This time, I felt a glimmer of hope—hope that our nation would pause to truly listen. I envisioned a moment where we could hear the voices of victims and their families, law enforcement, and educators who grapple with insufficient resources to support our students. Perhaps, after listening, our elected officials would take action to enact laws that genuinely serve the public good.
Yet, I underestimated the grip that gun culture has on our society. A prevailing solution suggested by many, including the Secretary of Education, Emma Roberts, is to allow teachers the option to carry firearms on school grounds.
Recently, Kentucky proposed Senate Bill 103, which would enable school personnel to act as “school marshals,” legally permitting them to possess guns on campus. Instead of reforming gun laws, several states are now considering similar measures, including Alabama, Colorado, and Florida, as noted in an NPR article.
The approach taken by numerous politicians seems to be to increase the presence of firearms in our educational institutions as a way to combat gun violence. These same politicians often use educators and children as props while neglecting the significant issues plaguing our underfunded schools.
Now, I’m faced with the prospect that carrying a concealed weapon could become part of my responsibilities as an educator. Allow me to clarify what my role entails. As a speech language pathologist, I focus on teaching vital social skills—like empathy and kindness—to students with disabilities, including those with mental health challenges. This crucial work is consistently underfunded.
This isn’t an isolated incident; it’s a common experience shared by many service providers in the educational realm. When I started my new role working with teens facing communication and behavioral hurdles, I walked into an office that had accumulated dust, with old glue stuck to the floor and remnants of food on the counters. The heating and cooling systems were nonfunctional, and the technology was outdated.
After spending a day cleaning, I searched for therapy materials, only to find none available. There were no resources—no activities, no books, no technology. I reached out to my supervisor, who informed me that other therapists often bring their own supplies. I was told to stick to a budget of just $100 for the entire year.
Having worked as a speech language pathologist for over 12 years, I’ve occasionally funded my own materials in the past. However, now that I’m working with an older population, my previous supplies are less applicable. While I’m willing to create my own materials, this requires time—time that is simply unavailable.
As with many educators, I am tired of being expected to purchase my own supplies. This expectation sends a message that education is undervalued, along with the professionals committed to it.
As I sat down to draft an introductory letter for parents—after a six-month hiatus in services due to high turnover among service providers—I went to print my letter only to find I had no ink, paper, or pen. Frustrated, I reached out to three different administrators to express my concerns. Once again, I was told there was no funding available and was directed to order basic supplies. In the end, I was handed a single blue pen.
I am tasked with supporting 60 students with severe disabilities while also providing meaningful therapy, assisting parents, attending meetings, writing reports, and managing billing—all with minimal resources.
So, I ask you, how can I do my job effectively with the scant resources provided, and now be expected to carry a firearm? To purchase a weapon? To undergo training to shoot under pressure? To trust that my colleagues won’t misuse their firearms due to personal issues?
How can lawmakers expect me to acquire a gun when they can’t even supply me with a pen?
Sincerely,
A deeply concerned speech language pathologist dedicated to serving the students who have been overlooked.
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In summary, the demands placed on educators are increasingly unrealistic, especially when they are expected to take on responsibilities such as carrying firearms while being provided with little to no resources to fulfill their primary teaching roles.
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