How many times have you heard or even said, “Something needs to change!” or, “When is this going to stop??” regarding school shootings? I have both heard them and said them too many times to count. 

A lot of times, people honestly do not know how they can help make change. They desire to help, and have the best intentions, but don’t know where to begin. 

How Nashville affected me

This last school shooting in Nashville impacted me in a different way than any other school shooting. One of the adult victims was Cindy Peak, a substitute teacher. I am a substitute teacher. It really sunk in that I could be scheduled to sub on a day when the unthinkable occurs.

How would I handle it? Would I fight or freeze? Would I be able to keep my class of students safe and quiet? Would I be able to lead the students entrusted into my care out of the school without harm?

These are hard questions to think about. But nowadays there’s not a teacher alive who hasn’t thought through all the different situations and angles regarding an active shooter. 

How you can help

For those people who don’t know how to help, the best thing to do would be to call your district’s board of education to find out what help they need. 

If you live in Xenia and are looking to help, there is a HUGE way you can impact our schools. On May 2, among the other people and issues we are voting for, there is a tax levy RENEWAL. This is NOT a NEW tax. I’ll say that louder for people in the back: THIS IS NOT A NEW TAX. Meaning no matter if the levy succeeds or fails, the amount of taxes you pay WILL STAY THE SAME. You will not pay more, you will not pay less. 

The levy is for a portion of our income tax funds being allocated to Xenia schools. 

Last November 8th, the levy failed by one vote. ONE VOTE. My inclination is that a lot of people simply did not understand that this is not a new tax, causing them to pay more taxes. That is NOT the case.

How the levy impacts our schools

What people may not understand is that this levy provides critical funding to support day-to-day learning. And by critical funding, I mean like 5 million dollars. Taken right from the levy FAQ page on Xenia schools’ website: “Operating funds support athletics, extracurricular activities, our Gifted program, reading programs, art and music classes, as well as salaries for teachers, nurses, aides, and other staff that support students every day.” The teachers, administrators, and students depend highly on those funds. 

Think about it: our future president is currently attending a school in our nation. Senators, military leaders, and the next generation of teachers are currently in school. Talk about impacting our country’s future? 

With everything that is going on in our world, and the evil and violence that has been happening to schools, can you name a higher priority than voting on this issue? Having a voice in the lives of students? This money will greatly impact our children, the next generation, for better or for worse, depending on votes.

Here in Xenia, (and everywhere else) it’s as simple as showing up to vote. Sharing information about the levy with your friends and neighbors. Encourage people on social media to show up for our schools, our children and the future leaders of our country. 

Because every school says “That’ll never happen to us,” until the day it does.

For more information on the levy, visit www.xeniaschools.org, click “News,” then “On the ballot.”