Thanks for visiting my site again! You may want to subscribe to my RSS feed since I'm always putting out good stuff like this.

Of course we are all dumbfounded as to what could possibly posses an adult to open fire on innocent children as they are anxiously ending their school day and leaving or home.  This is exactly what happened on February 23rd at 3:15pm at Deer Creek Middle school in Littleton Colorado, the same city where Columbine High School was the focus of international attention eleven years ago.

I am writing this post today to say a heartfelt THANK YOU! to Dr. David Benke, the math teacher HERO that tackled and subdued the gunman as he attempted to reload his high powered rifle.

“Math teacher Dr. David Benke tackled and disarmed the gunman, and then helped subdue him until police arrived moments later.

Steve Potter, a Deer Creek bus driver, witnessed Benke’s heroics.

“Dr. Benke was out there at the time the school was being let out. It looked to me like he heard the shot and decided to react accordingly,” Steve Potter told FOX31 News. “There was a little bit of a wresting match for about 5 seconds or so,” before Benke had disarmed the gunman, Potter said.”

Read the full story

My boys go to an Elementary School less than 2 miles from Deer Creek Middle School, so this story hit very close to home for me and my kids.  We moved to Littleton just over a year ago from Bailey Colorado, where less than 5 years ago Platte Canyon High School lost a precious young student in a senseless act of an adult terrorizing kids.

For very good reasons our children are scared, in fact I can see how it would be very difficult to trust any adult stranger.  But I believe their is an opportunity in this recent tragic event, where thankfully no lives were lost thanks to the heroics of Dr. Benke, in that teachers, school staff, parents and kids can work together to help ensure one another’s safety.

This is an opportunity to share with kids the extreme importance in developing strong character and emotional intelligence.  To build a sense of compassion for others and to care about the wellbeing of their fellow student.   To let others know “I’ve got your back” instills a sense of security in their knowing that others care about them.

After an incident like this, is the time when our kids need us the most, to reassure them they are safe and loved, and to let them know that they also need to stick up for and watch out for each other.

So, thank you again Dr. Benke for letting our kids know that You’ve Got Their Back:)