TED2018
Diane Wolk-Rogers: A Parkland teacher's homework for us all
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Diane Wolk-Rogers teaches history at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, site of a horrific school shooting on Valentine's Day 2018. How can we end this senseless violence? In a stirring talk, Wolk-Rogers offers three ways Americans can move forward to create more safety and responsibility around guns -- and invites people to come up with their own answers, too. Above all, she asks us to take a cue from the student activists at her school, survivors whose work for change has moved millions to action. "They shouldn't have to do this on their own," Wolk-Rogers says. "They're asking you to get involved."
Diane Wolk-Rogers - Educator
Diane Wolk-Rogers has been a Florida public school teacher for more than three decades. Full bio
Diane Wolk-Rogers has been a Florida public school teacher for more than three decades. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
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I teach history
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at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
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On February 14, 2018,
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my school experienced one of the worst
mass school shootings in American history.
mass school shootings in American history.
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People want to know what we saw,
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what I felt.
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I don't remember everything,
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but I do remember I went into crisis mode,
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mother mode.
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There was no emotion.
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I lined up the kids,
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I held up a sign so they could
follow me through the hall,
follow me through the hall,
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just like a fire drill.
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I heard shots from one direction.
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Luckily, we were already
moving in the opposite direction.
moving in the opposite direction.
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We made it outside.
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We made it to safety.
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I called my mother.
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"I'm OK."
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I called my husband.
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"I'm OK."
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Then my daughter called, my voice cracked,
and I knew I had to pull myself together.
and I knew I had to pull myself together.
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I sat alone in my thoughts,
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worried about my colleagues and students.
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We sat there, only understanding
that somehow, Valentine's Day --
that somehow, Valentine's Day --
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We sat there, only understanding
that somehow, Valentine's Day
that somehow, Valentine's Day
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had ended up with our babies dead,
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and we didn't know what to do next.
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It's been two months,
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and every day I still hear the echoes
of the "pop, pop" sound of the gunfire.
of the "pop, pop" sound of the gunfire.
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I remember the fearful faces
of my students
of my students
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when we knew it wasn't a drill.
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Still, there's no constant emotion,
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except for flashes
of pain, grief and anger
of pain, grief and anger
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triggered by the news,
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or an insensitive comment,
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or just silence.
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Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School
lost 17 precious lives
lost 17 precious lives
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on that horrible day.
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After, students asked us, the adults
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the hardest question:
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How can we stop the senseless violence?
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This was the most difficult
question I've been asked.
question I've been asked.
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But it was not the first time
I've been humbled by a student's question.
I've been humbled by a student's question.
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I've been teaching
in the public schools for 33 years,
in the public schools for 33 years,
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so I know you have to admit
what you don't know
what you don't know
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before you can share what you do know.
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In fact, there's a method
to being an engaged student,
to being an engaged student,
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teacher, citizen.
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First, listen closely
to the person asking you a question.
to the person asking you a question.
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Second, admit your vulnerability.
Admit what you don't know.
Admit what you don't know.
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Third, do your homework.
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Fourth, humbly share your knowledge.
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I know all about this process.
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My students ask really
thoughtful questions all the time.
thoughtful questions all the time.
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They're eager to learn,
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and sometimes they're eager
to prove their smarts.
to prove their smarts.
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And believe me, they know
when I have no idea of the answer,
when I have no idea of the answer,
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so in those instances, I say to them,
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"That's a great question.
Let me research that and get back to you."
Let me research that and get back to you."
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So when my students asked,
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"How do we stop this senseless violence?"
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I listened,
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and then I admitted,
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"I don't know."
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And like I always do when I don't know
the answer to one of my questions,
the answer to one of my questions,
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I began doing my homework.
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And as a history teacher,
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I knew I needed to start
with the Second Amendment and the NRA.
with the Second Amendment and the NRA.
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In case it's been a while since
you've been sitting in a history class,
you've been sitting in a history class,
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here is what the Second Amendment
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actually says:
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"A well regulated Militia,
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being necessary
to the security of a free State,
to the security of a free State,
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the right of the people
to keep and bear arms,
to keep and bear arms,
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shall not be infringed."
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Meaning, the federal government could not
infringe on the rights of citizens
infringe on the rights of citizens
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to participate in well-regulated militias.
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The Second Amendment
was ratified 226 years ago.
was ratified 226 years ago.
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It was written in a time before
the federal government's armed forces
the federal government's armed forces
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were among the most powerful in the world
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and when state militias were viewed
as necessary to protect the states.
as necessary to protect the states.
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Fast-forward 80 years, to 1871.
