This time, I found myself filled with hope—hope that this nation would pause to truly listen. I envisioned a moment where we could hear the voices of victims, their families, law enforcement, and educators who are struggling to meet the needs of our students with limited resources. I hoped that, after listening, our politicians would take action and create laws that genuinely serve the populace.
However, I underestimated the depth of our society’s fixation on gun culture. The prevailing solution, endorsed even by our Secretary of Education, Mark Johnson, has been to arm teachers. Just this week, Kentucky introduced Senate Bill 103, which would allow public and private school staff to act as “school marshals,” thus permitting them to carry firearms on campus. Instead of reforming gun laws, numerous states, including Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, and South Carolina, are contemplating similar measures.
The response from many politicians is to flood schools with more guns as a way to address the very issue of gun violence in educational settings. These same lawmakers utilize teachers as mere talking points and turn children into props for photo opportunities while ignoring the dire state of our underfunded schools. Now, they propose that I, as an educator, should consider carrying a concealed weapon as part of my responsibilities.
Allow me to clarify what my role entails. As a speech-language pathologist, my primary duty involves teaching vital social skills—empathy, self-awareness, and kindness—to students with disabilities, including those struggling with mental health issues. Unfortunately, this essential work is severely under-resourced.
My experience is not unique; it is a common narrative among service providers in public education—school psychologists, nurses, occupational therapists, and social workers face similar challenges. When I began my new role with teens grappling with communication and social difficulties, I entered an office covered in dust and grime, with outdated equipment and nonexistent supplies. After spending a whole day cleaning, I discovered there were no materials available for therapy—no resources, activities, books, or even basic technology.
When I reached out to my supervisor, I was told that other therapists often bring their own supplies. With a yearly budget of just $100 for materials, I faced the daunting task of supporting a caseload of 60 students with severe disabilities, all while being expected to provide effective therapy, assist parents, attend meetings, and complete paperwork—all with minimal resources.
Then came the added expectation of carrying a firearm. How can I be expected to do my job effectively when I lack even the most basic tools? How can I balance the demands of my role while also being trained to handle a gun under pressure? How can I trust my colleagues to manage their own issues while being armed?
Please explain how you can justify providing me with a firearm when you cannot even supply me with a pen.
Sincerely,
A deeply concerned speech-language pathologist committed to serving the students you overlook.
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In summary, the overwhelming expectation for educators to take on the responsibility of carrying weapons while lacking basic supplies is both unreasonable and alarming. The focus should shift to supporting educational needs rather than introducing more firearms into our schools.