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Bob Layton Editorial: Save the children

Anxious family members wait for news of students as two people embrace, Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018, in Parkland, Fla. A shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School sent students rushing into the streets as SWAT team members swarmed in and locked down the building. AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee

It is as sad as it is outrageous that American politicians knew this would happen again — they just did not know where, or when, or who would be making murder this time.

The  “where” was a Parkland, Florida, at a high school. The “when” was as students responded to what would be a deadly fire alarm.  The “who” was an expelled student with a semi-automatic weapon.

Just as students responded to what they thought was another fire drill, politicians are now going through their own drill.

Breaking news from Canada and around the world sent to your email, as it happens.

Second verse, same as the first.

It starts with “thoughts and prayers” and ends with funerals and talk about how something has to be done — but even after Sandy Hook, nothing has.

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The suggestions will range from the “too expensive” armed guards with metal detectors at every door, to the more controversial teachers armed and trained.

As before, these ideas and others will be discounted and this attack that left 17 dead and more than a dozen injured will, tragically, just be added to the others.

I know how negative that sounds, but you know how this will likely play out.

I would love to be wrong and have them actually come up with a solution to save children’s lives.

What would yours be?

Bob Layton is the news manager of the Corus Edmonton group of radio stations and a commentator for Global News.

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