School safety and gun violence: Widespread fear

Following school shootings in Denver, CO and Nashville, TN, educators once again expressed their frustration with the ongoing gun control crisis, the increasing politicalization of classrooms and the lack of safety in school communities.

  • “In the middle of the energy rush I had from being at the #NSTA23 Conference and I find out about the shooting at East High School in Denver. When did we become complacent with schools no longer being safe spaces?” —Middle School STEM Teacher in Colorado 
  • “What does it mean to be safe in our schools? How do we prepare teachers for this reality?” —Educator in Texas
  • “4 dead at an elementary school. This is yet another time to FINALLY talk about gun reform.” —Educator in Oklahoma
  • “Trigger Warning: Violence against children. We are so deeply mired in partisan politics that we are willing to sacrifice our children…again, and again, and again, and again! We are the ONLY country in which this takes place. STOP. THE. #*}^%. MADNESS.” —Educator in Texas
  • “This is so tragic!! When will this end??? When are we going to make our schools safe for teachers and students?” —ESL Educator in Tennessee 
  • “Today a gun was found at my daughter’s school, today hundreds of parents rushed to the school to rescue their babies, today teachers and students and parents were traumatized. Tomorrow, we must do differently.” —Social Studies Teacher in Texas
  • “Yeah, I’m in tears over the elementary school shooting in Nashville, TN. Good thing the state banned drag shows, right?! That was CLEARLY the most pressing issue. We are and have been in a sunken place. What in the Jimmy Crack Corn will it take to curb this?!” —STEM Educator in Florida
    • “If you’ve followed me for a while, you know I’ve had a few rodeos with school shootings. Every time the news hits of a new one, it rocks me to my core. My heart goes out to the victims, their families, and the school community. But this should have never happened.” —STEM Educator in Florida
  • “Heartbroken about yet another school shooting. As a school leader, I’m going to do everything I can to protect my students, staff, and school community. I hope that leaders across our country, regardless of politics, can help us school leaders out and make schools safe!” —Middle School Principal in Michigan 
  • “After every mass shooting or school shooting someone says something along the lines of ‘something in the world must change’ etc. Stop. This is not a world issue. This is uniquely American. It doesn’t have to be this way. THE PROBLEM IS OURS.” —Educator