On Dec. 14, 2012, I watched in horror as the images of Newtown, Connecticut, the town where I grew up, flashed across television screens and social media.
That night I had a tearful conversation with my mother, which ended with us both saying, “When will we stop putting politics before the safety of children?” Now, more than five years after the Sandy Hook school shooting, I find myself asking the same question.
My mother and I are both educators. She retired from the Newtown public schools with over 25 years as a para-educator. I have close to 20 years of experience as a para-educator in the Amherst public schools.
Recently, we had another tearful conversation about how we are still witnessing politics being put before the safety of children. Our conversation included the recent discussions of arming teachers in the classroom, and comments about hardening our schools. Schools are not meant to be armed fortresses, and educators are not meant to be warriors, although I will admit to being a warrior for social justice and fully funding our public schools.
Any discussions around arming teachers with guns, besides going against everything that I believe in as an educator, are truly insane from a financial viewpoint. Public education has been underfunded for years, including regional transportation. We have close to four months of school left, and we can’t even get more glue sticks and dry erase markers, so I’m not sure how school districts would pay for arming teachers with guns.
Here’s a thought: How about arming our schools with more resources like guidance counselors, social workers and more staff to keep class sizes low?
Finally, to all my students past, present, and future: My hands will help you learn. My hands will guide your reading and writing, and will help you count. My hands will zip up your coat on a cold winter day. My hands will push you on the swings or shoot hoops with you at recess. My hands will not hold a weapon; this I promise you.
Jean Fay
Amherst
The writer is president of the Amherst Pelham Education Association.