As we all grapple with yesterday’s horrific atrocity in Uvalde, Texas, we are grieving the loss of life, especially that so many young lives were cut short. 

We send our condolences to the families who lost loved ones, and to every member of the community who is now experiencing unspeakable grief. 

We send our support, empathy, and appreciation to everyone who stepped onto their campuses today; to everyone who, today especially, is continuing to create learning communities that are safe and inclusive for their students, even when that work is more challenging than ever.  It should not be a privilege to feel safe at school, and protecting lives inside our schools should not fall on our educators’ shoulders.

We are bereft. We are outraged. We are in shock. Words fail at a moment like this one. And we have had far too many moments like this one. 

There have been 27 school shootings in 2022. There were 34 last year. And nearly 200 since 2018. (AASA)

And today, we collectively mourn the loss of 21 lives – 19 children and two teachers – after a mass shooting at a Texas elementary school. 

Again and again, we find ourselves grasping for reasons why a person would do this; reasons for how this could possibly happen. We are again terrified at the idea that our children and their teachers are not safe at school. We are again outraged that our national community and political leaders have not – and, it would seem, cannot – take effective, decisive action to protect our children and to protect the people who show up every day to teach, listen to, and care for our children in every school across this nation.

Today, educators walked back into their schools and classrooms, even while wondering if they might be next. The cycle of questioning – of wondering what can be done about school shootings – began once again. Resources were offered in support, like these for educators and school leaders, gathered by ASCD; the APA offers this guide to helping children manage distress after a shooting, and CommonSense offers advice for talking to kids about school shootings.

Statements have been made, in heartbreak and in outrage. But there are no words that will soften this moment. There is only holding space for each other. And hope that this time, the calls for action will not go quiet. That this time, the outrage does not go quiet. That this time, action is taken to protect the precious lives of those we love.