The Main Purpose of a 911 Call

     The State of Connecticut’s Freedom of Information commission has ordered the town of Newtown to release the 911 calls they received on the day of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings.  The purpose of obtaining these calls is to decide if their content should be made available to the public.  There has been opposition by the families of the victims and their supporters, for this material to be accessible to anyone seeking a request.  Included in this concern are photos depicting the scene after the tragedy.   For years now, 911 calls and crime scene photos have made their way into mainstream media and the internet.  We are taught to call 911 only when there is a true emergency to report.  Dispatchers then notify the appropriate personnel to the scene. The purpose of the call is to alert police, fire, and medical responders, not for the media, print, or internet reporting.

     As the years have gone by, more and more of these calls have been played on network news and talk shows.  The fear, anxiety, and sense of helplessness often is heard as the individual at the end of the phone line is reaching out for assistance.   One is often left to wonder what purpose is gained by hearing these voices in distress.   Does it help in any way?  Does it make us understand the trauma those individuals suffered?  Do seeing pictures of victims give us, the public, any more information?  There are reports that some of the first responders at the scene of the shooting are suffering from mental stress.  What benefit will they, the families, and the public obtain from seeing the images or hearing those cries for help.  This is not one  of the many nightly dramas that opens each episode with a horrific crime scene.  What happened is real, with real people, affecting real lives.  The effects don’t end in an hour, but are everlasting.

     We as a public are not privy to everything.  We abide by doctor-patient confidentiality.  Clergy do not have to report information shared from a member of their congregation.   The names and pictures of juveniles are not reported in regards to a variety of issues.  The identity of abuse victims are not revealed in the press or other media.   The media themselves are protected from exposing sources in the reporting of a story.

     Does this really have to be debated?  Do the families, already dealing with an impossible amount of grief, have to spend time fighting to have calls and photos blocked?   What are we possibly going to find out that we already don’t know?   It doesn’t change what happened.   The images that remain with us should be the smiling faces of the beautiful, innocent children and the 6 caring adults who lost their life on that day.   The information in those calls and in those pictures should be restricted to law enforcement and the courts.   The victims and their families have rights too, and their rights should be respected.  May they be granted the peace they deserve.

The Class of ’43 Goes to the Prom

     Almost every night, at 10:00 P.M., I watch the news.  Sometimes I wonder why I do this because the headlines for the most part are filled with terrible news.  Shootings, robberies, break-ins, fires, hit and runs make up the top stories of the night.  Next come stories of political fallouts or weather disasters.  But one night this week, a story early in the broadcast was of a different sort.

      Every year, thousands of high school seniors prepare to go to their prom.  There is another group of seniors also planning to attend the prom this year,  the Hillhouse High school Class of 1943 in New Haven, CT.   Deferred due to the war, this class never had the experience of attending the annual school dance.  A group got together and decided after 70 years, the time had come to celebrate the rite of passage.

     I loved this story.  It was heartwarming, touching, and humorous.  It brought out an understanding that no matter how many years pass, how many experiences we have, how much happiness or sorrow we experience, we remain young at heart.  Wouldn’t it be great if the news was like this every night.  Enjoy.

http://youtu.be/IWVk2dEb0hs

Supporting Business in Sandy Hook

     My daughter had to buy a present to attend the birthday party of a classmate.  When I asked what she thought the little girl would like, she came up with a gift that involved creating fashion designs.  When asked where I could purchase this item, my daughter told me she saw it in the toy store in Sandy Hook.   Yes, that Sandy Hook, the town reluctantly known all over the world due to a terrible and tragic event.  So, last Friday, for the second time since that fateful day, I drove to Newtown.

     I didn’t go when the throngs of media and people offering their condolences ascended on the streets of a small intersection.  Having once lived in the area, I knew that the scene would be overwhelming.  Instead I chose to pray, offer a financial donation, and deal with the heartache and disbelief that carries on to this day.  A few weeks later, when the reporters and crowds left town, I took my girls to the place they have been getting their haircut for years, Fun Kuts.   Marci, the owner and her staff are wonderful, caring, and great with kids.  Afterwards, we went to The Toy Tree which is next door.   Even though it was early afternoon, the area seemed eerily quiet.

