Do you know what a "lock down drill" is?

Tonight, after picking up Mia and coming home.  I immediately went to my room to change out of my fun heeled boots, and cute blue skirt and black tights.  It's just not the kind of outfit you want to be wearing while traipsing around the kitchen, throwing together dinner for your kids.

Mia came upstairs with me, and asked me if she could dress up.  It's kinda funny that she came home to dress up and I was putting my sweats on.  Anyway, while I was changing, as you moms know, this of course was the perfect time for Mia to come tell me about her day.

She came to show me that she could do a lock down drill.  She showed me how you have to sit, and stay quiet.  Don't scream, she says.  Because there are no windows in the classroom, and the lights will be off.  Someone could be in the hallway, and want to get you.  So they practice hiding, in the dark, preparing for the scenario that someone comes into the school and is shooting, or some other terrifying act.

....WTF?!?!?!?....

Did you know about this drill?  I mean, yeah, I may be behind on the safety precautions our kids are being taught, but...

a lock down drill?

Where my kid is being taught to hide in the dark and not to scream?

This makes me angry.  Righteously, indignantly, and terrifyingly ANGRY.

Our CHILDREN are being to sent to schools.  Where they may not be safe.  We send them to learn, to learn math, and reading, how to socialize and work hard.  But.  BUT.  It has become abundantly clear that we can't keep our kids safe at school.

What are our lawmakers doing about this?  All I hear about is how we are de-funding education left and right.  How we are not paying our teachers.  How we are promoting that anyone can carry a gun - not just to protect their home, but anywhere they go.  AND OUR KIDS ARE NOT SAFE AT SCHOOL!!

Is this getting through????  I'm tired of hearing political ads, and how Congress is the worst, least productive Congress ever.  I care about that - yes - but more than that, I care that our kids are safe.  I felt safe when I was at school.  Even during fire drills, and tornado drills.  Those were things that you tried to prepare for because you can't stop them.  We can stop having our kids be targeted.  We can do something about this.

What can we do?  Honestly, right now, I don't know.  But, I have ideas.  And I am going to research what I can do to make this better.  I will do everything I can to make sure that my kids feel safe at school and really and truly are safe.  Because, our kids should be able to enjoy school, and learn in a safe environment.

My little Elsa, hanging out with me, watching Frozen, feeling secure.