Unheard Voices

Every time there is one of these tragic school shootings, we hear from the police chief, the sheriff, the students...and God almighty the media jumps all over it.   But never a teacher.  Have you noticed that, too?

So I consulted with the only two teachers that I know.

A PhD special education teacher who works in Beverly Hills was my first choice since he is actively working.  The other is no less distinguished, but he is semi-retired.  Nice contrast.

What would you like done in the way of prevention?
     It seems to me that steps need to be taken much earlier.  When we know that a child has expressed any dangerous behaviors - to himself or others - we need to be able to offer more support.  In Special Education we have the opportunity to provide counseling, but it (counseling) is typically school-related issues.

     Beyond that the kids get referral for services.  As you can imagine, this is a long, difficult process as the system gets pretty bogged down.

Does your school have a plan in place?
     We have several plans and steps based on the danger.  We have a lock down procedure where we lock our metal doors and move the kids to a safe spot in the room.  We really just need to keep the kids safe for the few minutes it would take for the SWAT team to arrive.

Do you feel safe in your school?
     Yes, I feel safe in my school.  We have a police department that will be here in seconds.  I have seen it first hand and it is really impressive.  Moreover we have plans in the school to lock it down quickly and efficiently.

I'd like to thank this teacher for taking the time to present a teacher's point-of-view.  They're there in the heart of danger, too, and deserve credit for so being.