When I reflect on my cherished 50 years of teaching, I can’t remember a time when children were so terrorized by violence in their own communities that they were petrified to attend school, daycares and their doctor’s office.

Above all else white, Black, brown and immigrant children must feel safe in order to learn! When parents are too afraid to send their children to school or daycare, children see these places as unsafe. When an innocent  ICU nurse is murdered, children are afraid to go to their doctor’s office and hospital because the bad police might be there.

When a 5-year-old boy is kidnapped, children are terrified that they will be kidnapped. When children see parents grabbed by masked ICE police brandishing weapons, they are petrified of every policeman or policewoman. When children are consumed by overwhelming fear, they can’t learn. Test scores will plummet, children’s violent behavior will increase and childhood depression will become more prevalent. It will take years, if ever, for the best teachers to bridge this learning.

We must work to make our priceless children feel safe. 

Sandra Nadeau
Kennebunk