Change. Some people hear this word and cringe feeling quite uncomfortable with the idea of change while others get excited for new opportunities and possibilities that change brings. Change is certainly not easy and doesn’t happen overnight, but it’s change that we need in order for teachers and students to go to school without being terrified of another school shooting that will cost more innocent lives. Change is what we need in order for parents to send their children off to school without the fear that their child may not come home that day. Change in policy and change in how things have been done in the past is the type of change we need in order for our schools to be safe again. We know all too well that history tends to repeat itself. It’s time for us, teachers, students and parents, to be the change that we need to happen now.
As both a teacher and parent I am terrified every day. This familiar feeling reared its ugly head after the Sandy Hook shooting in 2012. My anxiety was sky high and I felt helpless. But that anxiety slowly dwindled away. And I realized why. I was so caught up with the “now” that I forgot about yesterday. But this time it cannot be forgotten. The Parkland shooting brought back these feelings that triggered this anxiety once again. I want to not only see the change that is so desperately needed to make our schools safe again, but I want to be part of the change.
Be The Change
In many cases it’s the act of getting involved that helps tame anxiety and fear, knowing and believing that you are able to do something to make change happen. Being part of the resolution helps turn that anxiety into energy, energy into voice, voice into action and action into change. You could be part of the change too.
Call To Action!!!
Teachers Can Be The Change
Teachers make change happen everyday in education constantly advocating for what’s right for our schools and children. Teachers all over our country are supporting students in walkouts by “holding the door open” for students so they could protest and rally for gun laws that makes sense for the safety of our schools. Get involved by talking with your students and their families about how you could work together toward change. If you feel strongly about not being armed with a weapon at school, join the #ArmMeWith movement to speak out to government officials. This movement has been sweeping across social media as teachers use their voices for what they believe in. Let your voice be heard.
Students Can Be The Change
It’s not going to be easy for students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida to return to classes. Allowing students to talk about what they are feeling and have experienced in a healthy way will allow them to move forward. Students are bravely marching to Capitol Hill to speak directly with legislators demanding change. Allow them to voice and discuss their vision and dreams of change for their future. Allow them to work together toward making the change for the safety of our schools. It is their voices that need to be heard to make this change happen. Let them speak and hear them roar.
Parents Can Be The Change
As a parent it’s terrifying to think that your child not may not be safe at school and may not come home one afternoon. As parents we must continue supporting our schools, teachers and children in their fight for change. Share your stories and support students and teachers in speaking out and rallying for what’s right. Walk alongside them and be their cheerleaders. Connect with grieving parents and support one another through this difficult time. Continue calling your schools and local officials and demand for their time and attention toward school safety. Text ACT to 644-33 or contact your local and state officials to demand #SCHOOLSAFETYNOW. Follow and get involved in outreach campaigns to stop gun violence in our country (@EveryTown, @SandyHookPromise, @MomsDemandAction).
We Can Be The Change
When anxiety and fear transform into energy and strength in numbers it is unstoppable. As a whole, joined by teachers, students and parents, we can and will fight the good fight and walk the walk in making our schools safe again.
If you haven’t read my post, Understanding and Supporting Grieving Students, read it here.
This is a crucial time that we need to come together support each other through our grief as we work toward change. Please join the School Safety Now forum to talk and collaborate with other teachers in making the change that we need to see.
Other Related Content: Getting Real With Mental Illness For The Sake of School Safety
Featured Resource: Social Media Profile and Post How To
Know what your children and students are posting on social media. And remember if anyone sees something, teachers, students or parents, then say something and DO something about it right away.
Let’s not forget and be the change in making our schools safe again!
Christine Weis is a passionate educator, classroom management coach, wife, and mom of two busy boys. She enjoys teaching, writing, and creating resources for teachers.
Great ideas. This is a good perspective.
Thank you! Thanks for reading!
Christine at For The Love of Teachers
Such an amazing and inspiring post. I am really hopeful that there is some change after the Parkland shooting. It is just such a shame that parents, teachers, and students are afraid to be at school. It should be a safe place!
Thank you Daniela! I too hope that we will see change soon. I agree that school should be a safe place. Teachers can not teach and students can not learn if they don’t feel safe. Thanks for reading!
Christine at For The Love of Teachers
This is such a powerful post. Thank you for sharing your perspective as both a teacher and a parent and for addressing everyone. We have the power to make the changes necessary in order to keep our schools safe, but we all have to work together in order to accomplish this.
Thank you Helene! I hope we could all come together as parents, teachers and students to make this change. My biggest fear is that school shootings may become the norm in US schools. Thanks for reading!
Christine at For The Love of Teachers
There’s so much truth in this post! I love how you address how EVERYONE must do their part to bring about change. We can’t become complacent and let the next big shiny thing distract us from this tragedy. As you’d mentioned, past shootings should have been enough, but they were a distant memory by many. We must use this momentum to really propel change once and for all, get past the partisan rhetoric, and do right by our kids. Thank you for such an inspiring message!
Thank you Kim! That word “propel” says it all. We, teachers, students and parents, must be the driving force to “propel” change. I still can’t believe that there was no change after the Sandy Hook shooting. That’s completely unacceptable! I hope and pray that this will not be another “forgotten” shooting. Thanks so much for reading and for your thoughtful comment!
Christine at For The Love of Teachers
Great response to such a trying and crazy time! I hope this movement catches on and we can make some real changes in our country.
Thank you Shannon! I hope so too! Thank you so much for reading!
Christine at For The Love of Teachers
I really enjoyed reading your thoughts. I think a lot of safety begins with saying something when anything makes you uncomfortable and looking out for one another. I just hope more people can hop on this movement.
Thank you! We encourage everyone to say something and do something when they see something alarming, whether it be heard or posted on social media. We have to be the ears and eyes to protect our schools. Thanks for reading!
