Hundreds gather, including several children holding stuffed animals, for a dark and solemn vigil at Lynnhurst Park for the two children who were killed and the several children and parishioners injured in a shooting at Annunciation Church Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2025 in south Minneapolis. (Photo by Nicole Neri/Minnesota Reformer)
When I began my career as an elementary school teacher, back-to-school time was filled with anxieties about busy school schedules, homework policies and how to make learning fun and effective. But now teachers are kept up at night worrying about how they’d keep a class full of kids safe if a gunman comes to their school. As a human shield, they can only cover a few small children.
This year, two mass shootings in two days — at Annunciation School and near Cristo Rey Jesuit High School — has left the Twin Cities reeling from horrific acts of violence and wondering how we can protect our children and families from this public health crisis…