When Presence Becomes Prevention: School Safety, Trauma, and Educator Voice with Abbey Clements

‼️DISCLAIMER‼️ This segment discusses themes of violence within communities, significantly around Sandy Hook Elementary School (2012). Please take care of yourself while listening. In this deeply moving episode of Classroom Narratives: Healing in Education, Dr. Joey Weisler sits down with Abbey Clements, a second-grade teacher at Sandy Hook Elementary School during the tragedy of December 14, 2012. Drawing from the anthology If I Don’t Make It, I Love You, Abbey reflects on survival, grief, educator presence, and the invisible emotional labor teachers carry in the aftermath of collective trauma. Together, Joey and Abbey explore what it means to “show up” for students when there are no perfect words, why educators are often excluded from conversations about school safety, and how teacher advocacy itself can become an act of prevention. The conversation also highlights the work of Teachers Unify to End Gun Violence, the national organization Abbey co-founded alongside Sarah Lerner to amplify educator voices, support impacted communities, and advocate for trauma-informed prevention efforts nationwide. From Sandy Hook to Parkland and beyond, this episode is a powerful reminder that sometimes the most important thing a teacher can do is simply remain present. 🔗 Show Links and Resources 📌 If I Don't Make It, I Love You: Survivors in the Aftermath of School Shootings (anthology edited by Amye Archer and Loren Klineman) 📌 Teachers Unify to End Gun Violence (also check out their sign-up page here) 📌 Teachers Unify podcast 📌 Classroom Narratives: Sarah Lerner, Paula Reed, Adam Wolfsdorf Chapters: 0:00:00 - Introduction and disclaimer 0:01:12 - Intro: Sandy Hook teacher Abbey Clements 0:03:30 - Understanding community trauma 0:10:40 - What does it mean to be present? 0:15:00 - Working to care 0:21:40 - Teachers Unify organization 0:32:00 - Acknowledging resistance in the system 0:38:30 - Being proactive agents of care 0:42:42 - Segment conclusion