What the nation’s largest teachers union thinks about gun violence in schools

Becky Pringle, President, National Education Association:

It’s good to be with you again, Stephanie.

I had been teaching for 23 years middle-level learners when, 23 years ago, we had 12 students and one teacher killed in Columbine. And I will never forget the day after students coming to my classroom, just like they did two weeks ago to teachers all over this country, asking, are we safe? Is that going to happen here?

And I said with confidence 23 years ago, oh, baby, this country will never let that happen again, and then Virginia Tech, and Sandy Hook and Parkland and so many more we can’t even name, let alone all of the gun violence on the streets of this country.

I will tell you that I am so incredibly proud of the work that our students and educators and parents have done. Because of their courage and because of their resilience and their resolve, I believe that we have been heard. And the bipartisan agreement that has been reached addressed some of our concerns, not all of them. So we will continue to push.

But it does give them hope, especially our students, that their voices and their stories can make a difference and we can change what’s happening in this country.