CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Uvalde mass shooting, as with any school shooting, resonates with teachers everywhere, including here at home.
It's a teacher's worst nightmare: One they hope never visits them.
When teachers see tragedies such as the Uvalde massacre, their minds always turn to the same thing.
“Those innocent little kids who are getting gunned down for no reason,” said ‘Isabel’, a retired teacher.
Isabel taught middle school for more than 30 years before retiring in 2011. She asked we not use her last name. For her, Uvalde hits close to home — both as a teacher and as a parent.
“I can't imagine what that pain is,” Isabel said. “My heart goes out to every parent that has lost a child.”
What can teachers do?
It’s a slippery slope with no easy answer.
“As teachers, we're not psychologists or social workers,” said Corpus Christi American Federation of Teachers President Nancy Vera.
Vera represents teachers working in several local districts. She said many local teachers are emotional, and afraid for their students.
She also believes state lawmakers need to better address mental health in schools.
“We need someone in the classrooms daily to be dealing with these situations, to be dealing with the social, emotional, and mental needs of our children,” Vera said.
And if things don't change? ‘Isabel’ offers a lesson from her teaching days.
“I taught my students: If that you have that voice, you have to learn to use it,” she said.
For the latest local news updatesclick here, or download the KRIS 6 News App.
