Category Archive: Reflections – Personal and Societal

The Lion King at Mandalay Bay: A New View of a Trusted Tale

Posted by on October 31, 2010

As a father and annual visitor to Disney parks for well over a decade, I felt fairly confident in saying I knew The Lion King story inside and out.  The movie, the characters, the music — they’ve all been part of my life for some time now. So when I was offered a complimentary ticket to […]

3 Simple Tips for Parents on Keeping Your Kids Safe

Posted by on October 3, 2010

   Parents:    Talk with, not at, your kids. Give them, not your smart phone, your full attention. Work to live, don’t live to work.   Build a relationship with your kids today! Ken Trump Visit School Security Blog at:  http://www.schoolsecurityblog.com

School Safety Quotes: On Political Correctness

Posted by on July 25, 2010

“What is popular is not always right. What is right is not always popular.” Back in the late 1980s and early 1990s, this sign was posted in my offices and/or at my desk when I worked in school safety departments.  It reflected my rather well known “political incorrectness” in speaking my mind and speaking the […]

Why School Safety Planning is Like Blogging

Posted by on July 19, 2010

Even the most dedicated humans need a break.  School safety planning involves humans.  So does blogging.  As a new “blogger” since the start of this calendar year, I’ve learned a lot.  I learned how many good people are doing good things in school safety as I continue to build my file of blog post leads […]

A Memorial Day Lesson in Pride

Posted by on May 31, 2010

Veterans know how to teach us something even when they don’t intend to do so. Today I chatted with Joe, a senior neighbor, who enjoys a good conversation.  This Memorial Day, the conversation centered upon Joe’s participation in Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) activities and, in particular, a recognition event to celebrate the holiday weekend. Joe shared with […]

Sometimes We All Neglect Our “Children”

Posted by on April 25, 2010

A participant in one of my workshops once referred to me as a “school safety evangelist.”  It’s a pretty intriguing title and very complimentary as this person recognized my passion for keeping schools safe. But the “school safety evangelist” title can be a hard one to live up to when you’re also self-employed, middle-aged with your […]

Rest In Peace: Officer Thomas Patton II, Cleveland Heights Police

Posted by on March 18, 2010

My family’s thoughts and prayers are with the family of Thomas Patton II as they mourn his loss in the line of duty as a Cleveland Heights (Ohio) police officer.   Today I attended the funeral of Tommy Patton, a 30-year-old suburban Cleveland police officer who died in the line of duty.  He collapsed while […]

Inspiring Person: Liz Strauss

Posted by on February 7, 2010

How many times each day do you feel like individuals, businesses, government, and society in general wake up for the sole purpose of throwing obstacles into your pathway for just getting through the day? As life becomes personally and professionally more complicated, and much busier than we’d like it to be, we learn to appreciate […]