School Shootings: What to Make of It

In the news today, we all see the most recent school shooting, which took place in Florida, and killed 17 people and injured dozens more. Parents sent their kids off to school, expecting to see them when they returned. However, for some of them, that was not the case. It's terrible for all of the families affected and frightening to those who send their kids off to school everyday.

So, what are we to do about it? Everything we do is a risk. Taking out the trash, shoveling snow, driving our car, playing sports - everything can be potentially risky. But, at what point should we re-evaluate our routine to see if there are better options?

For our children, we should always be re-evaluating. Wise people say to evaluate your actions every single day. Did you make good decisions today? Are there areas you can improve?

It's great to have faith in a system, until that system continues to malfunction. It's the same with your car. You can have faith (confidence) that your vehicle will get you to where you want it to go. But, after it stops on you once or twice and all the engine lights come on, you may no longer have faith that it will get you to where you want to go. You may consider a new vehicle, even if it costs you extra money. The same is true for education. If the system malfunctions frequently, maybe we should consider investing in another vehicle for our children's education.

Public schools offer so much to our communities. Sports, clubs, music, art, drama - all of these areas are fun and educational. School plays, art shows, Christmas concerts, and sporting events help us to enjoy our children, as they are growing up right before our eyes. They, also, provide opportunities for children to make life-long friendships and learn relational skills.

But, there are other options. And, what better time is there to consider these opportunities? Liberty University has a home-school curriculum, so that your children can learn and grow right from home. Classical Conversations is another option, where you children can be schooled at home and still learn once a week in a classroom environment. In both of these options, you do not need any prior knowledge in home-schooling. Private schools are another great option.

What hope do we have in this style of education? As the number of home-schoolers increases, the need for online teachers will increase, and the opportunity for children to participate in extra-curricular events will improve. Our youth will receive practical education and time to develop personal expertise in their areas of interest. This brings much hope for our kids in the future.

I have met people who have educated their children from home, and their children grow up to be doctors, engineers, accountants or leaders in their company of employment. If your children can read, work hard, have a positive attitude, and apply themselves, they can be successful in any area they desire.

I would encourage you, that if you have been considering other options, that you would take the time to do so. You will not regret it.

Thanks for reading!

~Melissa Seng