By: Kara Haselton

On behalf of the Herald staff, I would like to express my sincerest condolences towards the families affected by the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida.

No student wants to walk into school and question if they’re safe. No student should have to. In America, we believe in the right to life and the right to education. No one should have to experience their right to life taken from them, especially not in an educational building. Schools should be places of learning and growth, not death and destruction. Parents should not have to wonder if this is the last time they’ll see their kid when they send them off to school for the day. No friend or classmate should have to witness other friends and classmates being shot down.

20+ harmful incidents have taken place at American schools this year. And we’re only 51 days into 2018.

Something needs to change.

We, the staff, are only eight people. We represent only eight points of view and eight mindsets. We don’t know what’s best for everyone. We don’t know what’s best for our nation. So we’re not going to make a stance about what path needs to be taken because we don’t know.

But we can’t say “we don’t know” and leave it at that. That’s not good enough.

That’s why we’re discussing. Together, we’re analyzing what could work for the millions of children who have the right to walk into school and be safe, what could protect that right. Because something needs to change.

We want to encourage you to be open to discussion. Be open to new ideas. Be willing to let something change. Let’s put away any selfishness or pride that we have in being right, and let’s work together to chase a solution. Because one person isn’t going to change the world.

Eight people aren’t going to change the world.

But communities can. It’s time for us to step up and realize, we’re all at stake here.

Our future generations are at stake here.

Education is at stake. Do something.

Sincerely,

Kara Haselton & The Heritage Herald Staff

Editor-in-Chief