By Tomer N., 6th Grade Student, Krieger Schechter Day School of Chizuk Amuno Congregation
This past Valentine’s Day, a day intended for hearts, candy and love, turned into a nightmare for the families, students, teachers and staff members of Marjory Stoneman Douglas School located in Parkland, Fla. Nicholas Cruz, a former MSDS student, marched into school that morning with the intent to murder. With his legally purchased AR-15 rifle, Cruz shot and killed 17 students and teachers. Since that dark day, the lost lives of MSDS have been recognized and honored by people worldwide. It has affected people everywhere, including right here at Krieger Schechter Day School (KSDS).
The MSDS tragedy left students and staff at KSDS in shock. Students sought ways to remember those who were murdered. Following the announcement of a national school walkout, Rabbi Moshe Schwartz, KSDS head of school, was committed to giving students a chance to participate.
“We took steps to create an opportunity for students who wished to walk out of classes on March 14 to do so safely and appropriately. We’ve also acknowledged the tragedy in other ways, like giving tzedakah (charity), but we also are sensitive to the fact that some students still don’t know what happened. We want people to feel safe in this school,” said Rabbi Schwartz.
When Sarai S., a KSDS sixth grade student, learned about this tragedy, she felt deep pain. “I thought about all the families of the students and teachers that were shot, and I thought how they must be feeling right now,” Sarai said. She and Schwartz both agree that gun laws need to change.
According to Schwartz, the laws that were made in the 1700s need to be revisited and revised. “I respect the Constitution, but I also believe that laws that were written in the 1700s do not apply the same way today. Therefore, we need to have laws that make sense for 2018,” he noted.
One of the most controversial questions that has been raised following so many school shootings is that of arming teachers. Sarai strongly believes that this is a horrible idea.
“I do not think teachers should be able to have a gun. How would you feel if your English teacher has a gun laying on her desk?” Sarai asks. “Instead of making children feel safe, it will cause them to feel scared and terrified. Kindergarten students who grow up seeing their teacher hold a gun can be traumatized for life.”
Rabbi Schwartz agrees that teachers should not be armed; however, for the sake of protection, he contemplates the effects of potentially arming administrators… “If I were arming anyone, I would arm an administrator who may be in the hallway or in the building. Someone who is not a primary classroom teacher. If that were to be the case, which I think is not the ideal situation anyway, I would also encourage people to get proper training.”
Feb. 14, 2018 will definitely be a day never to be forgotten. Hearts from all over the world will remain broken forever. Valentine’s Day is meant to be about love. Instead of a heart, however, Cruz brought a gun to school. This tragedy has affected every single community in the U.S. and will hopefully prompt change in our society.
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