Dear John —

On Monday, a student was shot in the bathroom at Wootton High School in Rockville, Maryland. Our hearts are with him, his family, and the entire school community.

While the investigation is in its early stages, several facts remain clear: a student brought a firearm onto school grounds, a teenager was wounded, and an entire school community was forced into a state of emergency. 

We do not yet know where the student got the firearm. What we do know, however, is that current systems are failing to prevent firearms from entering our hallways. It remains too easy for a student to access a gun, and the devastating consequences of that accessibility were felt in Rockville this week. It's nearly impossible to keep up with how many of these incidents occur each week. 

The Aftermath for Educators and Students 
Students and staff are already back in the building. While the physical crime scene may be cleared, the psychological impact remains. Teachers are currently tasked with responding to the immediate trauma and anxiety of their students while managing classrooms where the sense of safety has been fundamentally compromised. All the while, navigating their own emotional responses while being expected to maintain a normal instructional schedule. 

Being Safe vs. Feeling Safe
School safety is not just the absence of an active threat; it is the presence of a secure environment where learning can happen without fear. When a firearm discharges in a school bathroom, that environment is dismantled. 

At Teachers Unify, we focus on the reality of the school environment. We advocate for policies that make it harder for guns to reach our campuses so that teachers can return to their primary mission: education.

Regardless of the “how” or “why” behind this specific incident, the result is a familiar pattern: a community left to pick up the pieces because of a lack of effective preventative measures. 

Thank you for staying informed and standing with the educators on the front lines.

In solidarity,

The Teachers Unify Team

P.S. We are here to support the community. If you or a loved one is in need of support, please reach out to our Crisis Intervention & Support Team by email at [email protected] or by phone at 203-296-3689.