“I’m kind of terrified, but I’m sure we’re all going to get through it and everything’s gonna be okay. Everything’s gonna be okay,” said Logan Masi, a senior at U-32. With increasing gun violence in the US, students and staff all over the country are scared. At U-32, we have new action plans to keep us safe, Run Hide Fight. Also students from Changemakers club have created a gun violence group to support people who are struggling and create positive change.
When talking about this issue, some people laughed uncomfortably or flat out refused to speak. But the one thing everyone had in common was a terrified, spaced out look on their face.
Undoubtedly, there is lots of fear, with some reassurance living in Vermont. Our small, rural school and state make people feel safer.
“If I were to go to a really big school, it wouldn’t be great. It would feel a lot more risky. In Vermont I feel pretty safe,” said Oliver Miller, a junior at U-32.
U-32 has many new initiatives and plans to keep students and staff safe. There are also groups that focus on building awareness and supporting people who feel hit hard by gun violence.
As violence has increased over the past few years, school’s safety policies have changed.
“There are a lot of things that schools do to keep safe,” said Rebecca (Becca) Tatistcheff, the principal at U-32. In the case of violent incidents in school, school has policies for how to help. Now with the spike in this issue, there have been changes made in our school to ensure safety.
In past years, students have received food through apps like Door-Dash. But this year, the administration has put a stop to that.
“We’re saying no and really being clear about that,” said Becca. No kids are allowed to go greet someone they don’t know or have any connection to during the school day. “It is not safe to do so.”
The second change at U-32 is how students sign in and out. When you walk into school, you first have to sign in with Nancy through a window.
“That is a safety shift for us, in a positive direction,” said Becca. While this is new at our school, most schools around the country already do this. It is safer to get approval before people enter the building.
The third change this school year is the new options-based safety drills. All schools across the country are required to engage in practice drills. In the state of Vermont, we have options-based drills.
In the case of an incident on campus or inside the school, this drill gives you options for how to stay safe. Any member of the admin team can set off the alarm, at any time, throughout anywhere in the building. Students and staff have the option to shelter in place, meaning you stay where you are.
A lockdown could also happen, where no one is allowed in and out of the building. Everyone will do the classic lockdown drill, hiding quietly in a dark corner. There are also options-based ways to deal with violence, run, hide or fight.
These protocols are for any potential threat on campus, not just gun violence. The job students have is to listen to the adult you are in the room with.
“Every person on every member of the staff is trained. We have to, as required by law and we are all trained as leaders,” said Becca. They will instruct students by making the most reasonable and safe decision using what they know.
We all know the feeling of going out in public and seeing five people we know, how everyone seems to be connected by a friend of a friend. While our small town is annoying sometimes, it shows something meaningful. We are a community, tight knit because of our shared experiences and close proximity to each other.
With community meals, meetings, and more, school has always been very community focused.
“When we hear about violence in schools, it is most times a kid or a member of the surrounding community that didn’t feel connected,” said Becca. She makes it clear that as a school community, our job is to make sure everyone feels connected no matter what.
Speaking of change, the club Changemakers is creating a new group facing gun violence in schools. The focus is to prevent gun violence, talk about and spread positive messages around gun safety. The goal is to build awareness and support on this hard issue. Plans for meetings include organizing walk outs, rallies, talking about gun violence, and uplifting each other on this depressing topic.
“It’s really important right now to figure out where your priorities are when it comes to your own safety and the safety of others, and how you’re going to contribute to the community,” said Katie Dwyer, an organizer of the club. Being a part of a club like this is one way to do that. “Regardless of political views, the real issue at stake is gun control and safety.”
It is important to “be there for each other when it comes to more difficult aspects of this topic, even though most aspects of this topic are difficult. We can come together to create a space where we feel like we can create positive change,” said Dwyer.
The club’s first meeting was October 3rd, and will meet in room 21 twice a month on Fridays. Talk to Katie Dwyer, Lilith Blackwell or Makenzie Tucker if you are interested or have questions.
Actions being taken at U-32 are reassuring to most students, but they don’t remove fear altogether. Undoubtedly, gun violence frequency in schools increasing at an alarming rate breaks our sense of safety. As Adam French, Spanish teacher at U-32, said, “It just makes me sad for students, youth. Just sad that that’s the world you guys have to wake up to everyday.”
“The goal is prevention and prevention means relationships,” Becca states. Connection begins with building the foundation of a collective of people who respect, care for, and feel safe. Whether through community gatherings or new protocols, the changes U-32 is making are for the safety and well-being of the school community.