Friends,
My heart is heavy as I share this tragic news with you.
Today, Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, became the latest site of an unimaginable horror — a school shooting that has once again shattered the lives of students, teachers, and families.
With the start of every school year, we put protections into place, hold our breath and hope nothing happens. Sadly today, that hope was shattered.
We are heartbroken. We are devastated. But we are also frustrated that yet another community must endure this horror. How many more times must our nation’s families wake up to headlines about children killed in their schools? How many more times must we endure this cycle of violence before something changes?
How many more families have to suffer before all join together for change?
As we grapple with this heartbreaking reality, each of us must remember that every act of violence in American schools is not just a statistic — it's a child, a parent, a teacher, a community, and a future lost.
This tragedy is a stark reminder of why the work of Stand With Parkland is so critical. We must continue to advocate, identify preventative measures, and demand change so that no more families have to endure this nightmare.
From Day One, we have stressed that school safety is not a partisan issue — it’s a matter of life and death. It’s time for our leaders, regardless of party, to come together and enact meaningful, bipartisan solutions that will protect your children, their teachers, and prevent these tragedies from happening again.
Because once again, Americans find themselves grieving over innocent lives senselessly ripped apart by violence.
Today, we mourn with the families of the victims and the Apalachee High School community. But tomorrow, we must demand more. We must embrace pragmatic solutions. We must refuse to accept this violence in our nation’s schools as normal.
Please keep the victims, their families, and the Apalachee High School community in your thoughts and prayers today. And as we mourn with them, let us renew our commitment to ensuring that this cycle of violence ends here. Help prevent tragedy by joining us in our efforts today >>
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With a heavy heart,
Tony Montalto
President, Stand With Parkland
