A Sad Truth




There are so many fun and entertaining things about teaching that I remember and want to share with you, but there are also some things that really make you sad. One of the things that always bothered me was when there would be a lockdown drill or active shooter drill. I would have to make sure that the door was locked, lights were out, any onscreen activities were shut down, and that the kids were huddled in the back corner of the classroom.

I taught first graders and when this drill would happen, they were always super quiet and super serious. It was because they were scared. I had to remind them several times that this was just practice and that it wasn't real. One of the questions that they would ask is if I would protect them and I thought about that question for a long time. The real answer was that I would definitely protect them and honestly wouldn't even think twice about putting myself between those kids and a bullet. The truth is that I would die for those kids. And that was a very sobering thought. 

It got me to thinking about why this stuff has to happen. And whether these drills really were working. Why did we have to hide in a corner? Why did we have to be scared? What would we really do if a shooter came crashing through the door? I thought about teachers having guns, then maybe there would be a chance to save the kids. When I brought this up, I was shot down pretty quick. The response was that it would be too traumatic for the kids to see their teacher shoot a person. But wouldn't it be traumatic for the kids to see their teacher and fellow students get shot? 

It's hard to know what to do and what the right answer is. I do believe that we need more mental illness awareness, as well as better security in the schools. If you have any answers, I would love to hear them. Teaching is a fun, exciting profession. But there is danger involved. And that is the sad truth. 

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