     Last Friday, I returned to The Toy Tree to purchase the gift, and bought more than I had intended.  It is a wonderful store with many items not found in big box toy stores.  I knew my girls would like what I purchased, and I felt it was a small way to help the owner.  Leaving the store, I noticed that the street wasn’t lined with parked cars as in the past, and once again, that quietness was there.  Much to my dismay, the coffee shop around the corner had closed.  This was another business that I had frequented over the years.  Was I imagining it, or are people staying away?

     When the shooting first happened, swarms of people and media flooded the streets of Newtown.  People and reporters from far and wide blocked the roads and sidewalks. So many individuals expressed publicly their concern in the immediate aftermath, but how many have returned to show support?   The businesses suffered a loss which the state is attempting to make up to them.  What the businesses in Sandy Hook, and town of Newtown on a whole need, is for the residents of surrounding towns to shop in their stores, and eat in their restaurants.  There is no reason to stay away.  Actions speak louder than words.

   This is not a call for the streets to be overwhelmed with visitors, rather a day-to-day flow of traffic that will help these businesses keep their doors open.  The owners dealt with the crowds and visitors in a caring and respectful manner.  They have passed on messages and items to the families, and have remained strong.  Newtown as a whole has handled the tragedy with a spirit of strength, dignity, compassion, and love.   We need to let them know that they have our support, admiration, and a place in our hearts that will never go away.  Your presence will let them know.

This Time I’m Ready

     Here comes Sandy.  Last year at this time, the northeast experienced a freak October snowstorm that took down trees, and knocked out power to many.  My family went without power for 9 days.  It was frustrating as everyone around us seemed to luck out, but a small group of homes were left in the dark because of a large tree that fell on our road.  I thought I was prepared for the storm, and I was ok for about 4 to 5 days, but around day 6, things got harder.  My house got colder, I was running out of water, eating was a challenge, and a certain kind of fatigue set in.  There were lessons learned, and the experience taught us to always be prepared.

      I always have a large supply of bottled water stored away.  We use it at times during the year, but it is replaced as soon as it is consumed.  Those of us with homes that run on a septic system know how hard it is to deal with a lack of water.  Last year I filled the tubs and collected water from melting snow.   This year, I already have gallon containers of water in the basement, numerous buckets and containers filled, and the tubs will be filled.  I have a stash of nonperishable food and all my laundry is done.  I have flashlights, but I have found battery operated LED laterns that provide more light and are easier to carry around.  The only item I have not invested in is a generator.  I don’t have a baby, anyone ill or elderly, and we seemed to survive last time without one so it hasn’t been on the top of our list.  I will however, crank the heat up if the storm seems to be strengthening just to keep the house warmer longer.

     Despite all the upset, my kids are taking it all in stride.  Having gone throught it before, they are loaded up on books, charged up some games, and put batteries in a couple of old boom boxes.  I’m hoping that it will not hit us too hard, and that all the tree work that was done on my road will prove to be adequate.  I’m still leary about the 2 or 3 dead ones I see standing, but hopefully they will not fall.  My philosphy in these situations is that there are always those worse off.  I will probably fare better than my cousins in New Jersey.  I know that the people near coastlines will suffer damage to their homes.  I also know that for my area this in not Katrina or Haiti, and that I will not suffer for years to come.  It’s all perspective.  I’m praying that all survive.

What Students Need to Succeed

The past few weeks have been filled with articles and media reports concerning the education reform package presented by Governor Malloy.  Much of the focus has been centered on teacher preparation, certification, tenure, and salary.  It is not within reason to want to examine these areas along with the curriculum standards that are now in place.  What is troubling is that there appears to be a consensus that there are a great number of teachers who are not qualified, or conscientious enough for the day-to-day learning of students.  When the goal is to improve the achievement of students, other factors need to be considered before any real change can occur.

The steps towards certification in the state of Connecticut are among the most rigorous in the nation.  There are numerous requirements which must be met in order to reach certain levels.  This usually takes years to achieve.  Evaluations and professional development is ongoing in most districts, and teachers must take additional credits in order to maintain their license.  If a teacher is not sufficiently doing their job, or are not observed to be effective, there are plenty of opportunities early on in their career to not grant certification, or to be released by a district.  It is up to the administrative staff, central office, and the state to make this determination, and to have the fortitude to follow through with the decision.

