Four years ago today, Teachers Unify to End Gun Violence was born.
Sarah, Sari Beth, and I were three teachers texting about the grief and fear that millions of educators carry every day. We were angry, sad, and just absolutely distraught at the news of another school shooting. We were tired of the silence from our leaders, and we were tired of the feeling that, despite being the ones on the front lines, we were the last ones being listened to.
We realized that if we wanted a seat at the table, we were going to have to build the table ourselves. So, we did.
Looking back on the last four years, I am struck by what Teachers Unify has grown into. Thousands of teachers now have a place to go where they don’t have to explain their fear because everyone there understands it. We are educating about secure storage and stopping tragedies at the source, in the home. We are no longer just shielding students; we are shaping the policies that protect them.
I will be honest with you: I wish this organization didn’t have to exist. I wish that schools were simply places for learning and possibility. But I am fiercely proud that we do exist. Because now, educators aren't just trying to survive this crisis; we are leading the way out of it.
We could not have turned that text thread into a national force for change without you. You are the reason we can amplify teachers' voices and change the way we approach gun violence in the halls of power.
Teachers Unify is a grassroots movement of educators across America whose mission is to empower its constituents and supporters to demand that communities are safe from gun violence.
