To the Editor:
In recent weeks, there have been several articles across various media outlets written about childhood trauma and adverse childhood experiences. However, none of these articles expressed the need for continuing education courses for education personnel on how to effectively work with children who have experienced trauma. As Jim Hickman and Kathy Higgins pointed out in their opinion essay (“10 Simple Steps for Reducing Toxic Stress in the Classroom,” Nov. 15, 2019), we need to immerse our schools in trauma-informed approaches to promote improved outcomes for our children.
By receiving trauma-informed training, education personnel will be better equipped to educate and effectively work with children who have experienced trauma and help limit future adverse health outcomes for our children. In order to make a change, we must advocate for mandatory trauma-informed continuing education courses for educators across the United States.
Children are the future, and we must do our best to meet their needs. We, teachers, the legislature, and our governors, need to advocate for our children, even if it costs us money to provide these resources. Training our education personnel on trauma will serve the common good.
Alison Baumgartner
Graduate Student
St. Catherine University
Richfield, Minn.
