When the first news of the school shootings in Connecticut was reported, there were many inaccuracies, which is inevitable. One source said 20 were dead, another said “nearly 30.” Some said the shooter’s mother was a teacher at the school (not true), then said she was a substitute teacher (also not true). The name of the killer was wrong.
Only now is the full story emerging.
This is the fullest account I have seen of what happened inside the school, published by the Washington Post.
One cannot read this account without being impressed by the calm and courage of the teachers, the principal, and staff of the school. They exhibited grace under the most terrible circumstances. They put their students first, before their own lives. Now we know what it means to put students first.
Now, will all the phonies and charlatans who have spent the past few years building careers, enlarging their bank account, and winning headlines by trashing educators have the good manners to just go away?
I could name names, but why bother? We know who they are. They know who they are.
Next time one of them begins his or her routine about “bad teachers,” say this: “Sandy Hook Elementary School.”
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Thank you —- eloquently said.
Marge Borchert
I wish this blog had a “like” button.
Alan, Thanks. I will ask my technical advisors about that,
Reblogged this on ipledgeafallegiance.
another fabulous blog!!! http://ipledgeafallegiance.wordpress.com
Bravo!
Diane, your eloquence cuts through the lies and corruption like a knife. You are a national treasure, please keep up the great work.
My heart is hurting, but your words just gave me some peace. Thank you. We are a special breed. If we didn’t love the children in our care, we wouldn’t continue on in this profession.
Thank you!
I have spent the past two nights wondering how I would respond if the unthinkable happened in my classroom. I have actually planned how to move the furniture in my classroom so that I would have a better place to hide the kids.
What is going on?!
When my son started Kinder in September, the Principal made it a point to tell us in a parent meeting that the Teachers were there for our children no matter the emergency. It brought to mind that this would be in the event of a serious earthquake – nothing like what happened in CT. I was heartened to hear the Principals words that day and I see that teachers take this responsibility very seriously. Heroes!
Well said Dr. Ravitch. Let’s see how the gun-toting lobby can twist this into a left-wing ploy to take away their constitutional rights.
typo—-meant to say, ….”can twist this to look like a left-wing ploy….”
As I retired not long ago, I was involved in practice emergency drills (which had been
going on since Columbine). Support staff (Resource and Speech Teachers and the Social Worker) were assigned to be “sweepers,” meaning they would be collecting class lists from under the doors so that students were accounted for. The principal had asked if they agreed to do this as, he’d said, this might put them in the first “line of fire.” Not one person refused.
I’m sorry, I forgot to say the main purpose of the “sweeper” was to make sure no kids were in the halls (just as were several Sandy Hook students, whereby a teacher opened her classroom door and pulled them in from the hall) or bathrooms without adult supervision (this was a middle school) and, if so, to stay with them or take them to a safer place.
The hurt wrought by one man’s actions are immeasurable (in the true sense of that word). We wonder at what could have caused the young man to act in this way. Thank you for this post and thanks for visiting my blog.
Well, i am a student. I read “hug a teacher tmrw” n without waiting to think abt it, mailed this to my teacher. It’s subject column have been filled as ‘Proud to be ur student’. It was a day or two before my board exams began. I messaged to her asking her to check her mails n to reply me back. She quickly opened it, read the poem n yes replied back. I had apologised to her if i had ever hurt her. She says that she hold no grudge agnst me & so i don’t have to apologise. She says that the poem is extremely interesting. Thanks for making me know abt the value of my teacher. I’m proud of her and happy to know that she takes pride in me. I bow my head before all the teachers the world have even seen and a child have ever felt.