Your classroom

After the shooting at Richneck Elementary School, I have concluded that the fastest and most effective way to reduce violence and improve learning is to give Virginia teachers the authority to exile violent, dangerous and disruptive kids from their classrooms. If state and local officials don’t grant them that authority, they should just take it. Perhaps if principals and assistant principals were faced with handling violent and disruptive students, they’d find a place providing appropriate services for them. Perhaps teachers could then focus on teaching and dismal SOL test scores would become a thing of the past.

Coverage of the shooting raises lots of questions. Why is it that teachers do not have authority to search a child said to be carrying a dangerous weapon? Why must they seek permission from a school administrator to do so? And why would they accept that administrator’s decision to withhold permission if they believed the threat was real? It seems obvious the district and its administrators do not trust teachers to fairly administer discipline in their own classrooms.

The wounded teacher has been described by police as a hero. I’m sure she acted bravely. But the conversation would be different if the shooter had killed or wounded a student. Why, parents would then be asking, did you let him into your room? “I did what my principal told me” isn’t an adequate defense.

So, teachers, take back your classrooms. You owe it to your students, and you owe it to yourselves.

— Ron Chappell, Williamburg