New community spotlight:
October is Youth Justice Action Month. Read, “From System Involvement to Systems Change: Enrique Rivera’s Journey.”
This morning, I walked my little girl to school. We moved through the sleepy rhythm of the morning, almost forgetting what had happened. Then we reached the front doors and found them locked. The entrance was unusually quiet, and the staff seemed subdued.
That was when I remembered: the doors would now be locked at drop-off, part of a new safety protocol put in place after last week’s shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School. As I stood with my daughter and several other children waiting for an adult to let them in, it all came flooding back. Another school shooting. This time, right here in Oregon. Again.
My heart is with the families who lost loved ones, the survivors, and everyone in Bend whose sense of safety has been shaken, especially the children and educators. All of us at PSJ are holding them close. I cannot know the depth of what they are carrying. But as the mom of a school-aged child, I can say this: the fear was not new, but it felt immediate again for my family.
I cried on the walk home, angry and heartsick. Parenting right now can mean dropping your child off at school, wanting to know she is safe, and realizing that sometimes all you can do is hope for the best.
On that walk home, public safety felt painfully personal. It meant something ordinary: a day spent learning, laughing with friends, and being a kid. It meant saying goodbye at the school doors and trusting I would see her at the end of the day. Every parent and caregiver deserves that peace of mind. Every child deserves to feel safe in their classroom. Every educator deserves to focus on helping children grow without fearing for their lives.
The families and survivors most directly affected will need care long after the headlines move on. They deserve space to grieve, practical support, and a community that keeps showing up as they heal.
That is the world we are fighting for: one where survivors are not left to carry their pain alone, where children can grow up feeling safe, and where the walk to school can feel ordinary again.
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Local support and community resources are available from the City of Bend.