I completed the dreaded mega-practicum at Marshall County High School and they welcomed me every single day with open arms. I fell in love with the administration, my supervising teacher, all the faculty members, and the students.

I made the mistake a moment ago of reading the comments from around the United States regarding the tragedy that took place this morning so close to home. And I am disgusted. Actually, disgusted doesn't even come close to describing how I feel. I am sick. People are quick to throw in gun control, point out political affiliations, and be so cruel. To be honest, that's probably the number one problem. Compassion during the utmost time of need is covered by agendas. Only agendas. People just want to point out the facts. Fact. Fact. Fact. That's ALL I've seen. black

So here are the facts that matter today:
-2 families spoke to their child for the last time this morning... Those families will never get to see their babies graduate high school, graduate college, fall in love, have their own families, or whatever future they might have made because their future was taken.
-1 family sat like the rest of us waiting for some kind of sign saying that their child was okay, only to find out that he was the one responsible. The courts will decide his fate but we can only imagine what kind of future that holds for a 15-year-old...
-14 CHILDREN know what a gunshot wound feels like. Let that sink in for a second. The others now know the horrendous sound of a gun firing in the halls of a school and that sound alone is haunting. (They fired a blank during a training I attended once and the sound alone made my gut wrench. Even thinking about it now...) Students and faculty won't be able to hear a shot fired and not think about this instance. It's something that will be with them for the rest of their lives.
-Students and faculty will never feel the same about entering the doors of Marshall County again. What was once a scene of dances, friendships, concession stands, etc. now be looked at with dread, tears, and terrible memories. Just like Heath High School commons was never the same. Sooner or later, they will return to normalcy but that haunting will still hang around.
-Hundreds of families know what the dreaded waiting game feels like. The one where seconds feel like eternity. The one where the wait could be a result of too many scenarios.
-Dispatch and First Responders took calls and heard voices and sounds today that they will remember in detail forever. It will go down as one of, if not the most, darkest day of their career.
-A community now knows how to handle a mass shooting because of experience, not training. A community now knows what terror feels like on a much more personal level.
-Other schools across Western Kentucky watched in horror. I know because I'm at one. Our hearts sank. We cried thinking of those babies and thinking of the babies that we're trusted with everyday.

Those are the facts that matter today. Two children killed. So many wounded physically, mentally, and emotionally. Of those numbers, some are Republican and some are Democrat. Some of those families voted Trump. Some of those families voted Hilary. And yet no one deserves to hurt that way. Today, the above facts are more important.

Think before you post. No matter what your stance is or anything, compassion comes first. Who cares if you think prayers don't work?! If someone is hurting and that is the only thing they're asking for JUST SAY YES. Be decent. Be compassionate. You have all the other days to stand on your soap box and preach to us. Not this one.