Editor — I’m sure, by now, everyone has heard about the shooting rampage at Umpqua Community College in Oregon. Ten people were killed, along with the gunman. This should be a wake up call for us all. 
The Health and Safety Committee here at Merritt College has tried to do an active shooting drill, but it was called off by the district just before the committee was to begin the drill. In addition, there are other challenges that need to be addressed. 
We had a male student robbed in the men’s restroom in the A-building on the first day of instruction. Although the robber didn’t point the gun at the student, he showed the student the gun in his pants and then robbed him. 
Neither faculty nor staff nor students were told about this. All the information about the robbery was by word of mouth. We as a campus should have been given the information as soon as it happened. 
We have to come together as a unit and watch out for the safety of our students and each other. We as a district need to have an Active Shooting Training that is conducted by either the Oakland Police Department or the Alameda County Sherriff’s Department for all four campuses and the district. This way, we would be better prepared in the event that an actual emergency of this sort happens.

Waaduda Karim

Waaduda Karim is senior clerical assistant, Allied Health, at Merritt College. This letter was sent Oct. 1 as an email to faculty and staff throughout the district. It is reprinted with the author’s permission.

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