Attributes That Prevented A School Shooting

(After again listening to the podcast mentioned below, I have revised this blog post, originally published on June 20, 2025. -June 27, 2025)

Are you interested in improving your skills in leadership, communication, and decision-making? If so, I have a podcast recommendation for you!

In my research of the crew of the USS Franklin, a US Navy carrier that, during World War II, became the most decorated crew in US Navy history. While researching the actions of the two men who were awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor (MOH) and the 20 who were awarded the Navy Cross, I came across the story of middle school guidance counselor Molly Hudgens. She talked a 14-year-old student out of becoming an active shooter. The Congressional Medal of Honor Society presented her with its “Citizen Honors” award for her courageous actions that day. In listening to her story, I realized that she shared some of the same attributes that many MOH awardees also possess.

Hudgens is a fine storyteller, and I urge you to listen to this podcast where author Malcolm Gladwell interviews her. Rather than retelling her story, I want to recount the attributes I believe we can learn from her and other MOH awardees who possess them. Feel free to let me know what you think in the comments.

Attributes Molly Hudgens Shares With Other MOH Awardees

“Courage under fire” is common to all Medal of Honor awardees. But where does that courage come from? Not all who perform acts of courage share the same attributes, but here are five I believe Molly Hudgens shares with those who performed acts of bravery while in combat or other stressful situations.

1. She gained control of her emotions and did not panic. This enabled her to think clearly and make intelligent decisions. Both MOH awardees on USS Franklin, Lt. Cmdr Joseph O’Callahan, and Lt. (j.g.) Donald Gary mentioned initial disorientation. But they overcame it. Steadying yourself may be the “operating system” enabling someone to act in a “courageous” manner.
   
2. She showed initiative in her preparations. On her own time, she learned as much as she could about the warning signs of potential school shooters.   This reminded me of Lt. (j.g.) Donald Gary. Lt. Gary had only been on the ship for three months or less. He took the time to learn not only the passageways of the 27,000-ton ship but also how to use the ventilation systems throughout the ship as escape routes. Three hundred men were saved because of his foresight.
   
3. Hudgens constantly practices situational awareness. She was always on the lookout for red flags. Note her point about the importance of paying attention. Not just listening to someone’s words but also paying attention to what they write.
   
4. She made decisions in the moment, based on her knowledge. For example, listen to her recognize the difference between a hostage and a non-hostage situation, then make decisions. Once she made a decision, she acted on it at the right time.
   
5. She leaned on her faith, and this grounded her during the crisis. (See also Medal of Honor awardees Corporal Alvin York, US Army 82nd Division, Lt. Cmdr Joseph T O’Callahan, USN, of USS Franklin, and Private First Class Desmond T. Doss, U.S. Army 77th Infantry Division, et al.)

Her Motivation

Hudgens began her teaching career in the 1998-99 school year when there were six active shooting incidents, including the one at Columbine High School in Colorado. She wanted to learn how two boys could plan a shooting that took more than a year to plan and not have anyone recognize the warning signals.

She would spend the next ten years researching school shootings on her own time. At one point, the US Department of Homeland Security contacted her to inquire about her intense research on the topic.

Along the way, she moved from teacher to guidance counselor at her middle school.

What You Can Do To Protect Yourself Against An Active Shooter

I began planning this article about a week ago. A day later, there was an active shooter at a church in Wayne, Michigan. News reports indicate he had mental health issues. The threat remains real.

If you are an educator, you may have benefited from one of Hudgens’ presentations. You may know a teacher who isn’t familiar with her; if so, please share this with them. Suppose you work in an office or factory. In that case, a free course is available that teaches civilians how to respond effectively to an active shooter. Contact your local law enforcement agency to inquire about the Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events (CRASE) program. (I have attended this course and highly recommend it.) They may be able to schedule one at your workplace or house of worship. There are also courses designed for houses of worship.

If, after listening to her podcast, you identify an attribute I’ve missed or would like to continue discussing leadership, please feel free to leave a comment.

Let’s be careful out there. More importantly, let’s stop active shooters before they get started.

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Did you arrive here via a search engine? I am the author of the forthcoming book Heroes By The Hundreds: The Story of the USS Franklin (CV-13). In addition to writing about the bravery of the crews that saved her, I will discuss the lessons we can learn in leadership and decision-making, and the changes the US Navy made because of those lessons.

Feel free to follow me on Facebook. There, I am M. Glenn Ross, Author. I also write a monthly newsletter, Glenn’s Action Report, about subjects I find interesting in my research. You can sign up for it below. Feel free to leave a comment or ask a question. Thanks for reading.  

-Glenn