Teachers Unify empowers educators to demand that communities are safe from gun violence.
THE TEACHERS UNIFY CRISIS INTERVENTION & SUPPORT TEAM
The Teachers Unify Crisis Intervention and Support Team is made up of school shooting survivor–educators, school counselors, and mental‑health clinicians with deep experience supporting communities impacted by gun violence. Grounded in a trauma-effective framework and informed by lived experience from tragedies at Columbine High School, Sparks Middle School, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Sandy Hook School, Santa Fe High School, and the Highland Park, Illinois July 4th parade, our team is here to support communities in the aftermath of gun violence.
Our interventions are tailored. We work alongside local leadership, school boards, superintendents, unions, and community agencies to co-design immediate responses and long-term strategies.
For over 25 years, teacher survivors of school shootings have envisioned a peer-to-peer and professional crisis intervention framework. Today, that vision is realized—the first and only structured team of its kind in the nation.
When the fear and impact of gun violence and trauma take hold of a school or community, educators and school staff are often left with few resources to address their own needs while supporting students and families. Our Crisis Intervention and Support Team is dedicated to assisting in the building/rebuilding of safety, trust, and resilience for educators and allied professionals.
Mass shooting survivors often receive little to no long-term support from schools or communities. Over 60% report insufficient mental health resources, and survivors consistently highlight the value of peer support, which can reduce PTSD rates by up to 30% (Everytown Research 2023, 2024). Teachers Unify bridges this gap, creating structured pathways for connection, healing, and resilience.
Teachers Unify to End Gun Violence has cultivated the capacity to intervene as an integrated and interdisciplinary team on the dimensions of prevention, early intervention, crisis intervention, and postvention within and across professional contexts. If you’d like to donate specifically to the Teachers Unify Crisis Intervention and Support Team, please do so here, because every educator and professional deserves to feel supported in the wake of violence. Your donation ensures that when tragedy strikes, no educator stands alone, and every school gains the tools to prevent and heal from future trauma.
Reach out to the team at response@teachersunify.org and 203-296-3689.
THE PODCAST
The Teachers Unify Podcast is hosted by Sarah Lerner, co-founder of Teachers Unify To End Gun Violence, and teacher-survivor of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in 2018. The show addresses issues of gun violence and how it impacts schools and communities.
REACHING EDUCATORS
Share My Lesson
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AFT Teach
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AFT Convention
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Netroots Nation
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NNSTOY
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Teach to Lead
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Fred Rogers Institute
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Children's Welfare League of America
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National PTA LegCon
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SXSW EDU
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AAPI Against Gun Violence Conference
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Share My Lesson * AFT Teach * AFT Convention * Netroots Nation * NNSTOY * Teach to Lead * Fred Rogers Institute * Children's Welfare League of America * National PTA LegCon * SXSW EDU * AAPI Against Gun Violence Conference *
Through meetings with teachers face-to-face at conferences, as well as other appearances, events, education-related press conferences, union press conferences, and education media pieces, we’ve reached over 1 million educators so far.
Interested in having Teachers Unify at your event?
THE BLOG
Teacher’s Unify has been reading and listening to your stories since 2021. It is important to empower educators, staff, and allies to demand that communities are safe from gun violence. We are committed to making sure our voices are heard.
OUR STORIES
We ask educators across the country to share their experiences of gun violence. It is vital that we hear from educators who are on the front lines of this public health crisis. Our voices have been missing from the conversation.
TOP RESOURCES
FUTURE TEACHERS UNIFY
Future Teachers Unify To End Gun Violence has its first chapter at Penn State University! Each month, they hold workshops, provide resources, hold group discussions, and promote self-care events for students on campus.
To start a Future Teachers Unify chapter at your college or university, please get in touch with us.
@TEACHERSUNIFY
WAYS TO GET INVOLVED
The work we do would not be possible without our community. If you would like to support our mission, please consider getting involved by making a contribution, volunteering your time, partnering with us, or sharing your story.