The tragedy of the Amish School shooting in PA has taught us of the need to do all that is possible to ensure the safety of children in every education situation.
The Amish School shootings have struck a chord among people dulled by even the horrific school shootings that have taken place in recent years in public schools. This situation, dubbed "Our 9/11" by an Amish spokesperson speaks to many because it signals that not only is nowhere safe, but that seemingly no one is safe.
A milk truck driver, Carl Roberts IV dropped his children off at the bus stop before beginning the course of events which ultimately led to his and 5 young girls' deaths (possibly more as several are still in the hospital at this time) and the loss of innocence of the young Amish boys who made it out of the school and many others in the Amish community.
Troubling to many outside of the world of the Amish is the seeming randomness of this act. If a simple one room school house can suffer this sort of tragedy, are our children safe in larger childcare centers? How about home-based centers?
Larger schools can do much to protect children against anyone who would seek to do them harm. Many schools now have secured entrances where you must pass security and register in the office before entering the school, metal detectors, and K-9 units daily walking the grounds.
However, for small public schools, private childcare centers, and home-based centers, there are not many budget-friendly options to utilize for protection of their kids. One strategy that may work for these smaller centers is to see where they can take cues from larger centers and schools for their security.
(See Page 2 for specific strategies for safety in small centers)
Visit some of my other articles for advice on daycare selection and rules designed to keep kids safe:
Visit my blog for a more personal take on this issue.
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