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The American Civil War
had ended a few years prior,
had ended a few years prior,
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but a couple of Union officers
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had witnessed some pretty shoddy
marksmanship on the battlefield.
marksmanship on the battlefield.
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So in an attempt to prepare their men
for any future conflicts,
for any future conflicts,
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they founded the National
Rifle Association
Rifle Association
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to promote rifle practice.
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In short, the Second Amendment
was written to ensure
was written to ensure
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that our newly formed and fragile country
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had access to organized state militias.
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And the NRA's original mission was
to ensure future soldiers had good aim.
to ensure future soldiers had good aim.
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Someone could teach an entire course
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on how the next 150 years influenced
the gun regulation conversations
the gun regulation conversations
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we're having in the United States
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and our interpretation
of the Second Amendment.
of the Second Amendment.
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Almost every pivotal moment
in our nation's history
in our nation's history
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in one way or another
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influenced how we as a people
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manufacture, debate,
regulate and feel about guns.
regulate and feel about guns.
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A lot of change has occurred.
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As a matter of fact, it wasn't until 2008
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that the Supreme Court
ruled for the first time
ruled for the first time
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the Second Amendment protects
an individual right to possess a firearm
an individual right to possess a firearm
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unconnected with service in a militia
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and to use that arm
for traditionally lawful purposes,
for traditionally lawful purposes,
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such as self-defense within the home.
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Within the home.
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This change over time is striking to me,
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because it reminds us
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that the interpretation
of the Second Amendment
of the Second Amendment
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and cultural attitudes about guns
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have changed over time.
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Which gives me hope
they could change again.
they could change again.
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(Applause)
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It's an incredibly complex
and dynamic history lesson,
and dynamic history lesson,
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but it's not the lesson
I'm here to teach today,
I'm here to teach today,
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because we don't have time.
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I'm not talking about time,
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the time that I have here
to stand and speak.
to stand and speak.
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I'm talking about the fact
we don't have time to lose.
we don't have time to lose.
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According to the CDC,
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over the last five years,
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on average, each day 96 people
are killed by guns in the United States,
are killed by guns in the United States,
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and if we don't figure out how to answer
my students' question soon,
my students' question soon,
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one of us could be next.
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So, if the question is,
how do we stop this senseless violence,
how do we stop this senseless violence,
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the best way I can think to answer
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is to look at multiple choice.
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You remember multiple-choice
questions in high school, don't you?
questions in high school, don't you?
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Let's start.
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Choice A: this will end when we
hold gun manufacturers responsible
hold gun manufacturers responsible
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for the deadliness of their products.
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It might surprise you to learn that we've
actually thought about this before.
actually thought about this before.
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Between 1998 and 2000,
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30 counties and cities
sued gun manufacturers,
sued gun manufacturers,
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saying they should
make their products safer
make their products safer
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and do a better job of tracking
where their products are sold.
where their products are sold.
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In response, manufacturers argued
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that they had no direct liability
for how their products were used.
for how their products were used.
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They said the stores who sold the guns
and the owners who bought them
and the owners who bought them
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were responsible
should anything bad happen.
should anything bad happen.
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In response to this
and many other lawsuits,
and many other lawsuits,
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the NRA lobbied
for the passage of the PLCAA,
for the passage of the PLCAA,
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the Protection of Lawful
Commerce in Arms Act.
Commerce in Arms Act.
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The PLCAA passed
with bipartisan support in 2005
with bipartisan support in 2005
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and entrusts gun manufacturers
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to design guns safely,
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stores to sell those guns responsibly
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and someone to own
and use the gun responsibly.
and use the gun responsibly.
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And so when 17 students
and faculty die at my school,
and faculty die at my school,
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no one in this chain
will assume responsibility.
will assume responsibility.
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Let's take a look at another option,
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Choice B:
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this will end when we
hold ourselves accountable
hold ourselves accountable
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and regulate the estimated
300 million guns available in America.
300 million guns available in America.
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Yes, voting is one of the best ways
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to take personal responsibility
for gun violence.
for gun violence.
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Making sure that our lawmakers
are willing to pass commonsense gun reform
are willing to pass commonsense gun reform
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is one of the most effective ways to get
those 300 million guns under control.
those 300 million guns under control.
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And also, gun owners
can take personal initiative.
can take personal initiative.
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If you own a gun,
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ask yourself:
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Do I have an extra gun I don't need?
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Could it fall into the wrong hands?
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Have I attended the latest training?
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Perhaps as a gun owner,
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you should also ask
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whether you have been
taking care of your mental health?
taking care of your mental health?
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When it comes to gun violence,
the mental health argument falls flat
the mental health argument falls flat
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if we don't acknowledge
our own personal vulnerabilities
our own personal vulnerabilities
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to mental illness.
