A math teacher who survived the Florida school shooting will carry the tragedy for a lifetime – on his arm.
Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School statistics teacher Frank Krar was sporting a new tattoo on his arm when classes returned on Wednesday, reading: ‘MSD Strong’
Circling the message are the wings of an Eagle – the Parkland, Florida school’s mascot.
According to a Broward County education website, the 47-year-old teacher is married with one daughter.
‘When I find the time, I also enjoy an occasional round of golf, woodworking, and playing guitar,’ Krar said on the website.
Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School statistics teacher Frank Krar, 47, got a tattoo on his arm reading ‘MSD Strong’
Krar showed off the tattoo as classes resumed at the Parkland, Florida school on Wednesday for the first time since the deadly shooting two weeks ago
DailyMail.com reached out to Krar for comment on his new ink, but did not immediately hear back Wednesday afternoon.
The school officially reopened on Wednesday, exactly two weeks after the massacre that left 17 dead.
Students started the day with their fourth-period class, so that they could be with the classmates and teachers they were with when the shooting happened.
Administrators scheduled only a half day of school to ease the surviving students back into classes.
About 50 uniformed officers marched into the high school with the the students on Wednesday, just one aspect of the heavy security as classes resumed.
Students were handed carnations as they returned to school on Wednesday for a half-day of classes
There was a heavy police presence at the school on Wednesday as classes resumed
An emotional student walks past the media at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Wednesday
The heavily armed police presence, designed to make the community feel secure, is also disturbing in itself, some students said.
‘This is a picture of education in fear in this country. The NRA wants more people just like this, with that exact firearm to scare more people and sell more guns,’ said David Hogg, who has become a leading voice in the students’ movement to control assault weapons.
‘I know one of those bullets could be shredding through me if I was misidentified as a school shooter,’ Hogg added.
Outside the school, one former student spoke to reporters about her decision not to return to school.
Samantha Fuentes was shot in the knee in the shooting and still has shrapnel lodged throughout her leg and even in her head.
She said she’s not returning because she doesn’t see school getting back to normal this year, and wants to spend her time advocating for increased gun control.
‘I’d rather take this time, instead of sitting around and moping, I’d like to actually make a difference and advocate for my cause,’ Fuentes told CNN.
Many of the returning students and staff members were seen hugging outside the school on Wednesday
A police officer hugs a student as she returns to school on Wednesday
Grief counselors are on campus as well ‘to provide a lot of love, a lot of understanding’ and help students ‘ease back’ into their school routines, Broward Schools Superintendent Robert Runcie said. Officers with therapy dogs also stood outside.
Meanwhile, suspected gunman Nikolas Cruz is set to appear in court on Wednesday for a hearing
Casey Sherman, a 17-year-old junior, thinks the schedule was a good idea so kids can ‘get it over with,’ and not worry about it all day. Up until 11.30pm working on preparations for the March 14 national school walkout against gun violence, she said she’s not afraid to be returning, ‘just nervous.’
‘We did go through a tragedy,’ said Sherman, who walked in holding hands with her boyfriend. ‘It was terrible but if you let it stop you… it’s not how you go down, it’s how you get back up.’
As surviving students returned to school, the suspected gunman, 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz, was due back in court on Wednesday for a hearing to determine whether he has the assets to pay for his own defense. His mother died in November and allegedly told family friends he was set to inherit $800,000.
Many of the students were seen tearing up as they returned to school on Wednesday
A female student is given a pink carnation as she returns to school on Wednesday