THERE IS ANOTHER

By Peter Vuono

   Personally, I love to use movie references. I've used them at everything from magic shows to eulogies. As I was sitting in church just recently I heard prayers said for first responders which is certainly warranted. However, the movie reference from "Return of the Jedi" popped into my head; "There is another". Indeed there is.

   In 2022 alone, 42 people have been gunned down in school shootings as of 11/13. Among the victims were teachers.It is well known that teachers have been gunned down in Newtown CT., Parkland FL and Uvalde TX. In a poll taken  by Education Week of 1,042 educators across the nation from July 27 -Aug. 8,  ten percent of those teachers polled said that they were assaulted.

   This is alarming, so this author appealed to the local pastor to include teachers along with first responders in the weekly "Prayers of the faithful" for protection. This author was denied  because police and fire sign up for potentially dangerous jobs whereas teachers do not. The basic premise of this is true and fire and police deserve our prayers but the changing times are making schools dangerous.

   From Sept 1994 to Oct. 1995, I was involved in 10 fights in 11 school months. In one such fight a woman - Sue Quinn- assisted me. She went on to deservedly become a principal. If I weren't a powerlifter I would not have survived. During my 36 yr. career, I successfully performed the Heimlich Maneuver twice. Given these stats, how am I NOT a first responder? At a dept. meeting one of my superiors, John Corbeil, thanked me. It was nice of him but it didn't make me safer.

   My own son(a gym teacher) was involved in 6 fights in the 2021 school year. This year is only  three months in and he's had two!  In April of 2010, Science teacher John Bergonzi single handedly disarmed a student of a box knife after the student slashed another. A year previously, Science teacher Phil Previte was made aware that a student was packing a gun while sitting in a cafeteria. Along with the authorities, Previte planned a sting where he lured the student safely out of the cafeteria into the hands of the authorities without incident. This all happened in my own community. One can only imagine what's happened nationwide.

   I  am reminded also during this writing of the Kenpo Karate prayer. In it we say" We HAVE NO WEAPONS, we keep our skills secret and ask for forgiveness if we use them.". Every time a teacher puts himself or herself in danger, he or she HAS NO WEAPONS; just raw strength and courage.

  So this author is petitioning YOU, the reader; to include educators in your prayers that Saint Michael will protect them when they travel into harm's way. Yes, fire, police and EMT's are indeed first responders but with these violent times, "There is another".

  

"Put on the full armor of God so that ye will stand against the wiles of the devil" Ephesians 6:11