In response to the letter writer of March 16 (“Unarmed teachers are first responders”), stress can run rampant in a school environment, and adding guns to tense situations involving upset parents and educators is decidedly unwise.
Additionally, suggesting that educators be armed presumes all are of sound mind and free of bias. Nationwide, school disciplinary data indicates that students of color are disproportionally punished, and again, I fear the outcome of adding guns to those interactions.
Our focus should be on building capacity for social-emotional learning and securing funding for additional school counselors and other mental health professionals, while staying up to date on current best practices for actively responding to intruders.
Celeste Palladino
Florence