Teachers Should Strike Over Guns

By Sam Chauncey Jr., New Haven Independent

June 2, 2022

The school massacre in Uvalde, Texas, is unacceptable, yet only in the United States is it likely to happen. The political sector, which should be leading the country, has failed to lead.

Therefore, it must be bypassed, and some other sector must lead us to stop this kind of outrage.

I believe the sector that can lead us is made up of the teachers and administrators of all schools.

I believe the teachers and administrators should agree that it is unacceptable to be asked to teach in a state that does not ban assault rifles and high-capacity magazines being for sale. Some states have already done this.

I believe the teachers and administrators should announce they will go on strike for an agreed-upon three days to make clear that each state must act and ban these guns. If all states do not respond the teachers and administrators should announce another strike for three weeks and then, progressively, increase the length of their strikes until every state has passed appropriate legislation.

I believe that parents of schoolchildren will support this effort, for they are more concerned than any of us in the welfare of their children.

I believe that wealthy individuals and corporations who support this effort should contribute to a teachers’ and administrators’ legal fund which will support these wonderful educators in their effort to have safe schools.

The New Haven Independent is a not-for-profit public-interest daily news site founded in 2005.