COLLINS: School days, school days…

Aug 31, 2025 | 6:00 AM

YOU WOULD HAVE TO BE IN MY AGE BRACKET to remember the rest of that song. It was kind of a whimsical, happy-go-lucky song that we would never sing today. Because whimsical isn’t a word we use any more.

When Bob Dylan recorded his prophetic song “The Times They Are A-Changing” back in 1964, I wonder if he foresaw just how much things would change. Instead of skipping their way to school, many students are going to school amongst National Guard soldiers, doors that are locked and guarded by armed security guards with orders to shoot anyone who appears suspicious in any way.

More and more recesses are held indoors, and schools and teachers are facing huge pressure to ensure students are safe. Their work is no longer solely to focus on education. The three R’s have been replaced by codes that tell teachers and students how to react to active shooters and lock down their classroom, and where to find the safest place to hide.

Much of this applies to the U.S., where students have been back for a week now. Parents have recounted how frightened they were taking their kids to school, holding onto their hands so tightly they almost cut off the circulation.

Students here head to class Tuesday, heading to one of the 35 elementary or 11 high schools in the district. While not facing the same level of security and anxiety as our neighbours, you can rest assured that the usual warnings about crossing the crosswalks safely, using the rules about getting off the school bus safely will be augmented by warnings about security that we didn’t face even a dozen years ago.