'Never Happen Again' Is Not Enough

Note: Available below are: (1) "'Never Again' Is Not Enough," The Gazette, February 28, 2018, immediately below, (2) "Why 'Never Again' Is Not Enough," Iowa City Press-Citizen, March 7, 2018; and "Why 'Never Again' is Never Enough," The Daily Iowan, March 19, 2018, p. 4, (3) the original blog post from which these columns were drawn, beginning with some excerpts from Vanessa Miller's story.

'Never Happen Again' Is Not Enough
Nicholas Johnson
The Gazette, February 28, 2018, p. A6
When I read Vanessa Miller’s report that an audit revealed “unacceptable risks” in the University of Iowa’s emergency preparedness (Feb. 18), I was reminded of a story my mother liked to tell.

A woman returned home to find a penciled note left by her new cleaning woman. It read: “I’m sorry, but I can’t work in a home that keeps an alligator in the bathtub. I would have said something earlier, but I did not think the situation would arise.”

Our school superintendent advised new school board members, “I don’t like surprises.”

There are surprises in life. Situations arise one could never have anticipated. That’s true.

But most disasters and crises are predictable.

Every computer hard drive will crash someday. Mine did a couple of weeks ago. I make lots of stupid computer mistakes, but not this one, this time. I didn’t have to say, “This must never happen again.” I was able to say, “Thank goodness there’s a backup on an external hard drive.”

Railroad companies know that without “positive train control,” their trains can jump the tracks or crash into other trains, and people can die. City officials know that without winter housing for the homeless, some may die from the cold. University officials know the medical, mental and behavioral consequences of students’ excessive alcohol consumption.

And federal and state legislators (along with Iowa’s governor) know that, so long as they march in lockstep with the National Rifle Association, more schoolchildren will be shot.

For those paid big bucks to lead institutions — legislators, corporate CEOs, university presidents, school superintendents — responsibility for identifying and preventing potential disasters is part of their job description. We’re not talking about the equivalent of unpredictable alligators in bathtubs. We’re talking systemic failures, as the UI audit suggests.

Yes, we want to learn from mistakes, to do better next time. But that no longer can be the “get out of jail free” card for the legislators and executives who’ve failed to do their “Job One.” OK, yes, tell us what you’re going to do so we, and others, won’t be going through this again.

But our real question for you is why, after 300 school shootings, did you so miserably fail at your job of anticipating the danger, and preventing it from happening this time?

Nicholas Johnson is a former school board member in Iowa City and maintains FromDC2Iowa.blogspot.com and www.nicholasjohnson.org. Comments: mailabox@nicholasjohnson.org

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Why 'Never Again' Is Not Enough
Nicholas Johnson
Iowa City Press-Citizen, March 7, 2018, p. A7
And the identical text as:

Why 'Never Again' is Never Enough
Nicholas Johnson
The Daily Iowan, March 19, 2018, p. 4
A recent audit revealed the University of Iowa's emergency preparedness has "unacceptable weaknesses" creating "unacceptable risks."

Following the next predictable campus crisis will it be enough for UI's administrators to say, "we must see that this never happens again"? Is that an adequate response to school shootings by federal and state legislators? I don't think so.

There are some truly unpredictable surprises.

My mother told the story of a woman who found a penciled note from her new cleaning woman. It read, "I'm sorry, but I can't work in a home with an alligator in the bathtub. I would have said something earlier, but I did not think the situation would arise."

But railroads know that without "positive train control" passenger and freight trains can jump the tracks, crash into other trains, spill oil, and kill people.

Iowa's NRA-backed legislators and governor know stubborn support of every NRA demand means more school children will be shot.

Preventing such disasters is part of the job description of those getting the big bucks to lead corporations and government. Predictable shootings aren't unexpected alligators in bathtubs.

Leaders’ performance should be judged by, not what they propose to prevent "next time," but by what they failed to do to prevent “this time.”

Nicholas Johnson
Iowa City
And:
Nicholas Johnson
Former Iowa City School Board member

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Why 'Must Never Happen Again' Is Not Enough [original blogpost]

IOWA CITY — The University of Iowa’s emergency preparedness — including its ability to handle bomb threats, health crises and hostage situations — has “unacceptable weaknesses” that expose the campus to “unacceptable risks,” a new audit reports.

The report . . . found problems with the UI’s emergency policies and plans, its training protocols, its communication strategies and its incident follow-ups. . . .

The audit comes as the nation grapples with another campus shooting — this time at a Florida high school, where a former student shot and killed 17 people.

Vanessa Miller, "Audit Finds 'Unacceptable Weaknesses' in University of Iowa Emergency Plans," The Gazette, February 18, 2018, p. A1.

My mother enjoyed telling the story of a woman who returned home to find a penciled note left by her new cleaning woman: "I'm sorry, but I can't work in a home that keeps an alligator in the bathtub. I would have said something earlier, but I did not think the situation would arise." [Photo credit: Wasilla, Alaska, Police Department.]

Our school superintendent advised new school board members, "I don't like surprises."

There are surprises in life. Situations arise that one could never have anticipated. That's true.

But most disasters and crises are predictable.

Every computer hard drive will crash someday. Mine did a couple weeks ago. I make lots of stupid computer mistakes, but not this one, this time. I didn't have to say, "This must never happen again." I was able to say, "Thank goodness there's a backup on an external hard drive."

Railroad companies know that without "positive train control" their trains can jump the tracks, or crash into other trains, and people can die. City officials know that without winter housing for the homeless, some can die from the cold. University officials know the medical, mental, and behavioral consequences of students' excessive alcohol consumption.

