Pursuit of Change
Bleeding Out
As a young girl, it was a long walk with my yellow No. 2 pencils, complete with extra pop-on erasers, a glue-bound notebook, and a brown paper bag lunch that housed a hot dog with coleslaw wrapped in waxed paper. Although the hot dog bun was soggy by lunchtime, it was still tasty. Wearing one of only two new outfits, it was the first day of school, sixty-five years ago.
Today, Chromebooks have replaced yellow pencils and learning cursive. In-house food chains like McDonald’s and Chipotle are now serving as cafeteria options in some schools, replacing the traditional 32-cent hot lunches. The ring of the bell brought the pledge of allegiance and perhaps prayer. Under our current administration, students may or may not pray, but one thing is sure: all students will know the protocol for lockdown. Among the myriad things students and teaching professionals must prepare for to have a successful year, sadly, one of them is how to stay safe if the school is under attack.