Christine at For The Love of Teachers
I hate that my kids have lock down drills and have to talk about these issues. I applaud the great teachers who protect our kids every day
Thank you! Teachers are doing an outstanding job to keep kids safe everyday. It is so sad that we have to have lock down drills more than ever before and talk about such serious topics with children. Thank you for reading!
Christine at For The Love of Teachers
I really, truly, genuinely hope that this is the time that change will happen. Finally, the voices that are speaking out the loudest are from the children themselves who in 5, 10, 20, 30, 40 years are the ones who will be leading this country and living in the world we have created for them.
Un fortunately, I am also deeply depressed, saddened, and heartbroken at the state of this country. WE are the ones who created this by ignoring mental health issues and refusing to fund services to properly deal with it, because “that’s not what I want my tax dollars to pay for”.
WE are the ones who fiercely defend the right to have guns, which are literally instruments of death, because we falsely equivocate them with freedom, safety and protection. WE preach that “It is not the gun that is the problem, it is the people, the culture”. Meanwhile we also preach the inherent dangers and sinfulness of drugs and prostitution. In these instances it is the drugs and the prostitutes themselves that are the problems, not the driving forces behind them. Those must absolutely be illegal, we argue.
WE are the ones who continue to vote for the same people, time and again, who vote against our own interests. Against the interests of the very people who vote for them, but don’t know any better or refuse to acknowledge it.
The very victims of these tragedies have spoken. This administration has had the audacity to tell them to their faces ” I hear you..” And then they turn around and ignore every single thing these victims have asked for. They have even harassed these children, calling them paid partisan actors.
What WE need is more teachers like you, empowering the students, the leaders of tomorrow, to act just as the Parkland victims have done in the wake of this tragedy. There are far too many other parents, teachers, and others who are preaching a gospel of toxicity that we need to overcome and defeat. There is no place for this to continue in society. WE cannot tolerate it any longer.
Amanda, thank you so much for your thoughtful comment. I hear you and I completely agree. We teachers will continue to fight the good fight and walk the long walk to empower students and to make change. It’s not going to be easy and it’s not going to happen over night, but we will not tolerate this any longer. Thank you for supporting teachers in this very challenging profession. We hope that together, teachers, students and parents, we can move forward with making change that is so desperately needed to make our schools safe again. Thank you for reading!
Christine at or The Love of Teachers
It’s heartbreaking that our kids are facing these fears. You are so right, it’s imperative to be there for them and support them and be the change!
It truly is heartbreaking! We will continue to empower students to be the voice for change. Thank you for reading!
Christine at or The Love of Teachers
It’s really sad that this is even a thing we have to discuss. When the last Florida shooting happened a couple weeks ago I was just just thinking how crazy it is that it could’ve been me, it could’ve been my son or anyone. We should be grateful everyday that we made it because it’s a crazy world. I don’t know what the answer to this is, I definitely don’t think arming teachers is the best idea, but, like everyone else, i’m lost. Great post. We do need to come together and promote a change. Maybe more respect for life!
I hear you! I too was thinking that we need to get out of the mindset that this won’t happen to one of “us” because school shooting could very well happen anywhere. I could one day be at the front lines to a shooting or my boys as well. It is such a terrifying thought. I think arming teachers with guns is ridiculous. I don’t have the answers either but I do know that it starts with uniting and fighting for change that makes sense for school safety. Thank you for reading and for your thoughtful comment.
Christine at or The Love of Teachers
Its really sad that we actually have to make school safer for our children, for some kids school is their safe place. They should make the laws more strict.
I agree! Change needs to happen for the safety of our children, teachers, staff and schools. Schools should be our kids safe place and nobody should be afraid to go to school. Thank you for reading!
Christine at or The Love of Teachers
Fantastic post. This is so true right now it’s crazy!
Thank you Arielle! I know…crazy and real!!! Thank you for reading!
Christine at or The Love of Teachers
I think it’s fantastic that you want the gun laws to change, but what do you want them to change to? I’ve always lived in countries where it is incredibly hard to own a gun and so I am very comfortable with the idea of American citizens losing the right to own a gun, however after talking to quite a few of my American friends, the idea of their guns away is quite scary, because then how do they fend off the people that illegally keep their guns (which is inevitable). What’s your thoughts on this?
Good luck with the change. I’m sure you’ll make things happen for the better.
I think all Americans have the right to the 2nd amendment, the right to bear firearms. But what we would like to see changed is perhaps the age from 18 go up to 21, perhaps a full mental health screening when someone purchases a gun, more legal purchases and perhaps limit the type of guns, militia firearms, that are youngsters are getting. Too many youngsters are getting their hands on guns and bringing them into our schools putting all of our lives at risk. This is definitely a controversial subject. I try to listen to and respect others opinions but we have to think about what’s right for our schools and children. Giving teachers guns with a monetary bonus just sounds so crazy to me. Thank you for your thoughtful comment and question. I hope and pray we’ll see some change that makes sense for all. Thanks for reading!
Christine at For The Love of Teachers
I think your suggestion is perfect if I’m honest. I heard a similar opinion by a Youtuber called Vegan Gains and it was very interesting to hear. It makes a lot of sense. Something needs to change, so let’s hope it happens soon rather than after another tragedy has taken place 💚
Thank you Zoe! I hope and and pray for a change soon! xo
Christine at For The Love of Teachers
Beautiful written. I am not from America (but the Netherlands), but I saw this Armmewith movement on twitter and I think that was a great response to that.
Thank you Bettie! Thank you for supporting us here in the US. The #Armmewith movement is really making its way across social media. I’m so glad that teachers are standing up for what’s right for our schools and children. Thank you for reading!
Christine at For The Love of Teachers