This was setting up to be the first year the National Memorial to Fallen Educators did not add any names of teachers killed in the line of duty from the previous year since the facility was dedicated in 2014.
And then the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, killed two teachers and 19 students Tuesday.
National Teachers Hall of Fame Director Carol Strickland is frustrated by the lack of federal action on school safety.
Strickland says gun safety, especially in schools, is a common-sense issue — not a political one.
Three years ago, the Teachers Hall of Fame commissioned “A Unique Perspective on School Safety” — an eight-page look at deaths among school staffers by month, by decade and by cause since 1990. By far, and regardless of the decade, the busiest category of death is discharge of firearms. Because of the Hall of Fame’s non-profit status, it can’t take a political stance on the issue, so the 2019 report does not delve into specific solutions. It highlights the general need for violence prevention and response measures, including partnerships with law enforcement to track incidents, “employ appropriate interventions” and have self-defense training for all educators.
Ken Weaver, who chaired the Teachers Hall of Fame Board of Trustees as it was approving the report, says the study’s goal is to lead to discussions and action.
There were already plans to add 14 names from past years, including the COVID years of 2020 and 2021 and as research continues to make sure all educators killed in the line of duty are included. The memorial will be rededicated next month as part of the National Teachers Hall of Fame induction ceremonies.
*Click here for a link to “A Unique Perspective on School Safety.”
*Click here for information from Dr. Stephen Sroka, an NTHF partner and school violence expert from Case Western University.
