We Need to do Better

This past week I posted on my social media about a Parkland, Florida student who took her life; a beautiful young lady named Sydney Aiello. Most have concluded that she had survivor’s guilt and couldn’t cope with what she saw in school that fateful day. Anyone with kids can put them self in this situation — what if it was my kid? Then we drift to why didn’t anyone know she was in such pain? Her dad told a story of how she attempted to go to college but being in a classroom riddled her with angst.

Today, I read that a second MSD student has taken his life. I have many questions when it comes to mass shootings especially at schools. What makes a kid so angry to commit such a sweeping murder? How have we failed as a society to not help those that feel left in the darkest places of our society?

I don’t have answers, and it’s easy to think more laws will stop this stuff but they won’t. My kids have never had the luxury of knowing a time when these things weren’t so common; my youngest has active shooter drills on a regular basis.

When I was a kid, the threat was from the Godless communists not from within. Our country seems to trip over a dollar to save a dime, perhaps it’s time to invest in mental health issues once again, and it would seem to be worth it. I don’t want to turn this into a gun debate, or an armed teacher debate. But somewhere we have to do more, if we can have resources to help those in need perhaps the other debate becomes a mute point.

I do know this, Sydney Aiello deserved better than what she was given as far as mental health help. All these kids do, it’s time we step up as a nation.