GVSU Education Programs News
Safe Learning Environments Panel Discussion
February 28, 2019
On Wednesday, February 27, 2019, the Educational Foundations Department of the College of Education sponsored an evening discussion titled “Safe Learning Environments for our Students.” The event featured Samantha Fuentes, a student survivor of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida.
Following a short documentary, “G is for Gun: The Arming of Teachers in America,” Fuentes shared her personal experience of the horrific event. Fuentes was a senior during the event, and has since then worked to share her experiences with others to help create safer school environments for everyone.
Fuentes described her journey to recovery, and expressed a commitment to working for social justice and positive change in schools and society. She is dedicated to ensuring support for others who are victims of violence. This includes encouraging conversation about the need for personal and public safety, especially in schools. Fuentes collaborates with groups such as Angel Faces, a nonprofit works with girls who have had traumatic experiences.
Following Fuentes’s story, she was joined by panel of experts from GVSU, including Dr. Chasity Bailey-Fakhoury (College of Education), Dr. Scott Berlin (School of Social Work), Dr. Gwenden Dueker (College of Liberal Arts and Sciences), and Dr. Susan Harrington (Kirkhof College of Nursing).
Questions from audience members, many of whom are current or future teachers, led to discussions about the issue of guns in schools and the broader context of violence in schools and on youth. The panel shared a range of ideas about how to respond to, and prevent, violent acts in schools, including: increased funding for research on gun safety, attention to mental health issues among youth, and creating more accepting and inclusive communities in educational settings.
Article photo is a portrait of Samantha Fuentes, who gazes forward with confidence.
Article written by Alex Jacobsson. For more information on this story, contact the Office of Certification and Accreditation - (616) 331-6650.