OPINION: Please don’t ask teachers to take a student’s life

ABOVE: Derived from Wikimedia Commons, by SenseiAlan from Muscle Shoals, US (license). This image was cropped.

A letter to the editor by Janet Rolnick of Marlton, NJ

As I listen to the students in Florida, my mind wonders back to the years I taught in a local high school. I experienced a number of angry young men over the course of my career. I remember putting myself between a hostile student and one of his classmates. I can still see the rage in his eyes, thought I would end up being knocked to the floor, I had no choice but to stand my ground and ask him to sit down. Luckily he did. That was part of my job. Even though I probably would have taken a bullet for a student, that should not be part of a teachers job.

When I hear people talk about arming teachers my response is that no teacher, no matter how well trained should ever be ask to take a student’s life.

In my mind there are three things that need to be done:

• First, fund our schools so children can be identified and helped at an early age.
• Second, raise the age that one can purchase an assault rifle to twenty one.
• Third, intensify background checks.

Our children’s first amendment right have to come first!

Editor’s note: The opinions in this letter are the authors’ only.

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