Our elected officials in Washington D.C. from our state are working to tighten security in our schools. They want to eliminate the option for violence and the availability of guns getting into the wrong hands. And while I feel their intentions are not at all misguided, covering news this week in Selma has proven that danger and bad situations can enter into schools without guns at all.

Friday, I watched as a teacher from Selma High School was taken into custody for allegedly having a sexual relationship with a student. It was brought up in court Tuesday she also had pictures of a sexual nature on her cell phone of a minor and a video of one of her female students striping down into her underwear in the classroom as other students watched and cheered on.

Schools are places of learning and inspiration and places where parents believe their children are safe for the eight hours they are left there. Parents do not want what their children are taught in schools to taint what knowledge they themselves give students about religion, morals and decision making. However, when a teacher lets a female student strip in her classroom, I will venture to guess this is interfering with what these young ladies were taught in their homes and churches.

These incidents are unfortunately common and this is not the last one we will hear of, I am sure.

It is sad and devastating, and while it is fun to gossip about, these situations ruin lives and dreams of every party involved. The identity of the student is always a rumor in school and the teacher — whether proven innocent or guilty — may lose their job and respectable reputation.

Schools have the responsibility of reporting these matters, but the responsibility of what happens in each classroom is up to the teacher. A teacher can put on movies for their students or they can work tirelessly and stay up all night grading papers and planning more assignments. I have full faith that these teachers are in abundance in city and county schools in the area. These teachers are writing recommendations for students’ college applications and checking online for new grant opportunities to expand what knowledge students attain in their classrooms.

These teachers make schools safe places for students because they do not bend to the pressure of wanting to be friends with students.

Teachers who stand firm in the rules and make more of an effort to be respected for their knowledge, and not an effort to just be liked and accepted by students, are the ones who should be applauded.