Bake Sales for Teacher Ammo

I love my job. Some may say that I am obsessed with my job. I have worked since I was 14 years old and teaching is the most exhausting by far, but I can't imagine doing anything else. We are on break and I am excited to go back to work on Monday (ok, minus the waking up early part). I am frequently found telling stories of my students' hilarity, showing pictures of the projects that we have done, and thinking about how to make the next units and lessons even better and more exciting than the last.

Last week there was another school shooting. This is too much. Killing sprees have become far too prevalent in our country. You can't help but wonder where it will happen next.

"...I would probably go into tech, where I would make a ton more money and wouldn't have to carry a gun to work."

I have been reading, watching, and listening to ideas and arguments. One thing that I feel confident in saying is that arming more people with guns is not the answer. Having teachers, admin, custodians, etc. carry firearms with them is absolutely the wrong thing to do. If I were required to have a gun with me at school, I would 100% quit my job.  There is no amount of training that would make me stay under those conditions. The job that I work so hard at, love so much, and can't imagine doing anything but, I would walk away from. Then I would probably go into tech, where I would make a ton more money and wouldn't have to carry a gun to work.*

Plus, if it a viable option to scrounge up enough money from the budget to arm and train teachers to carry weapons, why the hell am I working so hard, out of my regular, paid work hours, to raise money for actual school supplies? Where would this money come from? Would teachers be required to hold bake sales for guns? I collect a lot of Box Tops, but not nearly enough to purchase firearms. Stop it.  Stop. This is not a rational solution.

We need more gun control. This does not mean that the government is going to "take away your guns" so just shut up about that. This country will never ban guns completely, and I don't think that it is truly necessary. "Gun control" is not "abolishing all fire arms."

We need better mental health care. Life is really hard! Why aren't rational ways of dealing with life more easily accessible? Why isn't everyone granted a general practitioner and a psychologist with their health care? Why are my students qualifying to meet with a school psychologist but having to wait months until one has time to fit the student in his/her schedule?

"...please, please stop talking about arming teachers."

If you take only one thing away from this, please, please stop talking about arming teachers. Take all of the money needed for arming and training schools and staffs with guns and put it towards pencils, art supplies, music, smaller class sizes, and more resources for kids.

*If I had the option of ninja star training, I might consider staying.