I grew up in Highland Park, Illinois. I'm a graduate of Highland Park High School. The last thing I thought about while attending school was guns and gun violence. Metal detectors at school entrances? Was that even a thing back then?
Summer is now over for many students across the United States. At Highland Park High School, in Chicago’s north suburbs, Freshmen returned on Tuesday with the other three classes joining them yesterday. They were met by something that wasn't there when school ended in the Spring…METAL DETECTORS!
It's been a violent thirteen months in Highland Park. It began on July 4th of 2022 when there was a shooting at the holiday parade. Seven people were killed with many more injured. The gunman was a former student at HPHS.
Last spring, the school was put on lockdown when a student brought a gun onto the campus. Although no shots were fired and no one was injured, it was shocking that it could happen, especially so soon after the previous gun incident.
Then, last Sunday, a sixteen-year-old student was shot and killed by another sixteen-year-old.
These three incidents occurring so close together have kept residents of the city on edge. Parents are rightly concerned for their children's safety when they send them off to school. Hence, we now have metal detectors at the entrances of the school.
I never saw any of this coming. I couldn't even imagine this. The 4th of July shootings were going to be a one-off thing. It had to be. This was Highland Park, right?
Maybe I was naive or maybe it was my privilege in growing up in this community… probably some of both. But this is 2023. Life has changed a lot in the five decades since I grew up there. Guns, gun violence and metal detectors are a common occurrence. Even in Highland Park.
Sad commentary but all too relatable. Long ago we kids were worried about nuclear war. I still shudder thinking of the school drills of the past. Then we were scared of enemies on the outside; now we must be alert to the enemies “within.” I often think about the challenges of being a child today; I find myself loving children and pets more than ever before.
The reality of today's world is breathtaking most days. I felt so safe at school in the 50's and 60's and all through college at NYU and even at Loyola Watertower in the early 2000's. Metal detectors at school entrances can save lives...I will never forget the beginning with Laurie Dann when my children were in school. Before that tragedy I asked the principal in the Flossmoor elementary school to consider locking the many entrances to the school...as a New Yorker I was skeptical of such an open door policy. He told me they were keeping their "open door policy"...which stayed in place until a few months later when Laurie Dann's shot several students, killing one on the Northshore of Chicago. I wish all students a safe school year along with all school personnel.