Children Who Survived a School Shooting and Chose to Teach

Michelle Markert-Porter completed her doctorate in education in Curriculum and Instruction in 2023 at Texas A&M University, USA. She is now a Secondary Spanish and ESOL Teacher at St Patrick's College in Wellington, New Zealand.

"In this compelling, thought-provoking book, Michelle Markert Porter explores the lasting impacts of the Columbine school shooting on survivors who became teachers. By examining how shared trauma shapes their relationships with students and informs their teaching practices, Porter highlights the importance of empathy, safety, and resilience in education."Eric Madfis, Professor of Criminal Justice, Director of the Violence Prevention and Transformation Research Collaborative, School of Social Work & Criminal Justice, University of Washington Tacoma, USA"School shootings are distressingly common in America. Of the many students impacted by such tragedies, some, perhaps surprisingly, later choose to return to the classroom as teachers. Drawing on her own experience as a survivor of the Columbine school shooting and on interviews with others similarly affected, Michelle Porter examines how these teachers’ professional practice is informed by their past, how they seek to build relationships of care and trust with their students and, importantly, what they think needs to be done to prevent future episodes of violence. There is much for teachers, administrators and parents to learn from this wide-ranging investigation."Chris Marshall, Emeritus Professor of Restorative Practice, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand"This is a powerful read for all educators and those who care about schools, teachers and youth. With a deep level of care, thoughtfulness and nuance, Michelle shares her own experience of the Columbine shooting, and that of 11 of her peers who were also Columbine students and have since all become teachers. It is the type of book that only a survivor of Columbine could write, but it is one that we all need to read. It is an honour to listen in as Michelle and her participants carefully explain the ongoing impact of the Columbine shooting, personally and professionally for the individuals involved, as well as on how we view and operate as educational institutions and educators. Michelle’s approach brings nuance to our understanding of school shooting research and experience, and provides ways forward if we are ready to truly grapple with school shootings."Kristin Elaine Reimer, Associate Professor, Education, Holistic School Well-Being & Restorative Justice Education, Cape Breton University, CA"In Children Who Survived a School Shooting and Chose to Teach, Michelle Markert Porter shares her own experiences as a survivor of the Columbine mass shooting alongside the perspectives of other survivors who became teachers after tragedy. By weaving together the personal and professional perspectives while amplifying the voices and lived experiences of survivors, Porter shines the light on a group often overlooked in the conversation about school safety and emergency preparedness while offering practical and tangible ways in which to help support school shooting survivors turned educators."Jaclyn Schildkraut, Executive Director, Regional Gun Violence Research Consortium, Rockefeller Institute of Government, USA

• 1. Introduction – The Participants, The Author, and Epistemic Exploitation 2. Data Analysis and Research Paradigm 3. The Problem: School Shootings Are Increasing 4. What Has Already Been Done to Prevent School Shootings, and Why is it Ineffective? 5. Possible Solutions to End School Shootings: Focusing on the Roots of the Issue 6. What Columbine Survivors Who Are Teachers Think Schools Should Do to Prepare for Active Shooters and What Teachers Should be Taught to Prevent School Shootings 7. How the Experience of a School Shooting Trauma Influences How Teachers Build Relationships with Students 8. How Columbine Student Survivors Who Are Teachers Experience Trauma After Surviving a School Shooting 9. The Way Forward: Preventing More Deaths From School Shootings in Our Schools 10. Conclusion