Mann: Not This Time
I am an alumnus of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and a resident of Parkland, Florida. This past Valentine’s Day, 14 of my former schoolmates and 3 staff members were senselessly murdered at the hands of a lone gunman. As a result, my hometown and alma mater have been tragically affected in ways that are impossible to describe. I cannot understand what it must have been like for those students to hear gunfire, hide under their desks and witness the deaths of several of their peers. Although I will admit that Marjory Stoneman Douglas is not perfect, I always felt safe there. I made friends, enjoyed my classes, played ice hockey and had a relatively comfortable and normal high school career. The current students at Douglas do not share this experience; their high school career has been brutally tarnished by a terrible act of violence. Our school motto is “Be Positive, Be Passionate, Be Proud To Be An Eagle.” It is in this spirit that I write.
