"Obviously no parent or guardian drops their children off at school thinking tragedy is going to happen. But perhaps we should be grateful that if something terrible does happen, that there are these angels in the building who will do right by our kids. Who will give anything -- sometimes even their lives -- to protect them in our absence." ~ LZ Granderson, CNN

I've been retired from teaching for nearly two years now.  I am so grateful that I was able to leave when I did. I could go on a rant about the punching bags that teachers have become in this two-year span (though it was well on its way to that before I retired).  I won't go there - but I will say with my whole heart that the vast majority of teachers love their kids (your kids) - love them; worry about them; lose sleep over them.  Having to shield them from bullets, or covering them with their own body as a tornado bares down is blessedly rare. But make no mistake, every teacher I know would do precisely that it they needed to.  You can take that to the bank.