The following is the opinion and analysis of the writer:
Monica J. Casper
As a mother, I have long agonized over school shootings. Sandy Hook happened when my daughters were just 11 and 8. Since Columbine, there have been nearly 400 school shootings. In 2022, there were 46 school shootings, the highest number since 1999. Some children have survived more than one school shooting. Each shooting brings another wave of trauma, endless platitudes, and aching numbness, but no real change.
As a college professor and former dean, I also worry about violence against teachers. Last year at the University of Arizona, where I hold an emeritus appointment, a colleague was murdered by a former graduate student. Earlier this year, Virginia elementary school teacher Abby Zwerner was shot by a six-year-old with his mother’s 9mm semi-automatic pistol. And just last week, a University of North Carolina faculty member was killed by a graduate student.
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As much as we care about the many students who are victims of school shootings, we also need to care about their teachers. This week, after the UNC shooting, I can tell you that faculty in our universities are not well. They are scared and worried, and they do not believe their institutions can protect them, no matter how skilled or compassionate campus police may be.
Every teacher I know worries about being harmed in their classroom, whether they teach kindergarteners, high schoolers, or college students. Sadly, we sometimes fear our own students if they exhibit frightening or abusive behavior. It takes an extraordinary amount of courage to walk into a classroom to teach other people’s children.
This level of threat is unacceptable in any job, much less a helping profession. The situation is made even worse by the lack of respect and low pay that teachers face. None of us would be who and where we are without our teachers. And yet, according to the Rand Corporation, “nearly three-fourths of teachers and 85 percent of principals are experiencing frequent job-related stress, compared to just a third of working adults.”
Teaching should not require donning a bulletproof vest, nor should we be afraid of our own students. And yet, many of us are. As a society, we must do better by our educators on all fronts. This means sane gun policy, more equitable compensation, and widespread support. It means recognizing that teachers work in battle zones and rarely see hazard pay.
Just as our nation’s children have been repeatedly traumatized by school shootings, so too have our teachers, and they need healing. If you have teachers in your life, check in on them today, because they are not okay. And if you are a teacher, thank you for your service.
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Monica J. Casper is a sociologist with expertise in trauma, violence, and women’s health. Casper holds faculty appointments at San Diego State University and the University of Arizona, and is a former dean. Casper is also a parent.
