9 ways schools can respond to endless images of violence
By Marc Brackett, Robin Stern & Dawn Brooks-DeCosta
Over the last few weeks, educators—especially in Minneapolis—have been asked to do something nearly impossible: teach children, while the world keeps delivering fear and heartbreak. In Minneapolis, two residents—Renee Good and Alex Pretti—were fatally shot during immigration-enforcement incidents that were videoed and shared widely. In the same period, the superintendent of a nearby district reported that masked and armed immigration authorities detained four of her students, including a 5-year-old.
We’re not writing to debate policy. We’re writing because when children are exposed to violence—especially graphic, replayable violence—their brains and bodies do what they’re designed to do: scan for danger. In that state, learning becomes secondary.
Here’s the leadership task: Protect students’ nervous systems without denying their reality—and protect teachers so they aren’t carrying this alone. The American Academy of Pediatrics’ guidance is clear: Limit repeated exposure, keep conversations age-appropriate, correct misinformation, and keep checking in over time.