Nothing to report. The first morning of the first day of school is over. Social media was full of adorable and funny first day pictures of kids heading back to Luther Public Schools for the 2019-2020 school year. Without dwelling on the tragedy of last year’s first day, didn’t we all breathe a little sigh of relief? It was a “no news is good news” sentiment that allowed the student body to gather and get to the business of learning. This time last year, the stabbing made national news, and a community tried to just keep moving forward. And it has. Well done.
Still, the anniversary was on our minds, and was covered by a local news station one year later. News 9 recalled the events in a Back To School segment. School safety was emphasized, a move that should be noted, was already in play last year before the stabbing through an unprecedented joint effort between the Town of Luther and the Luther School Board to hire a School Resource Officer. That role was filled last year by Officer Chris Tate who set a high bar for the role of School Resource Officer (so high, that Canadian County lured him away!). New SRO Danielle Leonard is currently training to fulfill that role this school year.
As the first day of school has arrived, reports are that the opening assembly, this year in the Commons, went smoothly. The sister of the stabbing victim allowed The Luther Register to share her social media post about the first day of her senior year.
One year ago today the unbelievable happened. I almost lost my little sister. So many emotions are coming through me today as it’s my “last first day” and since it’s marked a year since something that no one would’ve never seen coming, happened. What was supposed to be a happy day quickly turned to a dark and scary one. Through the past year everyone who was affected has grown or tried to grow from it. Everyone has tried to heal in the best ways possible. God, I pray this never happens again, not to anyone. I pray you wrap your arms around each and every student and teacher going to school fearing the unknown. Lord I trust in you. Comfort those who are secretly hurting today. Amen❤️
• This is a year of blessings, positive memories, health, and joy.”
Note: Because the victim and the student who was 14-years-old at the time, are minors, we are not naming them and don’t necessarily need to because our community is so small that those that need to know already know. The criminal case against the boy is difficult to cover because of privacy for those in the juvenile justice system.
Thank you to Ashley Holden of News9 who is also a “one person” news crew. She interviewed me after setting up the station’s camera, lights, microphones and her phone to do this interview and take shots of Luther during a rainy morning last week. We had a great visit about journalism, community news and Luther. Still, I am way more comfortable on the other side of the camera or keyboard.
It’s a great day to be a Luther Lion. Blessings to everyone at LPS.
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