The Tragedy at Robb Elementary School
This week, 19 young kids and two teachers lost their lives to gun violence. As a mom of a 10 year old, I can’t stop thinking that it could’ve been us. We were lucky this time.
Our hearts are breaking over and over for these beautiful souls, their families, and their community. The children who were killed on Tuesday embodied innocence, enthusiasm, kindness, and care. They were off to a regular school day to learn and build towards the bright futures ahead of them.
What happened at Robb Elementary School shouldn’t happen to any child, anywhere, at any time. Classrooms should always be safe, nurturing spaces where children can learn and thrive. Furthermore, while our teachers are true heroes for supporting the learning of young students, they shouldn’t have to wake up every day wondering whether they will be risking their lives to do their jobs. Violence cannot be tolerated and we must do all that we can to ensure that our schools are safe for everyone.
The shooting in Uvalde needs to be the final wake-up call for all the adults in our society to draw the line on gun violence. It’s time to take urgent and decisive action to protect our children, our teachers, and our society as a whole from this rampant trend. At this point in 2022, there are more mass shootings than days that have passed in this year—we can’t go on like this.
Early Edge stands with those in support of gun control to make our schools safe for everyone. In the meantime, while it’s impossible to make sense of this horrific tragedy, we wanted to share the following resources to help you support the children in your lives navigate what they are learning and feeling about the events of this week, as well as ways you can support the community of Uvalde and take further action.
Teacher and parent resources:
- Texas school shooting: How to help kids get through unspeakable horror (Los Angeles Times)
- Explaining the News to Our Kids (Common Sense Media)
- Talking to Children About Violence: Tips for Parents and Teachers (NASP)
How you can help:
- How to help Uvalde families following yesterday’s elementary school shooting (NPR)
- Donate to Texas Elementary School Shooting Relief (GoFundMe)
Organizations to support:
As a member of the Early Learning and Care community, we are listening. As we reflect on this terrible event and how we can ensure brighter days and safer spaces for our kids, we encourage you to reach out to share your thoughts and experiences with us at [email protected].