I Don’t Want to Talk to You About Writing Today; I Want You to Hug Your Children.

I am a former teacher. The Robb Elementary School tragedy will change nothing if we do not finally change ourselves.

Otherwise, to the above point, today’s news cycle will prove yet again that early outrage will be followed only by helplessness, and inaction.

My heart breaks for every parent of an innocent school-aged child today.

The 18-year-old deceased shooter was said to have been bullied, and recently posted photos of two AR15-style rifles on his Instagram.

I taught special education for a decade, working with students labeled as “severely emotionally disturbed” in New York and “severely at-risk” in California. Apparently, the Robb Elementary School shooter fit a common profile.

When I taught, threats of bringing weapons to school were not unusual and always reported, and many of those students with whom I worked until 2005 considered themselves as “not belonging,” or “outcasts.”

My perspective is personal.

In the hours since the latest tragedy, it has been reported that two border patrol agents and a security guard engaged the subject. As was reported on CNN, a “good guy…