Like many others, your article about the mass shooting in Florida, included the words “gun tragedies” and “inaction” in the same story. Lawmakers are pondering decisions of gun control, while the lives of people are truly being affected for life.

Parkland, Fla., high school student David Hogg, as well as countless other students, reported being huddled in a room or hiding in closets during the shooting.

But school systems can no longer use the “hide and lock” method for students to hide in classrooms and lock the door during such events. An active shooter knows the schedule of the school, as well as that the majority of the classrooms aren’t empty. The hide and lock method depends on complete silence in a room filled with fear and cell phones. Lawmakers should focus more on getting the students out of the school.

Lawmakers should invest their resources in redesigning schools for safety. Redesigning doesn’t have to be costly, just adjustments to the current designs, such as emergency escape windows or open air designs, replacing in each class one window that would open as a folding door for emergencies. Technology could be added to these open air doors for more safety and control.

There should be laws on gun control. However, the safety of children should not be lost in years of debate and legislation. Children need help now. Redesigning schools could be used in any situation where mass departure is needed.

Lawmakers are looking from the outside in when they need to focus from the inside out.

JOANNIE AIKENS

Richmond

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