On Wednesday March 4, a threat was called into Saint Stephen’s Episcopal School at 10:35am, the first time a red alert had happened in five years. A Code Red, when not a drill, signifies an immediate and active threat, and it should be reacted to with a level of seriousness correlating to the issue at hand.
But as more threats occur at schools through the years, and violence in our culture and media becomes the norm, American kids face a sad reality: we’re growing desensitized to campus violence and threats of violence.
But while it’s almost natural– maybe even easier in times of crisis– to face hardship with emotional numbness or responses that may not “match” the moment, it’s also important for us to recognize how our attitudes and reactions affect those around us.
In the face of what happened Tuesday, we witnessed admirable actions by students, teachers, and staff in response, but for some, it was also surprising to see the “desensitization” at work. Before long, you didn’t have to listen too hard to hear the quick spreading of rumors, the cracking of ‘dark’ jokes, the celebration of the cancellation of tests and quizzes. For some in the student body, the reaction didn’t match the gravity of a Code Red— of the realities of what could have gone on, of how some of our Falcons were feeling.
In the high school, we have to model behavior for underclassmen and the lower divisions. When it comes to instances like Tuesday, we need to take situations like this with collective seriousness.
During Tuesday’s events and their aftermath, students and staff ended up safe, but the entire situation was tough mentally for everyone. Several students and staff had anxiety during the lockdown, and though one person may not have worried, one can never know how the person beside them is feeling.
At Saint Stephen’s, we are all in this together. We are a family. And to keep one another safe during crises, we all need to do our part: follow the safety precautions, react in kind to situations, and act in ways to help everyone to remain calm
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