A series of recent school shootings have shocked the nation. These tragedies confirm that no place is safe when someone is determined to act out their rage.
Our own experiences with the schools shows they are a magnet for odd activity. The three cases we've reported on this week are the most extreme examples of a month at a large school like Douglas High School.
Fortunately, no one has felt the need to bring a gun to school to make a point or settle some long simmering dispute. We pray that it will never happen here, but we know from national examples that there is always a danger.
We've said again and again that the price of freedom is vigilance, and the schools are no exception.
One source of comfort is the close relationship between the Douglas County School District and the sheriff's office.
Douglas High School is a community of 1,800 students and staff members, or more than half the number of people who live in Minden, with all the issues that would accompany any large number of people.
While school administrators do most of the work to keep the peace, having a deputy at the high school provides additional experience and authority.
That experience has come in handy on more than one occasion.
