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Dear friends,
A little over seven years ago, I was a school secretary at Monarch High School, attending a celebration to honor our Teacher of the Year with our superintendent and district staff. That came to an abrupt end due to what we later learned was the tragic shooting in Parkland at Marjory Stoneman Douglas, a neighboring high school less than 10 minutes away from where we stood.
Like that dreaded day seven years ago, Wednesday began like any other—moving from one Zoom meeting to the next and talking with my team about membership. Then, a news alert flashed on my phone about a school shooting. For a brief moment, I prayed it was a false alarm for police response, but the alerts from Winder, GA, quickly confirmed the worst—another nightmare.
My heart goes out to the Winder community today. My neighbors and I, as with many in Florida, understand the pain and shock that follow such horrific events, but nothing can truly compare to the pain felt by those directly impacted. These senseless acts that tear through our families, schools, and communities leave scars that never fully heal, long after the headlines.
Since that day, up until my retirement, I have never looked at any school the same way again. And now, that worry has deepened as my oldest grandchild prepares to start school soon. It’s a similar fear I felt enormously for 33 years, citing the officer’s wife’s prayer until my husband retired from law enforcement, but now, it feels even more personal.
Enough is enough: this nightmare has to end. While the impacted families begin redefining their new realities, just like that dreaded day seven years ago, the news will be filled with what should've, could've, and been done with more thoughts and prayers!
We must persist in working with all stakeholders across party lines to implement the solutions to eliminate gun violence, save lives, and secure our schools and communities. PTA provides a comprehensive list of our policies and support resources on this critical issue, including a new Gun Violence Prevention Blueprint. Take time to review it:
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