A newsletter published by the Kentucky Department of Education for teachers recommends a book written by a school shooting survivor for the reading list of middle and high school students. The book, I Choose to Be Happy: A School Shooting Survivor’s Triumph Over Tragedy, is written by Missy Jenkins, now 27, who was one of eight student in a prayer circle at Heath High School in Paducah, Ky, shot by a 14-year-old student, Michael Carneal. Three students were killed. Jenkins was paralyzed from the chest down.
Her message is that bullying, even in its mildest form, can have ramifications, according to a review of the book on page 9 of the newsletter. Also, she urges educators and others to get help for students who feel that violence is an option.