Today’s half day started with a friendly competition. Our staff was divided into teams, and we were to go against one another in a scavenger hunt. People were AMPED. One team even made T-shirts.
The principal came on the PA and announced that the weather wasn’t cooperating for the scavenger hunt, but we’d have a Kahoot quiz.
I ambled to the library at the appointed time, fully expecting to be chill about the whole thing (I’m a lover, not a fighter). And then my friend and colleague looked me straight in the eye and said, “WE. HAVE. To WIN.” I don’t know where she got this crazy level of competition, but I have never seen that side of her. (What can I say? My friends contain multitudes.) Our team named ourselves The Magnificent Seven and entered the Kahoot.
Wouldn’t you know, we won. We WON!
But…did we?
The scavenger hunt: It was supposed to be a race to our evacuation rally points. And the Kahoot quiz was about protocols for active shooter situations.
Let that sink in.
I’m supposed to pretend that this isn’t entirely messed up? I’m supposed to pretend that “escape the shooter” survival games for schoolchildren aren’t sinister and dystopian? Shall I ignore the fact the necessity for any of this speaks to critical faults in our societal foundation?
So yes, my team and I cheered. We high-fived one another early and often. We are anxiously anticipating the lunch we’re treated to as a prize.
But don’t think, for a moment, we can’t recognize the price at which it comes.
Soapbox: The Way I see Things 
Oh wow! I was so excited for your win (yes, I’m competitive)… and then mic drop with the Kahoot content. Sigh. There are no winners in this game. Thank you for sharing.
Great post! I was pulled in by the creativity of your PD offerings and then smacked upside the head by the content of the PD. What have we become?