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In attempting to weave together a cohesive narrative that will seamlessly connect an eclectic set of manuscripts, I was dumbstruck at the thought of how I will accomplish this task. How would I offer our readership a meaningful introduction to seven interesting, contemporary but unique chapters? In discussing my challenge with Editor, Chara Bohan, she insisted that my job was to discuss an issue of relevance, one that I found compelling and meaningful as it relates to the field of education. In reflecting on Chara's words, I fell upon my recent musings of what I have been grappling with lately: The Parkland shootings.
Living in sunny South Florida represents several challenges. We are a diverse community rich in various languages, cultures, and opinions about an array of topics. As I reflect, ponder, and watch events unfold around the Marjorie Stoneman Douglas (MSD) school shooting, I have conflicting feelings and thoughts. On the one hand, I have viewed in awe the responses from the students who survived the attack, responses that reflected the diverse needs of their community. On the other hand, from the moment the pundits, community members, and politicians began discussing the events that took place, I could not help but think "how much of what I am witnessing is a result of the privilege of a few?" I also could not help but wonder why those who were tragically impacted by the actions of Nicolas Cruz, the Parkland shooter, are in such bewilderment as to how this could happen to them, in their community, and why they consider themselves immune to students like Cruz who are mentally ill (for an interesting reaction to the shooting, listen to this local news recording by Michael Udine, one of the Broward County Commissioners and former Mayor of Parkland (https://soundcloud.com/wlrn/643am-broward-commissioner-michaeludine-speaks-about-parkland-shooting).
As anyone paying attention to these events would notice, these children have had a substantial impact on several debates raging in this country, most notably, the issue of gun control. The survivors of the shooting, all of whom are teenagers, are highly engaged as change agents. In a span of merely 3 months, the students from MSD have created a movement armed with their knowledge of how to effectively use social media to impact change. They have...