Breaking through

Tomorrow I finally get a chance to deliver  a SARC program to a full faculty and staff at a local high school.  I first got involved in the School Attacker Response Course back in December of 2012, right after the shootings at Sandy Hook.  As I blogged about before, a strange and wonderful set of circumstances led me to get in touch with Rob Pincus, the creator of SARC, and allowed me the honor of running the program website (which I need to do a better job of by the way).  A month or so later I made my way to Columbus to get certified as an instructor.
I was very motivated when I got my certification – I really thought the message was right on and that it would really help thins to get the word out.  I went about setting up meetings with local public school officials and administrators.  All the meetings were very cordial and there were even some with follow on conversations and actions.  But I haven’t actually been in front of any of their teachers or administrators yet outside of school board meetings.  Despite my best efforts I just can’t seem to break through.  A combination of politics, resistance to change, not wanting to be first, a lack of value placed on things that are given away freely and probably 10 other things that I haven’t thought of, have kept kids in local public schools from being safer.  I hope that starts to change, but I’m running out of ideas.
While public school administrators have erred on the side of caution, private school administrators have acted more like leaders.  They are open the message, they understand why it’s important and they are taking action.  I’m thankful for their courage because honestly without it I’d be close to giving up – you can only pound your head into the wall so many times before you look for something more productive to do.  But if the last class I gave is any indication, I will come out of the one tomorrow re-energized and ready to go. Public School Board members you should be expecting my calls again soon.