April

RALLYING

APRIL 2018 CEA ADVISOR 13

As the first student buses arrive in Amity, teachers are there to greet and support them.

child’s life that is supposed to be stable, secure, and predictable.” A recently published report in USA Today , said Delaney, noted that our youngest Americans, “born during the first few years of the 21st century...have never known a world without school shootings.” “I feel sad, angry, and frustrated,” she said. “I just want to teach. That is why I am here. A well- known first lady wrote a book called It Takes a Village . In my mind, we are the village, and these students are all our children. I believe that I have a responsibility not only as a teacher but as a mother and a member of this community to every young person who walks in the door of this high school. My sense is that I am not alone in this belief. My hope is that together, we can make this stop.” The ceremony closed with a moment of silence, after which teachers walked into the school building along with arriving students to welcome a new day. Manchester holds multiple walk-ins Further north, in Manchester, Illing Middle School teacher Ryan Parker told a crowd of approximately 50 teachers and students, “This walk-in is a testament to youth leadership, youth genius, youth power, and the youth’s call for unity. Today I am proud to be a Manchester educator not only in alliance with my Manchester youth but in solidarity with their desire to unite in honoring those we lost in Florida.” Illing joined Manchester High School in a morning Walk-In for School Safety attended by more than 100 teachers and students districtwide. Manchester Education Association President Kate Dias, responding to a television reporter’s question about whether students should be learning in their classrooms rather than protesting outside, put it this way: “I think it’s a tremendous opportunity to learn about social activism and civic responsibility. We want students to learn how to send a message, how to participate, to learn that their government is theirs. I think if we wait until students are 18 and ask them to engage as voters, we’ve missed the real learning curve, so I would argue that this opportunity is just as powerful a learning opportunity as anything we offer in a classroom.” Robertson Elementary School

fourth-grade teacher Regina Gatmaitan pointed out that while parents entrust her with their children’s safety, she fears for her students and their generation, knowing that tragedy can happen anywhere. More mental health resources are needed, she said—a sentiment echoed by Manchester school counselors Colleen Green and Denise Batista, who called on more supports for early intervention. “When there are concerns, teachers collaborate with us, but that is not always enough. We need support for parents and families, too.” Manchester social studies teacher Quinn Austermann was a student at UConn when her younger sister was a second-grader in Newtown—a day she will never forget. “I thank the students of Manchester for moving forward,” Austermann said. There are no excuses for students here in the U.S. to be at greater risk of gun violence than in any other civilized country. There is no excuse to turn our schools into fortresses or penitentiaries.” One hundred strong in Darien At the other end of the state, near the southernmost tip of Fairfield County, close to 100 teachers and support staff made their own pledge for safe learning communities for all students. Teachers gathered simultaneously at Darien High School and Middlesex Middle School for their own solemn walk-ins.

Darien Education Association President Joslyn DeLancey led off with a moment of silence before thanking her colleagues for coming together in the early morning hours. Elected officials lend support at West Hartford walk-in At Hall High School, West Hartford Mayor Sheri Cantor and Senator Beth Bye addressed approximately 70 teachers, thanking them for their dedication to children and the guidance they provide to their students. Noting that in the past five years more Connecticut teachers than public safety officers have been killed in the line of duty, Senator Bye denounced plans to fortify schools with more guns and criticized the additional burden that would put on teachers. West Hartford Education Association Vice President Dave Simon asked for a moment of silence to remember all the students and staff who lost their lives to school violence, after which teachers formed a procession into the building. Stamford: ‘We have grieved too long’ CEA helped coordinate multiple walk-ins, including several in conjunction with the Stamford Education Association (SEA). “As educators, we have grieved too long and too often for the innocent children lost, for their families, and for our heroic,

Manchester teachers and students listen as educators call for action to ensure safe schools. dedicated colleagues who helped save lives and, in some instances, lost theirs,” said SEA President Diane Phanos. “We are encouraged by the collective action and voice of Stamford’s teachers and remain hopeful that their strong show of support, as well as support from numerous other communities across Connecticut and the nation, will be the catalyst for action to make sure every child in Stamford’s, Connecticut’s, and the rest of our nation’s public schools has a safe and secure learning environment.”

CEA Executive Director Donald Williams Jr. addresses teachers at Manchester High School’s Walk-In for School Safety.

Roughly 100 teachers gather at two schools in Darien.