Sanctuary Breached: Fear in the Classrooms 

The core promise of any college campus is that it is a safe space for learning and growth. That promise was shattered today when a major incident required students, faculty, and staff were instructed to remain in classrooms and secure areas. For every student hiding behind a locked door, for every professor barricading a window, the fear was immediate and paralyzing. The simple routine of a lecture or a study session was violently replaced by the terrifying uncertainty of a security threat, demonstrating that even our institutions of higher learning are now vulnerable.

Heroes Under Duress: Coordination with Dallas Police

In the midst of the chaos, the focus was entirely on safety, as college officials coordinated with Dallas Police Department (DPD) to ensure everyone’s safety. This coordinated response required immense courage and quick thinking from both campus staff and responding officers. The faculty, who are educators, became immediate protectors, maintaining calm while dealing with their own fear. This incident underscores the profound emotional burden carried by everyone involved, from the officers risking their lives to the students, faculty, and staff who had to endure the harrowing moments of lockdown.

The Lingering Trauma: Beyond the “All Clear”

Though the lockdown eventually ends, the trauma lingers. Every person instructed to remain in classrooms and secure areas will forever carry the memory of that fear—the sound of an alarm, the whisper of danger, the weight of the silence. We extend our deepest gratitude to the DPD for their service and our profound sympathy to the campus community. This event is a powerful, painful call to action, demanding that we invest every resource necessary to make our colleges true safe havens again.