The Great Read: The Teacher in Room 1214
When a gunman killed two of her students, Ivy Schamis was the only adult in the room. Her journey through guilt and healing sheds light on the impossible role of American teachers.
The New York Times
The Great Read

February 23, 2025, 10:00 a.m. Eastern time

On weekdays and Sundays, we recommend one piece of exceptional writing from The Times — a narrative or essay that takes you someplace you might not expect to go.

Ms. Schamis wears a sweater and sits at a dining room table at home, gazing somewhere out of frame.

Shuran Huang for The New York Times

The Teacher in Room 1214

When a gunman killed two of her students, Ivy Schamis was the only adult in the room. Her journey through guilt and healing sheds light on the impossible role of American teachers.

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