Neelin students were well prepared for what happened
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Thank you for your editorial on the Neelin stabbing.
I have two children currently at Neelin, and next year it will be three. When I told my children’s grandparents about what happened on Tuesday, one of the first things one of them asked was: “When are they putting in metal detectors?”
I told him I hope never.
Parents and guardians queue to pick up students from École Secondaire Neelin High School’s gymnasium on Tuesday afternoon after a student there was attacked with a sword.
Fortunately, my kids didn’t witness Tuesday’s terrifying minutes, but one was initially within earshot. A staff member told her to run, to hide and take shelter in a nearby classroom, so she did. Every time I hear her recount the story to curious friends and family, I am overwhelmed by how well prepared they were.
They drilled for this, and everyone knew what to do. The initial 911 call came from a student, according to media reports. That kid had a good head on their shoulders and potentially saved precious minutes. BPS were there within minutes and did their job brilliantly, and while it was horrifying that one person was seriously injured, it could have been so much worse.
They were prepared. I do not doubt that they will use this incident to be ever more prepared.
Sometimes, sadly, we do need to take safety measures, such as installing metal detectors and having extra security. But more often than not, being proactive, prepared and safe isn’t about any physical implementations, but about having processes in place.
It’s about having those drills and practising what to do. More importantly, it’s about checking with kids and families, making sure they are OK. It means supporting the families that are struggling, and whose kids are struggling. I want my kids to feel safe, not because we’ve started searching bags and having a guard, but because they belong to a community that looks out for each other.
Stay strong, Spartans. You did good work. Let’s make sure this never happens again.
CAROLYN MARKMANN
Brandon