What if I Told You I Was a Teacher?

What if I told you I was a teacher? 


What if I told you that I just do not teach Language Arts and Mathematics?

What if I told you that every day I worry about the unthinkable?


What if I told you that despite wanting to lock my classroom door and rearrange my classroom furniture for an easy escape route and protection and figure out which of my supplies would make a good weapon “just in case” — every morning I open up my classroom for my students to be in a place of safety, of warmth, of nurturing unconditional love?


What if I told you that instead of prepping my lessons and organizing — I spent my morning checking in with my crew to see how they are doing and to just listen and bond with them?

What if I told you that every day I greet everyone with a smile and a good morning because sometimes that is all a student needs to get through their day?

What if I told you that instead of isolating myself to the teachers lounge for lunch I have regular lunch time chats with my students to make them feel loved and accepted, especially the ones who are invisible and help them become visible?

What if I told you that I open up my classroom during my off periods to the students who don’t fit in, who don’t know how to make friends yet, to give them someone who will just listen?

What if I told you that regardless of race, sex, religion, ethnicity, social status, income, identity that I have created a safe haven and finally have a place where they fit in?

What if I told you that I have told my students that it is okay to talk about your feelings and that I teach all of my students, especially young men, that anger is not the only acceptable emotion?

What if I told you that I teach my students how to deal with bullies and bullies how to deal with their pain?

What if I told you that I really listen to my students?


What if I told you that I have already lost students to gun violence?

What if we did SOMETHING?

What if we said SOMETHING?


What if 2018 is the year that we stop all of this madness?

What if you share these words and our voices were heard?

We protect the children — NOW ITS YOUR TURN

NOT. ONE. MORE