Just had an interesting visitor at work...

[TheDude1]

So I think most of you know that I am an elementary school teacher.

So today the father of one of the Sandy Hook kids who were killed came in, to talk to the teachers... Part of a program that he’s doing. The first 20 or so minutes, he told the story of his boy, and the day itself, and showed photos. He choked up a few times, but got through it. I don’t know how.

Holy hell. Parents, hug your little ones tight tonight.

 

[Global Havok]

So I think most of you know that I am an elementary school teacher.

So today the father of one of the Sandy Hook kids who were killed came in, to talk to the teachers... Part of a program that he’s doing. The first 20 or so minutes, he told the story of his boy, and the day itself, and showed photos. He choked up a few times, but got through it. I don’t know how.

Holy hell. Parents, hug your little ones tight tonight.

Major props to that dude. I cant imagine routinely reliving a day like that by sharing my story with strangers. Dude is stronger than I am for sure.

 

[TheDude1]

Major props to that dude. I cant imagine routinely reliving a day like that by sharing my story with strangers. Dude is stronger than I am for sure.

Oh yeah, you could see the strength or whatever that he had taken from this and turned to good, if that makes sense. Guy seemed super kind and thoughtful and genuine.

 

[jace4655555]

What happened to him is something that I honestly don't think I could live through!

 

[I am stupid]

Just curious, what was he taking about? Suggestions on making the school safer?

 

[kyjeff1]

I was glued to CNN for months when that happened. Anything that involves kids getting hurt gets my attention every single time and that tragedy is the worst one that I can recall, just because Lanza did it on purpose. He targeted those kids.

I can't imagine what those kids, teachers and parents went through.

 

[TheDude1]

Just curious, what was he taking about? Suggestions on making the school safer?

No, nothing about safety or guns or anything... he started a program, a youth leadership program designed to promote empathy in young people, and to have older young people mentor younger young people. We are taking part in it this year, so this was the intro.

 

[WeAreDePaul]

So I think most of you know that I am an elementary school teacher.

So today the father of one of the Sandy Hook kids who were killed came in, to talk to the teachers... Part of a program that he’s doing. The first 20 or so minutes, he told the story of his boy, and the day itself, and showed photos. He choked up a few times, but got through it. I don’t know how.

Holy hell. Parents, hug your little ones tight tonight.

Allegedly

 

[TheDude1]

Allegedly

Okay, Alex

 

[UL_1986]

Allegedly

 

[I am stupid]

No, nothing about safety or guns or anything... he started a program, a youth leadership program designed to promote empathy in young people, and to have older young people mentor younger young people. We are taking part in it this year, so this was the intro.

Sounds like it could be a good program.

I had to drive a lot yesterday and listened to NPR for a bit. They did a piece on teachers using skill based learning vs knowledge based. Thought that was interesting and discussed it with my brother(teacher)

Then they went into a piece about vicarious PTSD, which I understand and have experienced. They eventually got to a story about a woman who suffers ptsd at work because she spends 8 hours a day reading misogynist comments online.... So to help herself she takes a break after every severe misogynist comment. On the break she plays video games where she "shoots the bad guys" to make her feel better.

That had nothing to do with the OP. I just thought it was odd.

 

[TheDude1]

Sounds like it could be a good program.

I had to drive a lot yesterday and listened to NPR for a bit. They did a piece on teachers using skill based learning vs knowledge based. Thought that was interesting and discussed it with my brother(teacher)

Then they went into a piece about vicarious PTSD, which I understand and have experienced. They eventually got to a story about a woman who suffers ptsd at work because she spends 8 hours a day reading misogynist comments online.... So to help herself she takes a break after every severe misogynist comment. On the break she plays video games where she "shoots the bad guys" to make her feel better.

That had nothing to do with the OP. I just thought it was odd.

Uh, what is her job, that she reads terrible comments all day?

I did read an interesting article in New York magazine some months back, about drone operators. The amount of PTSD in their ranks is really scary.

 

[I am stupid]

Uh, what is her job, that she reads terrible comments all day?

I did read an interesting article in New York magazine some months back, about drone operators. The amount of PTSD in their ranks is really scary.

Didnt mention her job. Im guessing either a researcher or she works for VOX.

It mentioned people like drone operators, 911 operators, even people who study/research terrorist attacks and illnesses, etc.... I hadn't thought of researchers before as being prone to PTSD, but it makes sense.

 

[RockChalkRally]

So I think most of you know that I am an elementary school teacher.

So today the father of one of the Sandy Hook kids who were killed came in, to talk to the teachers... Part of a program that he’s doing. The first 20 or so minutes, he told the story of his boy, and the day itself, and showed photos. He choked up a few times, but got through it. I don’t know how.

Holy hell. Parents, hug your little ones tight tonight.

I can't possibly imagine how hard it would be for a father of one of the victims to come back to the place one of America's worst mass shootings to talk about it. Kudos to the father! To sell the program to the audience, going back to re-tell the story of the worst day of his life may had to have been brutal, but necessary to get the point across.

 

[KerryRhodes]

I can't possibly imagine how hard it would be for a father of one of the victims to come back to the place one of America's worst mass shootings to talk about it. Kudos to the father! To sell the program to the audience, going back to re-tell the story of the worst day of his life may had to have been brutal, but necessary to get the point across.

I thought they demolished the school and rebuilt a new one.

I do know what youre saying though.

 

[RockChalkRally]

I thought they demolished the school and rebuilt a new one.

I do know what youre saying though.

Good catch about the building and you're right. For a parent to explain a new program knowing in order to advance buy in, they may have to open themselves back up to the worst day of their lives. It has to be brutal.

