A TEACHER'S LIFE: MOMENTS OF INSANITY
It was the last period of the day, I think we had about 50 minutes left and as I am trying to teach, my principal comes over the loudspeaker and says we are now in lockdown??. Well, most of the time it’s just a drill, however, this time there was something in her voice that made it feel real. So, we spent the rest of the period in lockdown, (teachers, now you know what you’re thinking when it’s just a drill, extreme eye-rolling). Now the bell has rung, school is over and now I’m in my car trying to leave, but first let me set the scene.?Our school is set up so there is only one way in and one way out. Usually, it’s not chaotic but today the traffic was moving especially slow. As I crept very slowly down the driveway in my car, I look to the left and in the field that separates the entrance and exit, I can see that the field is roped off with real crime scene tape (I’m like yikes). Now I’m like whaaaaat, is this for real!? I can see police officers looking on the ground for something so what do I do, I pull out my phone and snap a couple of pictures because really crime scene tape!
Later that evening we received an email explaining the situation, there was a middle school student who didn’t even attend our school and was supposed to be at the alternative school, who came with a gun and intentions of scaring another student (I can only assume). I thought to myself, well ok no one was hurt, this kid is not one of ours and then I remembered I still needed to get my lesson ready for the next day. Only a teacher can push that situation to the side and continue with the education process. The next day, I get in my car and as I’m driving to work I haven’t even given yesterday’s situation a second thought, which turned out to be a serious situation. I get to the school, park my car, now keep in mind it’s like 7:05 am and still dark. I started walking the half-mile (yes, half-mile) to my room and I notice the fire alarm is going off inside the building. People, I didn’t even think twice about evacuating all I could think about was I needed to hurry so I could be first in line at the copy machine!!!!!?Where has my sanity gone?