I received a letter from fourth-grader Ashawnti Jackson, a student at Thomasville Heights Elementary here in Atlanta. I don’t think anyone could say it better.
Dear EdLanta,
Schools are no place for hate! Schools are also no place for guns. My family and school teaches me that people don’t need to hate on other people, be mean or violent to them. They teach me that we are all leaders in various ways. People should not hate or be hateful towards others because nothing good comes from it. Our generation is leading the way by living the slogan, “We are better together!” When people are armed with guns, good things don’t happen and often times guns don’t bring together people for something good.
If a teacher carries a gun in school that would create a big fear for kids. I mean, I would not be walking up to my teacher to hug her and she’s armed with a gun. I’ll pass. I believe because some kids and adults are not really use to guns they would probably overact. Don’t we all see how adults act on reality tv shows and even how they act in the White House. Then we are supposed to feel safe with adults carrying guns in schools acting like that? Oh geez!
A teacher having a gun in class would frighten me. I think my friends would probably feel the same way too. Yes, it’s dangerous for students and teachers if guns are present in schools because there can be a shootout and a lot of people could be hurt or killed. What if someone takes the gun? What if the gun falls? What if . . . My teacher says, “there are so many what if’s in situations,” so I could go on and on but you get the drift here.
I believe school shootings are violent acts but arming teachers with guns isn’t good either. Having guns in schools would cause children in schools to be fearful to come to school. Parents probably think that their child would be killed and not send their child to school because they are frightened and fearful to come to school. I wouldn’t want to go to school and guns are in every classroom. “Hi, welcome to school, don’t you like my shiny gun named Sarah?!?” Who wants that greeting walking into an elementary school? Not me! That is why guns have no place in schools. The end.
Please help us keep our schools safe and gun free please! Thank you.
Ashawnti Jackson
Thomasville Heights Elementary
Atlanta, Georgia
Jason has worked in education for over 15 years as a teacher, blogger and community advocate. He speaks and writes primarily about the need to improve education for Black boys, particularly increasing the number of Black male educators in schools. In addition to blogging here at EdLanta, Jason is also a featured writer at Education Post.