Federal and state legislators know that, so long as they march in lockstep with the NRA, more school children will be shot.

For those paid big bucks to lead institutions -- legislators, corporate CEOs, university presidents, school superintendents -- responsibility for identifying and preventing potential disasters is part of their job description. We're not talking about the equivalent of unpredictable alligators in bathtubs. We're talking systemic failures, as the UI audit suggests.

Yes, we want to learn from mistakes, to do better next time. But that can no longer be the "get out of jail free" card for the legislators and executives who've failed to do their "Job One." Yes, tell us what you're going to do so we, and others, won't be going through this again.

But our real question for you is, why, after 300 school shootings, did you so miserably fail at your job of anticipating the danger, and preventing it from happening this time?

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UI Funding Worse Than Thought

President Bruce Harreld has shared some numbers regarding financial support the UI receives from Iowans and their elected representatives – with the conclusion that therefore "the university must increase its tuition." Bruce Harreld, "UI Must Press Forward Despite Disinvestment in Higher Education," The Daily Iowan, February 13, 2018. [Photo credit: Nick Rohlman/The Daily Iowan.]

Putting aside, as the old line has it, "I followed him all but the ‘therefore'" regarding tuition increases, the numbers cried out for more analysis. That analysis suggests the Iowa Legislature’s abandonment of higher education (while simultaneously bemoaning the shortage of skilled workers and exodus of young Iowans) is much worse than even President Harreld thinks it is. Our representatives have essentially transformed what Iowans once happily supported, and proudly called SUI -- The State University of Iowa -- into just another (at least 90%) private university.

He reports that, since 1998 (20 years ago), the total state budget has increased from $4.36 billion to $7.26 billion, while the UI’s appropriation declined from $223 million to $216 million. Meanwhile, enrollment increased from 27,871 to 33,564.

To make sense of those numbers, it is helpful to consider the impact of inflation, increase in the number of students, the appropriation per student, and the UI’s percentage share of the total state budget.

What cost you $1.00 in 1998 now sells for $1.50. You can’t meaningfully compare an appropriation of $223 million in 1998 with $216 million in 2018 – as bad as a $7 million reduction may look. You must consider inflation. A $223 million appropriation 20 years ago would be $334.9 million in 2018 dollars. The shortfall has not been $7 million, it has been nearly $120 million!

As a share of the state’s total budget the UI has dropped from 5.1% to 2.97%.

Comparing the appropriation per student for both years also requires an inflation adjustment. In 1998 the state appropriation was $8001.15 per student; this year it is $6435.47. Again, this is not merely a reduction of $1565.68; after inflation, it is a reduction from $12,016.12 -- $5580.66.

Sad.

For much more on this subject, and its consequences for the State of Iowa, see, Nicholas Johnson, "Iowa’s Economic Foundation? Graduate Education & Research," FromDC2Iowa, May 5, 2014.

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School Shootings: What You Can Do

We’re told those 17 Stoneman Douglas High School students killed on Valentine’s Day in Broward County, Florida, were the victims of the eighteenth school shooting during the first six weeks of 2018. [Photo credit: Stoneman Douglas High School Eagles logo.]

We feel helpless after each school shooting, and in many ways, we are. It is all but impossible to identify and stop a single individual, operating alone, free to select the time and place of carnage, from causing a good deal of it.

But there are things we can do.

(1) Start Early. There are many moral, ethical, and compassionate reasons for giving every child a fair start in life. But one of those reasons is that waiting to act until there are signs a child is a potential mass killer can be too late – as it was with Nikolas Cruz.

Make sure no child feels left out – or picked on. Encourage understanding and acceptance by teachers and students of those of different race, ethnicity, background, socio-economic class and abilities. Look for young children who are shy, seem to have no friends, have challenges and no support (or worse) at home, suffer from depression, are angry and discouraged, feel like they “don’t belong,” and have no adult they can turn to.

Don’t suspend, or expel, students for their behavior without first finding, and doing something about, the causes of that behavior. That’s not easy to do, especially in schools with large student populations (like Stoneman Douglas’ 3000) and inadequate resources. But even using students’ names while offering a kind word can go a long way and pay enormous future dividends.

(2) Ask questions. You have a right to know what your own school district is doing about (a) getting informed, and acting, regarding students showing signs of potential mass violence, (b) creating and informing teachers and students about what they should do in emergencies (including shootings), and running sufficient drills to make sure they can do it, and (c) maintaining building security at an optimum level – enough to be safe, while not unnecessarily increasing students’ anxieties.

(3) Commonsense gun controls. There are probably many reasons why the United States has far and away more gun deaths than other countries from mass shootings at schools. But clearly one of the major distinctions is the relative ease with which those who wish to create this carnage can acquire their weapon of choice: an AR-15 – as Nikolas Cruz did.

Find out what your federal and state senators and representatives have done, or refused to do, about the many proposed commonsense gun control measures opposed by the National Rifle Association.

Have they taken leadership on these issues, spoken out, written and introduced legislation? Signed on to legislation introduced by others? If they haven’t written or signed onto such legislation, have they at least voted for it?

Or, have they done the opposite? Have they advocated the NRA line, introduced its legislation, signed onto it, or at least voted for it – while opposing others’ commonsense suggestions?

Find out. And then work and vote for those who will help curtail, rather than perpetuate, this carnage of our children.

No one of us can make all these shootings stop. But here are three things you and I can do to reduce their number.

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