Response to Florida school shooting – What you can do
02/22/2018
Across the country, educators, students and families are all still grappling with the recent school shooting in Florida and the other 17 school shootings this year alone. We have two choices – we can either allow these tragedies to leave us helpless, or we can use them as fuel to create the change we need to keep our kids and our schools safe.
If you’re on social media, you’ve likely noticed the numerous calls for teachers and students to walk out of school this month and next. However, in Indiana, you can be fired for walking out or coordinating a student walk-out. So, what can you do?
- Take collective action locally before or after school or take the walkout conversation to discussion.
- Organize an event in your community.
- Attend the student-led Indianapolis March for Our Lives rally.
- Contact your state and local policymakers and express your views.
- Send condolences and encouragement to the Stoneman Douglas community.
Our ISTA Resolutions are clear – “All students and education employees must be allowed to learn and work in an environment free from guns and other deadly weapons. Education employees must be prepared to meet the needs of students when acts of violence occur.”
We are committed to keeping our schools and our kids safe, but we can’t do it alone. We must garner the support of parents, community members and ultimately the policymakers who can directly impact what happens in our schools. Educators’ voices must be part of the solution. The solution isn’t to arm educators – our job is to teach. Our elected leaders have a duty to protect us all from this kind of violence.
Sustained, focused pressure on policymakers is critical. It will not be easy, quick or without risk, but together we must stand up for our schools, our kids and our future.