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One in six Americans
will struggle with mental illness.
will struggle with mental illness.
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If we own a gun, we should be
rigorously engaged in the upkeep
rigorously engaged in the upkeep
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of our emotional well-being
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so we don't pull a trigger
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in times of illness.
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Otherwise, we should
seriously ask ourselves
seriously ask ourselves
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whether we really have the time
and attention to own a gun.
and attention to own a gun.
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Perhaps for some of us
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it's time to lay down our arms.
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Then we have Choice C:
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this will end when we do a better job
of taking care of each other.
of taking care of each other.
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Many social issues affect
why people buy and use guns.
why people buy and use guns.
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Sixty-two percent of US gun fatalities
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between 2012 and 2016 were suicides,
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yet we call people maniacs
and psychos, shaming them.
and psychos, shaming them.
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We are creating barriers
for people that need help.
for people that need help.
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Why are we embarrassing each other?
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Let's make it easier, not harder,
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for people to access
better mental health care.
better mental health care.
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What else? Sexism, racism
and poverty affect gun ownership
and poverty affect gun ownership
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and gun-related fatalities.
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On average, it's estimated that 50 women
were fatally shot each month
were fatally shot each month
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between 2010 and 2014
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due to domestic violence,
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and women are still dying in their homes.
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Let's empower women
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and give our young boys a chance to learn
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how to work out their conflicts
and emotions with words, not weapons.
and emotions with words, not weapons.
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And the "Washington Post"
reported that last year,
reported that last year,
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nearly 1,000 people were fatally wounded
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by on-duty police officers.
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Talk to Black Lives Matter
and the police union about that.
and the police union about that.
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We need to tackle this.
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(Applause)
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At the end of the day,
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perhaps people won't feel the need
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to buy and use a gun
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when they all equally feel safe,
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healthy, respected and cared for.
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All right, discussion time is over.
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It's now time to answer the question.
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How do we stop this senseless violence?
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Is it Choice A,
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Choice B,
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Choice C?
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Now, I know what you're all thinking.
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You remember that
multiple-choice questions
multiple-choice questions
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almost never end
with just three possibilities.
with just three possibilities.
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There's always that fourth,
Choice D: all of the above.
Choice D: all of the above.
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Maybe that's the answer here.
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Or maybe "all of the above" is too easy,
and this is not an easy problem.
and this is not an easy problem.
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It requires deep analytical
thinking by all of us.
thinking by all of us.
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So instead, I'm asking you
to do your homework,
to do your homework,
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write your own Choice D
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using supporting detail.
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And if you're not sure where to start,
look to my students as role models.
look to my students as role models.
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They are armed with incredible
communication skills
communication skills
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and a sense of citizenship
that I find so inspiring.
that I find so inspiring.
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(Applause)
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These are public school kids
engaged in the issue of gun regulation,
engaged in the issue of gun regulation,
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and their endeavor has moved our hearts.
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And they shouldn't have
to do this on their own.
to do this on their own.
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They're asking you,
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they're asking all of us,
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to get involved.
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This isn't a spectator sport.
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So what's the right answer?
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I don't know. Listen,
I'm no gun control expert.
I'm no gun control expert.
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I teach the humanities.
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To be human is to learn,
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and to be part of a civilization
is to share your knowledge.
is to share your knowledge.
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This kind of honest,
brave and sincere engagement
brave and sincere engagement
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is what I ask of my students,
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what I expect of myself as a teacher
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and what I demand of you now.
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Every one of you
needs to do your homework.
needs to do your homework.
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And then what?
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Humbly share your knowledge
with each other.
with each other.
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Please teach your family,
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teach your community,
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your city council, your state legislature.
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Teach Congress a lesson.
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Thank you.
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(Applause)
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Thank you. Thank you.
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(Applause)
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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Diane Wolk-Rogers - EducatorDiane Wolk-Rogers has been a Florida public school teacher for more than three decades.
Why you should listen
Diane Wolk-Rogers began teaching because she was passionate about supporting too-often neglected young people facing challenges and vulnerabilities. Early in her career, she received awards for her work providing special education support to students with learning and emotional disabilities. In 2001 she joined the faculty at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, where she teaches AP World History.
In 2006, Wolk-Rogers became engaged in LGBTQAI activism, and she now serves as the faculty advisor for MSD’s Gay/Straight Alliance. She recently gained national attention for speaking publicly in support of the #neveragain movement led by her students at MSD after the shooting that occurred there on February 14, 2018. Their activism inspires her to fight for a safe learning environment for all.
Diane Wolk-Rogers | Speaker | TED.com