An Empty Seat in Class: Teaching and Learning After the Death of a Student

“A dreadful script had been written for our school and town (and the world) but this did not mean that a new script could not be written by us. We didn’t have to subscribe to the tragic script beyond our control. It was time to rewrite.”
—Lee Keylock, high school teacher, Sandy Hook, CT

“This book is a meditation on the unspeakable horror and ensuing anguish that follows the death of a student. A heretofore taboo subject, teachers have much to share about their creative, improvisational praxes when shared cultural scripts in urban classrooms are unavailable. This moving and poignant text illuminates as much as it inspires.
—Angela Valenzuela, Professor of Education, University of Texas, Director of the Texas Center for Education Policy

“Written by the most important kind of expert, someone who has been there, Dr. Ayers candidly discusses his own struggles following the violent death of one of his students. This book serves as an invaluable guide, providing research and practical tools on how to respond to a student death and facilitate a safe space in the classroom where students can ask questions, express emotions, and process their grief. This is a must-read for every teacher, administrator, and counselor so that a school is well prepared in the event of a tragedy.”
—Heidi Horsley, executive director, Open to Hope Foundation, adjunct professor, Columbia University School of Social Work

“For those who teach, this book will likely evoke painful memories of loss and unrealized potential that accompanies the tragedy of any student's death. Classrooms and communities are worlds of their own, where saving one life or inspiring someone in even the most minute or momentary way can mean saving a whole world. Ayers's book honors the lives of both teachers and students. It is a book for all of us.”
—Jack Weinstein, director, San Francisco Bay Area, Facing History and Ourselves