This highly emotional debate about gun control that has riveted our country since Dec. 14 has left me with many questions amidst this heart wrenching loss. It's a personal heartache for me, I grew up in Newtown, attended elementary school there. That is my personal burden to bear. But I have questions. Are our teachers heroes? Undoubtedly. They work tirelessly to educate those who are our future. They teach them the history of our nation with the vision that our kids will have the power to make this great country a better place if they work hard and set their minds to it. What about first-grade teachers, what do they do? Amongst many other things, they teach our children to read and write. A fundamental form of communication that opens the entire world to a 6- or 7-year old, they become free to interpret the world for themselves and use their bright young minds to think of solutions to problems that we their elders have been unable to solve. How does access to assault weapons and ammunition help our teachers continue to be heroes? It does not. Teachers don't bear arms of weaponry in the classroom, nor should they. They arm themselves with books, music, wisdom and love. I beg of you to show our children and their mentors our support, put your pen to paper, that ability which your first-grade teacher gave you, and demand legislation against assault weapons.

Laura Dellecker Sherwood

Bellingham