I just landed in Miami with my oldest for a mommy-daughter trip, and when I turned my phone on it blew up with notifications about the shooting (our elementary school is nearby). I want to scream, I’m so tired of living this way. East has long been considered the top public school in Denver, what the hell is happening???
It's an excellent school with excellent faculty. I feel like I have a sense of what's happening, but I think so few people in power are willing to fix it. I think it makes the mayoral race even more vital. I went to a meet and greet with candidate Lisa Calderón yesterday. I actually think she is a person who understands the problems and the solutions. I was already eager for her to win. But now I feel desperate for it. https://lisafordenver.com/
I hear you. I’m also way further left than all of them, and know them really well, so none give me hope. I felt the same way you do about Lisa (and Leslie) once upon a time.
There are no good words for this. I'm sorry. I too want to scream. I read the Guardian article about one of the last abortion providers in Arkansas this morning (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/mar/22/alabama-last-abortion-doctor-leah-torres)... such violence being threatened against her. Any resistance to the anti-abortion/gun-toting mob results in more violence and threats. It feels so futile sometimes.
I work at an alternative high school. Last week we showed a video about an active shoter drill. I hated it. Their ads say kids feel safer if they've had a drill. Maybe so. I didn't ask them because I couldn't talk without crying. What are we doing? The local school board has parents showing up en masse to complain abut lgbtq policies. They are more worried about who's in the bathroom than they are about guns.
Did you hear about the children who thought their drills were real? I think a mainstream publication ran a piece recently. How can you feel safer if you don’t know it’s a drill?! 😩
And yet the research shows that all these drills do are further traumatize kids and do nothing for safety. Safe storage of firearms and sensible gun laws do work and yet ....
Oh , Meg . I heard about the shooting earlier. I am a full time (volunter) advocate with Moms Demand Action, a gun violence prevention org. If you , your friends or really anyone that is reading this need support , please let me know. Our survivor network has a plethora of resources.
We don't have to live this way. Holding you, your family, your community in the light.
I am so so sorry--for your kids, for all kids who are having to face such mindless violence and threats. It really feels like politics has always been broken but it is officially, out loud insane--that Rand Paul pic.... just no. The combination of school shootings with new bans on trans youth is just rage inducing.
Love you, Meg, and so appreciate your writing and sharing. I’m so sorry that all our children have to experience this. Support EveryTown, elect their candidates. Keep shouting till we lose our voices. And hold each other tight. ❤️
I am so sorry you and your family (and countless others around our country) are going through this. I hear your pain and share your outrage. I will continue to stand as an ally and advocate for gun safety (and assault weapons ban).
Oh Meg! Love & strength to you all. We took a break to clean up our takeout in the midst of watching Till and that’s when I read this. It’s all too much. I am reconfirmed in my intentions to homeschool the twins, which feels so weird bc the only ppl I knew who homeschooled in my town growing up were ppl who believe the earth is 6k yes old and didn’t want their kids to learn that dinosaurs were real. But how can I have kept them safe for THESE 2yrs & 9mos only to send them to slaughter when they turn 5? 😖💔❤️🩹💪🏼😭🙏🏼
It's one of those things where the options all seem so complicated. Homeschooling would work for my middle kid but hasn't ever been a good fit for my oldest. I don't know. I feel like...moving to the moon.
I hear you! And I don't mean to sound shaming toward anyone who couldn't or wouldn't want to homeschool!! I don't know if it will be a good fit for either or both our kids either...but I feel like I have to TRY to at least get them to the point where they understand some of the risks of attending an in-person school, or at least what the difference between an active shooter *drill* and an active shooter situation are, before I can send them off for a full day, if possible. The moon sounds great right about now, indeed. :-(
Oh no shame felt! I was sure I was going to homeschool too, honestly. Sandy Hook happened when my oldest was just about to turn four. The problem we've run into with her is that she thrives in community and not just because of friendships - she finds meaning in organizing clubs, direct action, tutoring, attending clubs, etc. She's a real Leslie Knope, basically. And there just has never been a big enough non-far right homeschool community where we've lived to make those things accessible to her in a homeschool setting. When we've tried homeschool, the affect on her has been profoundly .... well, mentally difficult. My middle kid though thrives with that kind of education. Your twins may too! (No idea what Brontë will need. She's a wild card, lol.) Whatever happens, your twins are lucky to have you and each other.
Thanks for these details! I think Juniper may wind up being similar to your oldest. I hope we can give her a somewhat elongated on ramp since, thanks (ha) to the pandemic she has had such a very small world so far...I hope that by the time she is your oldest's age she can have access that is as safe as possible to all the collectives & connections that she wants & needs. Jaxon is a bit of a wildcard for us, too, so far!
I am so sorry this happened to you. We had a shooting at my daughter’s high school this fall and the hour I spent without contact from her was terrifying. It’s exhausting and it sucks that this is our reality.
I’ve been trying to find them since Newtown, really, and I’ve said plenty, but it feels like “a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.”
I feel a helpless sadness and rage that we have to beg for money for anything that HELPS end human suffering. Why are we like this? When does the misery end?
I just landed in Miami with my oldest for a mommy-daughter trip, and when I turned my phone on it blew up with notifications about the shooting (our elementary school is nearby). I want to scream, I’m so tired of living this way. East has long been considered the top public school in Denver, what the hell is happening???
It's an excellent school with excellent faculty. I feel like I have a sense of what's happening, but I think so few people in power are willing to fix it. I think it makes the mayoral race even more vital. I went to a meet and greet with candidate Lisa Calderón yesterday. I actually think she is a person who understands the problems and the solutions. I was already eager for her to win. But now I feel desperate for it. https://lisafordenver.com/
Yeah, we should talk offline about that. She has a long, complicated history here.
