Gun violence is a public health crisis and currently the leading cause of death for children in America. Newtown Federation of Teachers member and Sandy Hook massacre survivor Abbey Clements (speaking in photo, above) co-founded a grassroots collective to empower fellow educators and school support personnel to raise their collective voices for change. In a recent blog post, she shares how engaging with Teachers Unify to End Gun Violence can help communities “move forward in healthy and productive ways:”
On June 25, 2024, the U.S. surgeon general declared gun violence in America a public health crisis. Along with his announcement, Dr. Vivek Murthy released a comprehensive advisory that provides information on the complex and multi-layered impact of gun violence on communities, children and families, including prevention strategies and resources.
Since 2020, guns have been the leading cause of death for children and adolescents. In his advisory, Dr. Murthy recognizes educators and school staff – along with community leaders, and health workers – as those promoting healing and connection and leading violence‑intervention initiatives.
Click here to watch Dr. Murthy’s announcement of the unprecedented health advisory.
This isn’t something we can ignore. So how do we talk about this with our students? How do we do this in our classrooms?
How do we promote healing and connection in spite of all the barriers in our way – curriculum restraints, social and emotional learning (SEL) under attack and the perception that conversations about gun violence are political and controversial?
Click here for the American Psychological Association’s recent analysis of escalating attempts aimed at censoring teaching.
Gun violence impacts schools and communities across the country in so many ways. And kids carry the weight of the news, their fears and their direct impact into their classrooms. What does this look like?
It looks like kids who:
- Are unable to concentrate;
- Have difficulty focusing;
- Have trouble recalling and retaining new information;
- Aren’t getting enough sleep;
- Are unable to be alone;
- Are unable to go to school easily or get there at all;
- Are hyper alert;
- Look for exits;
- Are stuck in their traumas—unable to move them aside for learning;
- Are grieving; and
- Suffer from survivor guilt.
We know that adults process trauma in different ways and children do, too. Some become quiet, sad, angry, withdrawn. But here’s the thing: kids aren’t available for learning unless they have healthy ways to work through challenges.
Educators are not just teachers. We wear multiple hats and switch them out sometimes, moment to moment. Teachers can slip in and out of the role of counselor, nurse, administrator, while simultaneously teaching (what incredibly skilled multitaskers we are)!
Teachers Unify to End Gun Violence invited five school shooting survivors to talk about ways educators can promote healing and connection after students experience tragedy.
Click here for our previous report on the organization’s advocacy efforts.
Here are some of the ways that we suggest to do this:
- Give students time and space to process their feelings through art and writing.
- Understand that talking is sometimes challenging but that most students want to talk about their experience but maybe don’t know how to do this.
- Sometimes you might feel like a broken record, but just keep asking how your colleagues and students are doing, how they are feeling. And it’s OK not to know what to say (you can say that). Just asking and listening mean so much.
- Use therapy dogs.
- Balance space and routine.
- Spread out the support over time. The aftermath is long and hard, and resources need to last.
- Administrators and teachers need to work with students to plan for triggering events – other shootings, anniversaries, etc. Listening and inclusion are very important to those who feel powerless.
- Give space for students to interact with one another frequently.
- Pay attention to the news cycle. It can affect students greatly, especially those who’ve experienced trauma.
- A lot of students don’t really know how to ask for help, so create spaces of openness; students need to feel they can reach out to educators.
- Make the effort to connect with students on a personal level.
- Try to build a strong sense of safety, such as a quiet time to process; calming music; a variety of different ways to reach out to you when needed (Need to Talk Jar, email, notes, etc.); time for kids to talk with one another in unstructured conversations; maybe extra time outside for fresh air.
- After a tragedy or difficult drill, allow time for all to process together.
- Show your vulnerable side.
- Be there to listen, even cry with your students.
- Advocate for mental health professionals, beyond counselors, who are trained in trauma. This is tough because educators and school staff often don’t have the power to invite therapists in, but you can advocate for more help whenever you can, perhaps even reaching out to administrators, parents, and school board allies for help.
- Make sure kids know there are many people available for them to talk to. Keep saying it. Acknowledge how they are feeling, repeat it back. Give them specific times they can come to class early or late or during a free period to chat with you (but boundaries are important for educators, too).
- Students want a space where they feel safe enough to discuss their concerns without feeling awkward or weird.
- Do not push down the feeling and keep it some big “secret,” like it doesn’t exist or didn’t happen.
- Don’t be afraid to have hard conversations; it helps people feel comfortable to talk to one another.
- Allow kids to share healing tactics that have worked for them.
- Support students in any positive way they want to heal.
- Speak up for what the students need because a lot of the time they don’t know how.
Click here for a recent professional learning webinar Clements and fellow union members presented for Share My Lesson.
We are a nation of survivors: no one is free from the threat or impact of gun violence.
The weight of this public health crisis is dense and difficult to carry, but we must not do it alone. We need one another to process the pain and fear and to discover how to move forward in healthy and productive ways.
Click here for press reporting on Clements’ gun violence speech to the Democratic National Convention last week.
Teachers are rockstars and can model this. And there can be pockets of joy in the effort!
As Dr. Murthy says in his advisory, “the safety and well‑being of our children and future generations are at stake.”
Click here for Clements’ original post at the Share My Lesson blog.
