Tearful Scottish Parents Return Children to School in Dunblane

Nine days after a gunman killed 16 students and a teacher there, classes resumed Friday at the Dunblane Primary School.

Many parents came with their children as the brick-and-prefab school reopened for its 700 pupils. Mothers and fathers wiped away tears after they left their children for Friday’s half-day session.

“We are determined to get back to normal,” said Canon Basil O’Sullivan, the school’s Roman Catholic chaplain, “but we will all have scars for a very, very long time.

“Hopefully the children will help us. We will take our lead from the children.”

O’Sullivan said he had not heard of any parents refusing to send their children back to school Friday.

“We can’t let that man win,” crossing guard Margaret Finnie said, referring to Thomas Hamilton, the embittered loner who marched into the school’s gymnasium March 13 and massacred 16 students and a teacher before fatally shooting himself.

On Friday, some children looked solemn as they arrived, but then many broke into a run to greet friends they had not seen for days.

“I was walking around the school and I came across a group of children laughing and joking together,” head teacher Ron Taylor said. “Normality is returning. We have really one priority now--to ensure our school becomes a happy place of learning once again.”