‘I’ll never understand’: Twin Ports parents react to Texas school shooting
DULUTH, MN -- In the wake of Tuesday’s school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, the nation was rocked by grief and disbelief.
Despite living halfway across the country, parents in the Twin Ports experienced a wide range of emotions when they heard the news.
“You just shouldn’t have to have those thoughts when you’re sending your child to school everyday,” said Jill Isenberg.
For Isenberg, shootings like this seem almost inescapable in today’s world.
She said parents are constantly reminded of the reality that a shooting could happen at anytime.
“Their kindergarten classroom was the first classroom closest to the door of the building. The whole time that they were in kindergarten, that made me so anxious because at Sandy Hook, the majority of the children that were killed were in the first classroom,” she said.
Other parents expressed their disbelief.
“I couldn’t imagine having to tell my kids have a great day at school just to find out they’re never coming home,” said John Johnson, a parent with three kids in Superior.
For Johnson, it was important to keep his kids informed.
“I would rather them know the dangers in an emergency versus them not knowing and then tragedy happen,” he said
According to Andrea Jang, a local parent who owns the blog “Duluth Mom,” says things like shootings can be tough for parents to talk about, but if they decide to have the conversation, it’s important to do it gently.
“Kids sense everything you’re feeling. Sometimes for us, playing with your kids really creates a safe space for conversations to come up,” said Jang.
She believes parents should treasure the time they have with their kids as often as possible.
“I just make sure that I spend quality time with my daughter. None of our days are guaranteed,” said Jang.
Duluth Superintendent John Magas sent an email out to district parents expressing his own sorrow, and listing the resources for parents and safety protocols in Duluth.
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