BeSafe Technologies Inc.

As a former school principal, school superintendent and current school committee member I cannot help but reflect on the impact of the tragic events that transpired ten years ago at Columbine.

April 20th 1999 was a day that changed forever the belief that our schools were safe places for students. It was also the day that changed our responsibility as school leaders to be fully prepared for events which, while we may not be able to fully control, we are responsible to prepare for.

Sadly, subsequent events have only added to this reality, and today it is necessary for every school and every school system to have a systematic comprehensive emergency plan in place. These plans must ensure that schools, police, fire and other first responders can be prepared for, mitigate, respond to and recover from a serious event in its schools.

The fact is that ten years and one day ago it was considered acceptable to have a simple plan in place to address possible emergencies. The world has been changed forever and schools must change with it. There is no longer any excuse for complacency. Having a plan in place does not inoculate schools from tragedy, but not having a coordinated accessible system in place is irresponsible at best in a post-Columbine world.