Don’t pile more onto teachers

I’ve taken on the responsibility of educating your children. I love being a teacher. It’s a joy to see growth in kids, to observe when content finally clicks, and especially in helping find that perfect book to connect to and get lost in.

More than academics, but equally important, I teach kids how to be kind, productive members of our society. I teach them how to work well with others, solve problems, communicate, and navigate difficult friendships.

I buy lunches, dinners, new socks, and jackets. Kids count on me to support them in their extracurricular activities and fundraisers. I go to baby showers, plays and birthday parties. I’ve watched countless movies, listened to music, and downloaded apps that I’m not interested in to stay current. I spend my lunches consoling and encouraging kids. I am there for your kids whenever and however they need me.

What more could possibly be asked of me? Well, now that we’ve apparently accepted school shootings as the status quo, everyone from President Donald Trump to random internet trolls are calling for teachers to sacrifice their lives or turn into gun-toting sharpshooters. I would, in a second, sacrifice my life for your kid, but I resent that it is expected of me.

Arming teachers is reactive. We need to be proactive. We need to try to prevent these awful tragedies from occurring in the first place.

Angela Angers, Las Vegas