Safe at school – and everywhere

As a recently retired public school principal, I know that a good safety plan for all students and staff is essential to managing an elementary school. This includes reasonable rules for behavior, staff and parent engagement, conscientious playground and cafeteria supervision, and procedures to ensure the protection of those on campus.

In response to violent and tragic events that have occurred on school campuses over the past ten years, from elementary schools to colleges, schools have collaborated with public agencies to prevent further occurrences. So now it is very common to see “closed campus” settings, electronic surveillance, formal lockdown and evacuation procedures, and, in many cases, a visible police presence at schools.

As a principal, I would regularly visit classrooms and monitor the playground and cafeteria. I would regularly ask myself, “Do I feel safe on this campus?” I could honestly answer, “Yes, I do.” It wasn’t just because of all the updated safety devices and procedures added to the campus during my tenure as principal—I also felt safe because of an abiding confidence and conviction that God’s love is ever present and would not put any of His precious children in harm’s way.

Daily, my prayers would reach out to God to listen and hear more of what He needed me to do as a principal. My study of the weekly Christian Science Bible Lesson always provided needed inspiration and guidance. The insights gained from this consistent study helped me feel safe and secure. I could take comfort in knowing that God’s love was already present on campus before I arrived each morning. When challenges and unexpected problems arose, I could respond with God’s grace and humility, and trust that He would provide the way, the means, and the opportunity to see solutions unfold in their right order and timing.

One particularly memorable morning provided proof to me that God’s presence and protection are immediate and accessible. I was out supervising the playground before the start of the school day. As the morning bell rang, I returned to my office to review my appointments and plans for the day. Minutes later I received word that there was some sort of disturbance near one of the classrooms, and that I needed to investigate immediately.

When I entered the classroom, two aides informed me that an unknown teenager had walked onto the campus, stood in full view of the sliding glass doors, pulled out a pistol from inside his coat, and fired two shots at a car that had pulled up in a side parking lot of the school. This occurred in the same location where the special education students were expected to arrive soon. The teachers saw the teenager leaving toward the front of the school.

I ordered an immediate lockdown of the campus, and the police arrived moments later. There was no sign of the intruder, as he had been seen leaving the campus shortly before the police had arrived. The police searched further and assured me that the campus was clear. I notified staff that lockdown status was discontinued and that regular routines could resume.

I returned to my office for what turned out to be the only private moments for the rest of the day. And I truly needed that time to pray about what had just happened. I was stunned and deeply saddened by the repulsive thought that someone had violated our school by shooting a gun. This put hundreds of innocent children and adults in serious danger, and I felt responsible for their safety. My anger and fear were overwhelming, and I felt I was losing the ability to think clearly. So I called my wife, a Christian Science practitioner, to pray with me. She spoke authoritatively about God’s complete control of the situation, which, I saw, included my thought.

Immediately, a wonderful idea came to mind: “Know, then, that you possess sovereign power to think and act rightly, and that nothing can dispossess you of this heritage and trespass on love.” These words appear on page 3 of Pulpit and Press by Mary Baker Eddy. The aggressive feelings of depression and fear instantly vanished. I was thinking clearly again and was deeply grateful to God for this quick and dramatic turnaround in my thought.

The rest of my day was devoted to explaining what had happened to staff, students, parents, and the community, and assuring them that the campus was safe and that no one was hurt. I felt peaceful and composed while speaking to parents and during interviews with four television news teams. Some teachers gratefully mentioned that they felt safe at school because of the confident example set by the school office and administration.

The police remained on campus until dismissal time, and by then the intruder had been apprehended in the neighborhood without further incident. We were able to return completely to our regular classroom routines by the next morning.

After such a dramatic experience, the staff and I spent a lot of time evaluating and adjusting our emergency plan. Throughout the process, I continued asking myself, “Do I feel safe on this campus?” The answer was always the same: “Yes, I do.” As we worked to better ensure the practical safety of the school, I felt confident that God, divine Love, was a present source of wisdom, intelligence, and protection for me and everyone. It’s comforting to know that the Christ, “the divine manifestation of God which comes to the flesh to destroy incarnate error,” can neutralize any evil intent to commit a violent act (Science and Health p. 583). This prayer protects individuals from becoming victims or perpetrators.

By acknowledging the supremacy of God’s care and government, every parent has the right to be confident that his or her children are safe wherever they may be. Prayer informs our practical actions in maintaining safety, and is an effective counter to error, which would terrorize us into believing that our children, or we ourselves, are vulnerable. God’s presence is a constant protection and source of comfort. As the Bible affirms, “The Lord is my refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Ps. 46:1).

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