Anger. Sadness. Back to anger.
Not sure how to put into words what my thoughts and feelings have been since I found out about today's tragedy in Connecticut this afternoon shortly after I waved your kids onto the bus.
I walked back in and, after crossing a couple things off my Friday to-do list to get ready for Monday, I sat down and opened my email. One was from Mrs. DeHaven from the third grade, and it reported what had happened.
Right then I pretty much just wanted to hug all of my students. That was my only thought as I went into numbness while my brain went into problem-solving mode. It's a horribly helpless feeling when it's not truly a solvable problem. I wanted to surround them and cover them up and protect them from the outside.
Please know that, when your kids are in my care each day, that I would do all in my power to protect them from everything and anything that may do them any harm. To lighten the mood during intruder drills, I have often told the kids that I have waited for many years now since I was training for my black belt to "go full-force on a grown man without having to hold back." We then laugh at this image, and to be honest, I had never really taken that seriously until this evening. I've played out such a scene in my mind several times since, and I'm not laughing at the end in any scenario. Today has robbed us of that.
One thing I guarantee, though, is that I know I would go all Papa Bear on anyone who wished any harm on any of your kids. This is not bravado.
I have no idea what to tell you in times like this. This is almost as helpless a feeling as what I was talking about before.
An elementary school. It makes no sense.
Not sure how to put into words what my thoughts and feelings have been since I found out about today's tragedy in Connecticut this afternoon shortly after I waved your kids onto the bus.
I walked back in and, after crossing a couple things off my Friday to-do list to get ready for Monday, I sat down and opened my email. One was from Mrs. DeHaven from the third grade, and it reported what had happened.
Right then I pretty much just wanted to hug all of my students. That was my only thought as I went into numbness while my brain went into problem-solving mode. It's a horribly helpless feeling when it's not truly a solvable problem. I wanted to surround them and cover them up and protect them from the outside.
Please know that, when your kids are in my care each day, that I would do all in my power to protect them from everything and anything that may do them any harm. To lighten the mood during intruder drills, I have often told the kids that I have waited for many years now since I was training for my black belt to "go full-force on a grown man without having to hold back." We then laugh at this image, and to be honest, I had never really taken that seriously until this evening. I've played out such a scene in my mind several times since, and I'm not laughing at the end in any scenario. Today has robbed us of that.
One thing I guarantee, though, is that I know I would go all Papa Bear on anyone who wished any harm on any of your kids. This is not bravado.
I have no idea what to tell you in times like this. This is almost as helpless a feeling as what I was talking about before.
An elementary school. It makes no sense.
2 comments:
Thank you, Mr. Carter. It's too hard to wrap our heads around what happened. As parents, we feel the horror these parents and children are experiencing in the aftermath. It's a good reminder that the teachers were in the frontline of this assault, doing everything in their power to keep the kids safe. Our children are blessed to have you.
Sharron Wright
Thanks so much, Sharon.
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