Teacher advocacy required for stronger inclusion in discussions concerning school security following the experiences of a survivor from Sandy Hook.
Teachers Unify to End Gun Violence: Empowering Future Educators to Promote School Safety
In the wake of ongoing gun violence incidents in schools across the United States, a nonprofit organisation, Teachers Unify to End Gun Violence, is striving to equip aspiring teachers with the resources they need to handle potential crisis situations and build resilience.
Founded by Abbey Clements, a teacher turned advocate against gun violence, in 2021, the organisation is now focusing on reaching future teachers to help them advocate for safety-related policies. Clements, who was a teacher at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Conn., when a gunman killed 26 people in 2012, left teaching last year to become the full-time executive director of Teachers Unify to End Gun Violence.
One of the main policy focuses of the organisation is secure gun storage, both as a cultural change initiative and a potential legislative solution. Secure gun storage can prevent unintentional shootings and suicides, as well as reduce the number of school shootings, as more than two-thirds of school shooters obtain their guns from home, relatives, or friends' houses.
Teachers can make a difference in promoting secure gun storage, but they need support from school leaders. Unfortunately, the issue of safe gun storage is often viewed as a political one, causing school leaders to be hesitant to address it. Teachers are not seen as experts on gun violence prevention in schools, and they don't have a seat at the table when making policies and plans related to gun violence in schools.
In a 2023 survey of 1,000 teachers, conducted by the RAND Corp., more than half said educators carrying firearms would make schools less safe, while 20% said it would make schools safer. Abbey Clements, the co-founder of Teachers Unify to End Gun Violence, believes more guns in school would not make them safer.
In states like Wyoming, individuals with concealed carry permits are now allowed to bring guns onto school grounds, abolishing 'gun-free zones' in public schools. However, this raises concerns about the safety of teachers and students, as well as the potential for unintentional shootings or suicides.
Teachers who have experienced gun violence in their schools may struggle with trauma, survivor guilt, and hyper-vigilance. They often feel unsupported after such incidents and may be told to leave their profession if they don't like their job. Teachers need comprehensive support through nationwide safety training offered both in person and digitally, establishment of standardized threat management with interdisciplinary case conferences involving police, youth welfare, and school psychology, as well as new partnerships between schools and police to enhance prevention and early risk detection in schools.
The Trump administration's cancellation of mental health grants may negatively impact school safety, as it could leave children without necessary counseling and support. However, the administration has released new priorities for school mental health grant applications, with a focus on early intervention and prevention strategies.
Teachers Unify to End Gun Violence is trying to start chapters or clubs in teacher-preparation programs to help future teachers advocate for safety-related policies. The organisation is also trying to amplify teacher voices in support of policies like safe gun storage, as well as other measures to ensure the safety of teachers and students in schools.
