Florida School Shooting: Emotional Return To Class

PARKLAND, FL — As 3,330 teenagers made their way along tree-lined Pine Island Road to their classrooms inside Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Wednesday, they were no longer mere students. Exactly two weeks after the attack that took 17 of their classmates and faculty, these young adults have emerged from the surreal carnage as fierce survivors. They carry with them the love, admiration and prayers of all 50 states and every one of the world's seven continents.

But in addition to the loss of their friends and adult mentors, the killer robbed Stoneman Douglas of its innocence and perhaps even the last vestiges of adolescence for the community's next generation of doctors, lawyers and business people.

“I am so proud of how the kids at my school have been fighting because we all want change to happen and, as we see the progression, it really shows us that people do care and they do hear what we have to say,” explained Alexis Grogan, a 15-year-old sophomore as she prepared for her return to class.

Many parents walked their teenage children back to the affluent suburban school on Wednesday as police officers from around Broward County lined the entrance to greet them. Some students came with family pets or little brothers and sisters. Others reportedly flashed new tattoos to show their sense of school community.

"It's always going to be hard, something like this, but I think it's kind of right that we have to get back into the motion," observed 14-year-old Lucas Juncar, whose mother, Lisa Vierning, was walking him to school on Wednesday morning past the many television news crews and police officers.

"I have nightmares from the first few days," he told Patch. He was going to start his day in fourth period biology — right where he left off two weeks ago when the shooter opened fire. School officials thought this might help students better process their experiences.

"I thought the shooter was at the basketball courts so I cut back into the freshman building," Juncar said. "I thought he was coming towards me. Before I opened up the door to get to the stairwell — so I could get up to the third floor — I heard gunshots from the second floor. I detoured and took a sprint all the way down to the main office."

Building 12 — the multi-story freshman building, where the gunman moved from classroom to classroom indiscriminately picking off students and faculty with his AR-15 assault rifle — remained closed on Wednesday and may never reopen. There has been talk of tearing the building down and starting over with a memorial to the victims and new classroom space.

Fourteen-year-old Kacie Shatzkamer spent much of the past two weeks consoling the family of best friend Alyssa Alhadeff, who was killed in the massacre. Alhadeff's mother unleashed a public show of grief on live national television so raw and genuine that it brought tears from a veteran CNN anchor, U.S. Congressman Ted Deutch and countless others watching at home.

"We spent the weeks at her house, talked to her parents, comforting them and giving them our condolences," she told Patch. "We were in her room most of the time."

Shatzkamer had been in Scott Beigel's class when the shooting broke out. The geography teacher and cross-country coach died trying to save his students.

"When the fire alarm rang, I went to a different person's room — luckily," she added.

Grogan felt nervous, like it might be too soon to go on as usual without slain friends like Luke Hoyer, who sat two seats behind her in Spanish. Still, the support from her fellow students, and their fight to strengthen gun control laws have buoyed her spirits.

Grogan planned to wear a Stoneman Douglas color — maroon — on the first day back to class Wednesday, plus sneakers that said “MSD Strong, be positive, be passionate, be proud to be an eagle” and “2/14/18" in honor of those who died.

"I'm definitely ready to go back. I had my doubts," explained 14-year-old Daniel Duff before he entered the school. He spent part of the past two weeks lobbying for changes to gun laws in the Never Again movement. Duff hopes that students will be able to sustain their momentum now that school has started back up again.

"I'll try my best to stay active," he conceded.

On Tuesday, relatives of the Stoneman Douglas victims kept up the pressure in Florida’s capital with emotional testimony during a legislative hearing to discuss passing a bill that would, among other things, raise the age limit to buy long guns from 18 to 21. Other Stoneman Douglas students traveled to Washington, D.C. this week and met with members of Congress, including Rep. Steve Scalise, who himself was shot by a gunman during a congressional baseball practice in June.

"Some of the things that they've been through are similar to some of the things that I’ve been through. It's going to be a tough time for them," observed Scalise, the number three Republican in the House. "It already is. You know, this doesn't go away. It's something that me and the other members of the congressional baseball team still talk a lot about — what we went through. I'm sure they as students are going to continue talking about what they went through. We did talk again about some policy, but mostly just about where we are right now."

The Florida bill also would create a program that allows teachers who receive law-enforcement training and are deputized by the local sheriff’s office to carry concealed weapons in the classroom if also approved by the school district. The Broward school’s superintendent has spoken out firmly against that measure.

“I’m so glad that people are stepping forward and talking about it keeping it relevant ... because it shouldn’t happen to anyone ever again,” explained Douglas sophomore Charlotte Dixon, who said some of her friends were having a hard time returning to classes.

Senior John Rodriguez plays shortstop on the Stoneman Douglas baseball team. He hopes to play professional baseball one day. But for now, he was moved by last week's tribute by the players from all 31 Major League Baseball clubs who wore Stoneman Douglas caps at spring training.

"It was a blessing to us because they had our backs," the 17-year-old said of his big-league idols.

Rodriguez said he and his teammates also were inspired by the Stoneman Douglas hockey team, which won the state championship on Sunday.

"I'm glad they won. They won a state championship for us, for the school, for the 17 that passed," he said. The baseball team will also dedicate its season to the victims.

"We're going to play hard," he added.

Wednesday's return to Stoneman Douglas wasn't easy for anyone, including the school crossing guards, who have been with the students for years in some cases.

"I came back but I was worried about the kids," said a 14-year veteran crossing guard, who asked not to be identified. "It wasn't easy. But I did it. I have a job and I did it."

Freshman Kimberly Miller was carrying a stuffed bunny and a chocolate cupcake when she left Stoneman Douglas after her first day back.

"It was kind of hard to walk into some of the classrooms, especially when you know that your teachers are supposed to be there and they are not," said the 14-year-old Miller. She was in Beigel's class and another teacher's who was wounded. "There were a few people who cried. But most people were able to keep it together or get out of the classroom before they did at least."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Police officers greet returning Marjory Stoneman Douglas students on their first day back after the Valentine's Day shooting that claimed 17 classmates and faculty members. Photo by Paul Scicchitano.