 

[TheDude1]

Yeah, they did tear it down.

 

[hailtoyourvictor]

Uh, what is her job, that she reads terrible comments all day?

I did read an interesting article in New York magazine some months back, about drone operators. The amount of PTSD in their ranks is really scary.

She’s a rivals mod

 

[Big_Blue79]

Uh, what is her job, that she reads terrible comments all day?

I did read an interesting article in New York magazine some months back, about drone operators. The amount of PTSD in their ranks is really scary.

Interesting. I spent ten years working with drones. It didn't seem that there was an unusual amount of PTSD (although I know several that have it) or suicides (again, a few) in comparison to, say, some Army friends and acquaintances. Still way too high, of course, but as compared to people that faced direct combat, anecdotally seems low.

 

[Kevin Bryan]

Now that we know all is well can we address the elephant in the room? They let you teach little kids?! What has the world come to?

 

[TheDude1]

Now that we know all is well can we address the elephant in the room? They let you teach little kids?! What has the world come to?

Reigning Teacher of the Year, at that Helping one of my former kids with her Fulbright Scholarship application right now. Another former student actually got hired as a teacher in my school. Yet another is now on our Board of Education. I am starting to feel old

 

[TheDude1]

Interesting. I spent ten years working with drones. It didn't seem that there was an unusual amount of PTSD (although I know several that have it) or suicides (again, a few) in comparison to, say, some Army friends and acquaintances. Still way too high, of course, but as compared to people that faced direct combat, anecdotally seems low.

Always good to hear first hand. Here is that article, if you want to give it a read and see how much of it rings true (btw, it was the New York Times mag, not New York magazine...) definitely interesting when they discuss how drone operators transition from combat to everyday life literally every day, in such dramatic and yet not dramatic fashion...

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/13/magazine/veterans-ptsd-drone-warrior-wounds.html

 

[Kevin Bryan]

Interesting. I spent ten years working with drones. It didn't seem that there was an unusual amount of PTSD (although I know several that have it) or suicides (again, a few) in comparison to, say, some Army friends and acquaintances. Still way too high, of course, but as compared to people that faced direct combat, anecdotally seems low.

Check out the movie Good Kill.

 

[TheDude1]

Sounds like it could be a good program.

I had to drive a lot yesterday and listened to NPR for a bit. They did a piece on teachers using skill based learning vs knowledge based. Thought that was interesting and discussed it with my brother(teacher)

Then they went into a piece about vicarious PTSD, which I understand and have experienced. They eventually got to a story about a woman who suffers ptsd at work because she spends 8 hours a day reading misogynist comments online.... So to help herself she takes a break after every severe misogynist comment. On the break she plays video games where she "shoots the bad guys" to make her feel better.

That had nothing to do with the OP. I just thought it was odd.

So I just saw the story you were talking about, and I don’t think you quite recounted it accurately.

The woman researcher said that, at the end of the day, she does play video games to relax, because “You're the good guys," she said. "You feel accomplished — you finish quests, you're defeating evil."

You made it sound like she studied mean men and so then went online to shoot bad men. The point, rather, was that you feel like you are good and making a difference. That’s different.

Interesting story, btw... the fact that there are people whose job it is to watch ISIS torture and execution videos over and over and over... ****, that’s a terrible job. Thankful that I’ve never seen any of them.

 

[lurkeraspect84]

I always wondered if dude heaving was due to dude killing, or some sort of helicopter motion sickness.

That's a tough watch knowing it's a movie, I couldn't imagine real life.

Has anyone seen Gus Van Sant's movie Elephant. It's about a school shooting and also a tough watch.

 

[TheDude1]

Hm. I always took it to be motion sickness, but now that you mention it...

Ugh, no way, haven’t seen it. Wife was talking about watching a documentary some years about, about the Beslan thing. Uh, no thanks. She did say it was before we had kids, but still... **** that. I guess it’s good to have movies and documentaries out there, but I don’t have the heart for them

 

[I am stupid]

Hmmm... that clip doesn't sound nearly as bad as I remembered it. Seemed like It was a lot longer than 4 minutes too.

Either way disgusting schools; school security always amazed me. Growing up and even now in my community the security was 1 guard and now its 3, for 10 schools. Only real measures they have implemented is locking all doors except entrance at morning which a teacher watches.

Most have 3 to 5 different entrances that someone can open from the inside. But they have to be this way so kids can escape if there's s fire. (Which poses a very minor risk)

Even if you dump billions into it, they will still be prone to attacks.

 

[TheDude1]

Hmmm... that clip doesn't sound nearly as bad as I remembered it. Seemed like It was a lot longer than 4 minutes too.

Either way disgusting schools; school security always amazed me. Growing up and even now in my community the security was 1 guard and now its 3, for 10 schools. Only real measures they have implemented is locking all doors except entrance at morning which a teacher watches.

Most have 3 to 5 different entrances that someone can open from the inside. But they have to be this way so kids can escape if there's s fire. (Which poses a very minor risk)

Even if you dump billions into it, they will still be prone to attacks.

Schools are tough targets. On the one hand, they have to be kept safe. On the other... they are supposed to be parts of the community. At my kid's school, the security is so tight that basically NO adult is ever allowed in the building with an escort, EVER. I get it, but at the same time, having parents around the school is sort of part of what builds the culture a little.

We had back to school night recently... my wife pointed out that THATS a great target... forget hitting the school during the day... hit the school at back to school night. You'd end up making dozens of orphans, you know? Morbid, I know, but...