The Most Provocative Stories You Can't Miss This Week

During the winter, it can take 45 minutes for police to arrive at Garden Valley High School — one of several reasons the district trains teachers to use guns stored in their classrooms. To some outsiders, it’s foolish. But to the people who live here, the solution meets the challenges that distinguish their home. Read it at BuzzFeed News.

Since 1981, more than 20,000 San Franciscans, mostly gay men, have been killed by AIDS. Erin Allday profiles survivors, who had the "remarkable luck and brutal misfortune" to outlive a generation of their partners and friends. “I’m the luckiest unlucky person in the world. No one wants to be the last man standing.” Read it at San Francisco Chronicle.

When juveniles are found guilty of sexual misconduct, reports Sarah Stillman, the sex-offender registry can be a life sentence. "A growing number of parents—along with legal advocates, scholars, and even law-enforcement officials—are beginning to ask whether the registry is truly serving the children whom it was designed to protect." Read it at The New Yorker.

Jarett Wieselman sits down with Sally Field to see what the last 50 years have taught the iconic actress about Hollywood, acting, equality, and herself. "There’s a relentless forest fire inside of me.” Read it at BuzzFeed.

The app gold rush is coming to an end, and many mid-size app developers like Pixite are at risk of closing their doors. Casey Newton asks: Can they stay afloat? "If things don’t turn around, we’ll need to lay off half of our staff in the next few months." Read it at The Verge.

Robert Moor meets Dr. Sandra Lee, a dermatologist who found fame among fans of pimple-popping videos. “People are strange. Strange because they like to watch this stuff. But I’ve realized you strange people are not alone — there are many of you!” Read it at New York.

Jody Rosen digs into the quirky cultural and political history behind his name — and, in doing so, sheds light on how these forces affect how we see ourselves. "A name that strikes the perfect notes of novelty and nonconformity for a mom and dad in Manhattan might well hold the same appeal, at the same moment, for parents in Manhattan, Montana." Read it at Slate.