after the school shooting that took place at Marjory Stoneman Douglas last school year, students made it clear that shootings will no longer be tolerated or pushed under the rug.

As a result, the “Never Again” movement came to be.

It goes without question that students across the country are bold and brave, it was seen in “March for Our Lives.” But many students are scared, and their fears aren’t unwarranted. The question needs to be asked: What is USD 497 doing to ensure the safety of its students and faculty?

Before school started, teachers underwent safety training provided by the ALICE Training Institute. Staff members were taught how to respond to emergencies, including an active shooter event. Teachers did the training at their own pace but it lasted about an hour and a half.

It’s hard to tell if that is an adequate amount of time to try to prepare staff for the worst-case scenario. Regular mass shootings are a new phenomenon, but it’s safe to say that the district is doing as much as it knows to do.

Students at Lawrence High face a unique threat. Our building has about 10 doors where anyone can walk in at any time. Despite this, Lawrence High is armed with the most selfless staff, and courageous students.

Students at Lawrence High took it upon themselves to begin the “SAFeR” club, to fight for change.

It is a scary world with new threats arising every single day, but good will always beat bad, and love will forever outweigh fear. For these reasons and more, I firmly believe that we are protected not just because of the “safety training,” but because of those who surround us.