JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Educators are speaking out about the shooting Tuesday at a Texas elementary school that left 19 children and two teachers dead.
It was the 27th school shooting this year, according to Education Week, and the deadliest school shooting in nearly a decade.
Educators who News4JAX spoke with on Wednesday say enough is enough. While they process emotions, their hope is for new laws.
“It’s frustrating that this keeps happening and that we knew that this was going to keep happening,” said Alex Ingram, a social studies teacher at Sandalwood High School.
Ingram can’t help but think, ‘What if?’
“I would take a bullet for my kids,” Ingram said. “Every teacher has played that scenario out in their head, and it is unsustainable that this is being done to public educators everywhere again and again and again.”
According to a 2018 survey by the National Education Association, 60% of teachers fear a mass shooting could happen at their school.
Educators are pleading for change.
“When you look at what happened in Texas yesterday was teachers and staff who literally shielded kids. They literally sacrificed their own life to protect kids,” said Florida Education Association President Andrew Spar. “Thoughts and prayers are not enough.”
Over the past several years, several states have loosened gun laws, including Texas, which passed a permitless carry bill in 2021. There’s an ongoing debate stemming years back about the best way to prevent school shootings.
Both educators who News4JAX spoke with say they want gun reform and a better focus on mental health programs.