safety and intruders. These are worries no student should have. This becomes even more apparent when we conduct our monthly emergency drill at our school. It's a way to be prepared for the worst, so we practice lockdowns, fire drills and evacuations. The other day, I was explaining to my third graders that we were going to practice a lockdown just in case a bear happened to be on the playground -- a real scenario for our Colorado school. I have used this example my entire teaching career because it's an easy and nonthreatening reason to practice a lockdown. One girl raised her hand and asked: Is this what we would do if a bad guy came with a gun to hurt us ? I felt kicked in the stomach when I heard this question. A bear is no longer the worst thing for students to anticipate: They fear what is happening across our nation. It is a shame that my students must learn these drills at such a young age -- a shame they must learn them at all. I thought to myself, This is a result of the Columbine shootings, along with so many other acts of violence. This is my reality, and now it is theirs too. It is a sad reality, but we are not helpless. I teach at a wonderful school, which has done everything within its resources to keep our students safe. But it is not enough. If there were a simple solution, then this epidemic of violence would have ended. The solution is complex, multifaceted