Why Teachers’ Voices Matter: Teachers Unify at AFT TEACH 2025

I had the incredible privilege to attend the 2025 AFT TEACH conference in Washington, D.C., from July 24-27. I’ve been a union member since I was hired as an educator in 2002. The solidarity, camaraderie, support and tenacity of union members is unmatched, as is the leadership of AFT President Randi Weingarten. 

Randi has been a friend and supporter of mine since she came to visit Parkland after the shooting at my school, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, in 2018. Our relationship grew when I co-founded Teachers Unify to End Gun Violence with fellow educators, Sandy Hook survivor Abbey Clements and New York City teacher Sari Beth Rosenberg. We knew that there was a huge hole in the gun violence prevention space, and we needed to fill it. The teacher voice was always missing; while not all teachers have or will experience gun violence, what our students face at home, in their communities and even at school is something we, as educators, deal with day in and day out. After the shooting at Oxford High School in November 2021, it was clear what we needed to do—and Teachers Unify was born.

We had a Teachers Unify table at TEACH, where we were able to meet and interact with educators from all over the country. The thread of gun violence ran through every single conversation. Teachers are afraid to be killed at work or in their communities. Teachers bear the burdens of the stories and baggage their students carry. Teachers have experienced gun violence in other ways, such as the loss of family or friends. This is the reality for all of us. It’s a public health crisis. If you’re not angry, you're not paying attention.

I attended Lobby Day on July 24. I had never lobbied before, and it was truly one of the coolest experiences I’ve had. I spoke to staffers for U.S. Reps. Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.) and Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.) and Sen. Ashley Moody (R-Fla.). All lobbyists witnessed history during a town hall held by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Sen. Edward Markey (D-Mass.); they announced the bill they co-sponsored to pay all school-based employees more—a living wage. In a time when public education is so often attacked, it was inspiring to hear such seasoned legislators speak so highly about educators and support us in such a meaningful way.

During the town hall, Sen. Sanders opened the floor for questions. Someone asked about advice for someone entering the profession. Someone else asked about the bill being introduced. I stood up and asked about school safety. I explained who I was, where I teach and what I went through. I gave a (very) brief history of Teachers Unify. I mentioned that with the dissolution of the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention and constant threats of dissolution to the Department of Education, we need to feel safe at school and feel secure that we’ll return home to our families. I pointedly asked what lawmakers were doing to keep educators, schools, and communities safe and free from the fear of gun violence. Sen. Sanders was visibly moved, as were others in the audience and panel. With so many on Capitol Hill actively working against what’s best for students and educators, it’s more important than ever to make sure we elect people who will actually work for us and with us. This is why elections matter.

Abbey, Sari and I, along with Columbine survivor Kiki Leyba and his wife, Kallie, led a session. We screened Columbine 2024: 25 Years of Trauma and had a Q&A after. The film was so well done, and showed the raw reality of surviving gun violence and navigating the “after.” There’s so much that people don’t understand about trauma; it’s not linear, looks and feels different for everyone, and is really hard to move through without the right tools. There were some great questions from the audience, and equally great answers from Kiki and Kallie.

I hope that having a table at TEACH this year brought more awareness not only to Teachers Unify to End Gun Violence, but also to gun violence in general. I say this knowing that we all know at least one person who has been directly impacted by this public health crisis. Although school shootings are such a small piece of gun violence, they’re what gets the most coverage. Gun violence is domestic violence, friendly fire, suicide and community violence. Gun violence is unsecured weapons in the home, irresponsible gun ownership, actions that are antisemitic, anti-LGBTQIA+ and anti-establishment.

I host the Teachers Unify Podcast. We recently released the 50th episode. Our guests have varied in location, experience and their connection to gun violence. As a journalist, I love getting to use the skills I’ve honed over the past 30+ years. As a survivor, I love getting to talk with others, share their stories and amplify their voices. I’m so honored that complete strangers (in most cases) open up and share something so intimate and personal. I hope that more people will feel comfortable being on the show. If you or someone you know wants to be a guest or get more information, you can email me at sarah@teachersunifyDOTorg.