February 28, 2012 Chardon, Ohio

From a Parents Perspective.

I logged onto facebook this morning and one of the status updates that I read said: "Oh dear God, not Chardon High!!!!"
My heart sunk, because although my son attends a different school, many of the young men from his scout troop
go to that school.  I turned on the tv and replied to my friend's update asking what was going on. She of course responded with
the news of the shooting.  I texted our scout master and started dialing the parents of the scouts.  I coundn't get a hold of anyone.
I decided that I couldn't sit at home any longer, so I headed up to the school. 

Once there, I parked at St, Mary Chardon. It is my parish away from home since it is where the scout troop is based.  I ran across
the street to the middle school where parents had been told to pick up their students.  People were standing around, just waiting.
Over and over, I heard people say, "This is Chardon. This is the country. I moved here so this wouldn't happen."  I saw a few of the
parents that I knew and was glad to give hugs and offer words of support.  By now, another parent had made contact with most
of the troop and we knew that "our boys" were all safe. We also have a parent who teaches in the school, and he was safe as well.

At some point, parents were then instructed to go over to Maple Elementary.  They allowed us to walk through the Chardon High School
field to cross over to the elementary school.  While parents were waiting, there was some normal chatter.  I glanced back at the high school
and students started filing out.  They were instructed to get in a line and file into Maple.  The parents were moved to another line.
The students were chatting and it seemed almost surreal.. as if nothing had happened. Kids were laughing and on their phones and
parents were waving and obviously relieved to see their child.  It took about 20 minutes, when silence sort of fell over the crowd.  Then
for a while, it was strangely calm and quiet.  As parents were reunited with students, and started exiting the elementary school, that's when
the reality might have begun to set in.  There were hugs and tears and lots of emotion.

At this point was when some of the rumors really started to fly.  I heard things about twitter. I heard things about the shooter being bullied.
I heard things about fights being rampant at the school lately. I heard things about drugs.  And it hit me.
It. doesn't. matter.
None of it.

What matters most is how to move forward from this. It is going to take a long time. Some kids are going to be angry, some are going to be scared,
some scared and some are going to be ok.  Even students from other schools are going to experience feelings.  We as adults are going to have to
be caretakers AND remember to take care of ourselves.  We are allowed to be afraid and sad too.  3 young men have lost their lives. More than 3
families have been ripped apart in what we feel is senseless violence.

We need to give it time.... it will stay with us for a long time. I am blessed to be able to work with a group of great young men. We will get by. We will survive.