To the Editor:

The State of TX has found a solution to the issue of rampant school shootings and the bloody deaths of little kids and their teachers. As the adults are unable to address and solve the problem, TX has decided to place the burden of saving children on the children themselves.

In Dallas, TX, pre-school and elementary students were sent home with a book explaining how to survive school shootings. Produced for law enforcement, the book is titled “Stay Safe,” with the subtitle, “If there is danger, let Winnie-the-Pooh and his Crew show you what to do: Run Hide Fight.”

The book features characters from the AA Milne classic located in the Hundred Acre Wood who warn: “If it is safe to get away, we should RUN like Rabbit instead of stay. If danger is near, do not fear, HIDE like Pooh does until the police appear. If danger finds us, don’t stay, run away. If we can’t get away, we have to FIGHT with all our might,” accompanied by an illustration of Kanga and Roo wearing boxing gloves.

Kids, you may notice that no mention is made of any obligations of the adults of TX to secure your protection because they are committed to universal ownership of military-grade weaponry. So, you will have to fend for yourselves, because “freedom.” But you can forget about the boxing gloves.

Video of police officers at Uvalde who finally confronted the AR-15-armed shooter and entered the classrooms to witness the slaughter, rushed out to vomit and sob at the scene. So, let Winnie-the-Pooh help you save yourselves, children, otherwise you could become broken, dismembered, ground meat, or live your life forever crippled by the memory of the slaughter. And your parents would be very upset and demand gun control action.

While you are studying how to survive a massacre, the TX legislature is considering increasing school security features, including armed guards patrolling your school hallways. Don’t let it bother you, just pretend they, too, are from the Hundred Acre Wood.

Unfortunately, little ones, debate over real gun reforms, like mandated universal background checks, restrictions on military-style semiautomatic rifles, or a reversal of the state's recently enacted permitless carry law, will not be of legislative concern. But you do have a free book.
And kids, thoughts and prayers in advance.

Kelly Scoles,
Fillmore, Ca.