile, children die. Teachers die. The nation loses. I'm cynical. The piece I wrote is a blue print for how to react when such violence comes to your school. It's simply a synopsis of how communities cope -- what others have done -- what others can do when it comes to a school near you. Sad, that we've normed this type of violence in the U.S.

Other communities, still unnamed - suburban, middle class communities - will be next. That is the trend. It will not be believed by people in those areas until it happens to them. This is the craziness of our country.

Yesterday, I hosted 6th graders with my undergraduate class and we had a fantastic day. They appreciated every second, were thankful, and learned a lot. It was beautiful. I know that the these kids live in a demographic where young people see a lot, but they don't see mass shootings like those in suburban schools. It's fascinating. Every time such violence occurs, security at their schools is tightened (as if the shootings arise from urban centers). It is not true.

Meanwhile, corporate American works to undo any support for teachers and kids. Sadly, parents vote for individuals who carry hate in their heart, support the NRA, and pull blinders over their constituency.  There's too much evidence of this. People are stubborn.

All I know is that I will live my life until I die trying to make it better. I stand with Chris Murphy, the families of Newtown, and the families of all these school shootings.

My love and thoughts go out to Stoneman Douglas today. I shouldn't have to write such a post.

This is America, 2018. The tradition continues. And its sad.