News of mass violence makes most people quietly wonder what could have been done to prevent it. But instead of worrying about what’s coming next, Alyse Folino Ley has taken matters into her own hands by creating a community-involved program that’s saving Michigan students, teachers and families in 40 districts.
Early in her career, Ley, a child and adolescent psychiatrist and Michigan State University professor, interviewed survivors of mass casualty events. After talking with terrified families and listening to teachers who had protected their students during mass tragedies, Ley knew she could no longer accept a world where parents wondered if their kids would come home safely or where teachers had to stand in front of classroom doors to block bullets.
“I interviewed families, teachers and students who were present when school attacks occurred,” Ley said. “I was inspired by our teachers and school personnel who did everything possible during the attack to save lives. I never want another parent to be at a reunification center or a teacher to have to stand in front of a door.”