The other factors that come into to play are those which no school, principal, or teacher has control. Children need to understand from a young age that school is important.  Attendance is critical.  I have seen many students miss too many days to be successful.  Children also need an adequate amount of rest.  Letting young children stay up late is not beneficial to learning.  They also have to be taught how to behave and be respectful. Too much class time is spent dealing with inappropriate behavior.  This has nothing to do with a teacher having control.  Homework needs to be completed and handed in on time.  Less time should be spent on video games or other electronic devices, and more should be spent on reading.

Every student needs a parent, grandparent, guardian, or someone responsible in their life that will ensure that they are prepared and active in their learning.  I have seen students in homes run by single moms, working two jobs, go on to college and be successful.  I have seen students from all socio-economic levels who are neglected and don’t care about school.  It takes caring adults to encourage, inspire, and motivate young people. It takes adults outside of the school to make sure that education is a priority in the life of a child.

Teachers play a significant role in the education of a youngster, but they can’t do it alone.  There is no single method that allows every student to succeed.   Urban schools are dealing with more issues than their suburban counterparts.  They need more assistance in terms of staffing, materials, and social services.  It is easy to point fingers and lay blame. Teaching is the one occupation that everyone thinks they understand or know how to do better.  It takes more than a few hours on a tour, or even a whole day, to truly understand the magnitude of variables that is facing one person standing alone in a room.

I have met very few teachers that didn’t care about kids.  They want to see all students succeed.  They fret about the children who were struggling, and work hard to find a way to help.  So change the requirements, and change the curriculum, but if you don’t concentrate on the social, emotional, and behavior of our young, nothing will be different.  Education doesn’t occur only in a school building.  The whole day of a child has an impact.  That is the message that needs reinforcing.  That is the area that will have the most effect in terms of future success.

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9 Days, 8 Nights. It Wasn’t a Vacation.

 On October 30^th, a freak snowstorm hit the Northeast.   Since the trees still had leaves, the wet, heavy snow snapped many limbs and branches.  In some cases entire trees fell, and as they fell, down came the power lines.  Here in Connecticut, the damage was extensive.  Over 800,000 residences and businesses were left without electricity.  For many of us that meant no heat, water, or lights.   The first days were tolerable, but as time went on it became harder to stay warm, find water, and figure out what you could eat for each meal.  It has been over a week since the power has been restored.  Looking back there were some moments that were humorous, and others that became thought-provoking.

 These were the moments that I found humorous.   No matter how hard you look out the window, the utility truck does not appear.  You can finally justify why you kept that old shirt hanging in the closet for the past 15 years.   You found  listening to a show about coins on NPR quite entertaining.  You wonder how people with generators are able to sleep at night.   People told me that they had power, but were going crazy with no cable or phone.  I just smiled.

 These are the moments I found thought-provoking.  Water is a valuable resource.  I became obsessed collecting it.  I had buckets set up all around my house to catch water as the snow melted.  I filled other buckets with snow and brought it inside to melt.  Of course this took some time as the house eventually got down to 45 degrees.  Heat is something not to be taken for granted.  I found myself going out during the day with my 2 girls just to warm up.   You wonder how people who do not have heat are able to survive a winter.   It is extremely difficult to eat when your refrigerator is out, and you can’t use the stove.  I haven’t complained about cooking lately.

 My favorite comments on the outage came from the media.   A 75- year-old man called into a radio show and stated that at least we still had our houses.  He had a friend in the mid-west who lost his house to a tornado.  The radio host differed with him, but the caller was right.  Also, I can’t remember the number of times that people compared this storm to life in colonial days.  The question was “How did they do it?”   The answer?  Better than us.  Their life involved burning wood in fireplaces, and collecting water for drinking and cleaning.  They didn’t have cell phones or ipads to worry about, and communication flowed through the community.

 Lastly, I have to say I was surprised how well my children handled the whole ordeal.  They survived a week without television or the computer.  They played cards, checkers, colored, and read books.  They dragged out toys and made up their own stories.  They learned how to cope in a difficult situation, and were grateful when the power was restored.  It reminded all of us that we need to appreciate a roof over our heads, clean water, lights, heat and a life filled with comfort.  There will be times in life that will be challenging.  One week taught us that we can survive.