Here We Are in the First Week of School in the United States

Update 2:

The father of the shooter - who had bought his son some kind of AR-15 type weapon (because isn't that what you give all 13-year olds?) - has been charged in the case. 

Via CNN:

The father of the Apalachee High School shooting suspect has been arrested in connection with the shooting that left four people dead, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

Colin Gray, 54, has been charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder and eight counts of cruelty to children, the GBI said Thursday. 

His son, Colt Gray, a 14-year-old student, is accused of killing two students and two teachers with an AR-style rifle in the Wednesday shooting. Nine more people were hospitalized. The teen has been charged with four counts of felony murder, according to charging documents obtained by CNN. He is expected to be tried as an adult, the GBI and Barrow County sheriff have said.  

The timeline the teen’s father provided to authorities would put the gun purchase months after authorities first contacted Gray and his family to investigate school shooting threats made online.

The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office in Georgia closed that investigation because the tip about the threat could not be substantiated. 

Of interest to me:

“All of our teachers are armed with a form of an ID called Centegix,” Smith said Wednesday night. Centegix alerts law enforcement “after buttons are pressed on an ID and it alerts us that there is an active situation at the school for whatever reason and that was pressed.”

Centegix’s website says the tool has “dynamic digital mapping, real-time locating capabilities, an easy-to-use wearable panic button for school and district staff, a school visitor management system, and safe reunification capabilities enable educators to plan for and respond faster to emergencies.”

 end of update 2

 

Update:

From Yahoo News:

Channel 2′s Tom Jones spoke with a senior at Apalachee High School, who recounted the moments she says her teacher was shot and killed.

The student said she and her classmates were in statistics class when they heard someone beating on a locker outside the classroom.

“She says her teacher went out to investigate and that’s when they heard a shot. Their teacher fell back into the doorway of their classroom,” Jones reported.

The student said that’s when the shooting stopped. She then said a group of classmates went out into the hallway and grabbed their teacher and dragged him or her back into the classroom.

She said that the group of students then barricaded the door and hid inside the classroom, waiting for help to come.

Is this what we want for kids? I recall the students at Sand Point Elementary, a year ago June, trying valiantly to hold onto a portable door from the inside because they couldn't lock it against an intruder. 

Something has to change. One good sign earlier this year was the conviction of parents of a shooter in Michigan who knew their child was troubled. Both of them are going to prison.  A year ago, the FBI got tips about online messaging about guns they traced to the student in yesterday's shooting and sheriff's deputies questioned the student and his parents. So I'm thinking the parents in the Georgia case might also face criminal charges. 

At the very least, the families of the victims could go after the parents in a civil case and bring them to their financial knees. 

end of update

 

Via Twitter:

First at 8:40 am:

As a former teacher, nothing beats that first day of school feeling. It’s all about hope and possibility. Wishing all students and teachers a great school year!                                    Governor Tim Walz

Well, he tried. 

Then:

"Two students at Apalachee High School will not be able to experience a new school year. Two teachers will not be able to inspire their students with the lessons they planned for the year. 

 Banned books and drag queens aren’t killing our children. Guns are."

and

Via CNN:

A 16-year old student at Apalachee High school sent her mom a text “I’m sorry I haven’t been a perfect daughter. I love you.”

 

WAY too many kids in our country are able to access guns easily.