Seems true of all the candidates to one degree or another. We'll see what happens. (typed while trying not to sob in Stanley Marketplace)
I hear you. I’m also way further left than all of them, and know them really well, so none give me hope. I felt the same way you do about Lisa (and Leslie) once upon a time.
There are no good words for this. I'm sorry. I too want to scream. I read the Guardian article about one of the last abortion providers in Arkansas this morning (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/mar/22/alabama-last-abortion-doctor-leah-torres)... such violence being threatened against her. Any resistance to the anti-abortion/gun-toting mob results in more violence and threats. It feels so futile sometimes.
I keep telling myself it's just a puzzle we haven't figure out yet. But I am not sure if that's true.
I work at an alternative high school. Last week we showed a video about an active shoter drill. I hated it. Their ads say kids feel safer if they've had a drill. Maybe so. I didn't ask them because I couldn't talk without crying. What are we doing? The local school board has parents showing up en masse to complain abut lgbtq policies. They are more worried about who's in the bathroom than they are about guns.
This is so awful. I am so sorry. For all of it. Oh Susan! A sorrow.
Did you hear about the children who thought their drills were real? I think a mainstream publication ran a piece recently. How can you feel safer if you don’t know it’s a drill?! 😩
Yes, I did. That's hearbreaking. At least, since I work with teenagers, I don't have to deal with that.
And yet the research shows that all these drills do are further traumatize kids and do nothing for safety. Safe storage of firearms and sensible gun laws do work and yet ....
Oh , Meg . I heard about the shooting earlier. I am a full time (volunter) advocate with Moms Demand Action, a gun violence prevention org. If you , your friends or really anyone that is reading this need support , please let me know. Our survivor network has a plethora of resources.
We don't have to live this way. Holding you, your family, your community in the light.
I love Moms Demand Action, thank you so much for working for such an amazing organization. I agree, we don't have to live this way.
I am so so sorry--for your kids, for all kids who are having to face such mindless violence and threats. It really feels like politics has always been broken but it is officially, out loud insane--that Rand Paul pic.... just no. The combination of school shootings with new bans on trans youth is just rage inducing.
Absolutely feels like proof of advanced decay, doesn't it?
Wish there was an IDDQD for real life. So tired of this game we’re just pawns in.
Seems really silly when the solutions are right there, huh?
Glad she is home safe now! Hug her from all of us who worried!
Thank you so much. Truly!
Words fail. The horror of it all.
They only care about fetuses...once you're born, you are no longer a consideration.
If only the words “pro-life” meant anything to them. 😞
Love you, Meg, and so appreciate your writing and sharing. I’m so sorry that all our children have to experience this. Support EveryTown, elect their candidates. Keep shouting till we lose our voices. And hold each other tight. ❤️
There are absolutely meaningful policies we can advocate for and pass right now. And yes, hold each other tight.
I am so sorry you and your family (and countless others around our country) are going through this. I hear your pain and share your outrage. I will continue to stand as an ally and advocate for gun safety (and assault weapons ban).
Thank you so much for your advocacy!!!
Oh Meg! Love & strength to you all. We took a break to clean up our takeout in the midst of watching Till and that’s when I read this. It’s all too much. I am reconfirmed in my intentions to homeschool the twins, which feels so weird bc the only ppl I knew who homeschooled in my town growing up were ppl who believe the earth is 6k yes old and didn’t want their kids to learn that dinosaurs were real. But how can I have kept them safe for THESE 2yrs & 9mos only to send them to slaughter when they turn 5? 😖💔❤️🩹💪🏼😭🙏🏼
It's one of those things where the options all seem so complicated. Homeschooling would work for my middle kid but hasn't ever been a good fit for my oldest. I don't know. I feel like...moving to the moon.
I hear you! And I don't mean to sound shaming toward anyone who couldn't or wouldn't want to homeschool!! I don't know if it will be a good fit for either or both our kids either...but I feel like I have to TRY to at least get them to the point where they understand some of the risks of attending an in-person school, or at least what the difference between an active shooter *drill* and an active shooter situation are, before I can send them off for a full day, if possible. The moon sounds great right about now, indeed. :-(
Oh no shame felt! I was sure I was going to homeschool too, honestly. Sandy Hook happened when my oldest was just about to turn four. The problem we've run into with her is that she thrives in community and not just because of friendships - she finds meaning in organizing clubs, direct action, tutoring, attending clubs, etc. She's a real Leslie Knope, basically. And there just has never been a big enough non-far right homeschool community where we've lived to make those things accessible to her in a homeschool setting. When we've tried homeschool, the affect on her has been profoundly .... well, mentally difficult. My middle kid though thrives with that kind of education. Your twins may too! (No idea what Brontë will need. She's a wild card, lol.) Whatever happens, your twins are lucky to have you and each other.
Thanks for these details! I think Juniper may wind up being similar to your oldest. I hope we can give her a somewhat elongated on ramp since, thanks (ha) to the pandemic she has had such a very small world so far...I hope that by the time she is your oldest's age she can have access that is as safe as possible to all the collectives & connections that she wants & needs. Jaxon is a bit of a wildcard for us, too, so far!
I am so sorry this happened to you. We had a shooting at my daughter’s high school this fall and the hour I spent without contact from her was terrifying. It’s exhausting and it sucks that this is our reality.
So terrifying. I just can't even....my goodness.
When will it end?
I have no idea. Like, it's all....there are no words, you know?
I’ve been trying to find them since Newtown, really, and I’ve said plenty, but it feels like “a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.”
I hope you are both - are all - OK today.
She stayed home and I am working next to her. She seems...I don't know. Quiet. Thank you so much for your care!
I feel a helpless sadness and rage that we have to beg for money for anything that HELPS end human suffering. Why are we like this? When does the misery end?