After Texas school shooting, mental health experts say focus needs to be on healing
BOSTON - Teachers, parents and students are all dealing with the aftermath of the tragedy in Texas. The Massachusetts Teachers Association says there's an understandable reluctance to return to the classroom .
"Educators are feeling wronged; they're outraged; they're demanding answers as to why this continues to happen," MTA President Merrie Najimy said. "Educators are feeling deep anguish matched by outrage that our elected officials are failing to protect our students, educators and all adults in buildings that are supposed to be safe."
But school officials and mental health experts agree, the best way to move forward is to process the emotions inside and outside of the classroom.
"Students expressed a range of emotions. Some of them expressed nothing because they're holding trauma; some of them expressed physical headaches and body aches," Najimy said. "The need for trauma support for students and families and educators has never been greater."
"It's super important children recognize these are hard things for all of us. Parents should let them see your tears, explain to them why it concerns you; it's good for our kids to know," Boston Children's Hospital Dr. Eric Fleegler said.
Experts say it's important parents have conversations about what happened but limit details and add focusing on your own mental health - whether parent or teacher- should remain a priority.
"Make sure that you are sticking to the facts about what's happening and don't give them too much information," ASCA member Genevieve Nelson said.
"You as a parent have the right to listen to whatever you want, to watch what you want, but we should be aware that this affects our children and not try to expose it to them over and over again," Fleegler said. "These types of events should cause soul searching. We should always be asking why did this happen and what can we do in the future?"