President’s Blog: Statement on Texas School Shooting

We are once again shocked and tremendously saddened by yet another school shooting.  Our hearts are broken for the community of Uvalde, Texas, where 19 elementary children were killed and two adults. This is after the recent grocery store shooting in a predominantly Black neighborhood of Buffalo, New York, and also the shooting in Oxford High School last fall that impacted several of our current and future students. According to the New York Times, “On an average day in the U.S., more than 35 people are murdered with a gun. No other affluent country in the world has a gun homicide rate nearly as high.” Just in 2022, 213 mass shootings have taken place to date. Our hearts go out to all of the families and friends who lost their loved ones. 

I believe that we must move beyond statements and moments of silence to action that leads to safer schools and communities. The mass shootings and gun violence across America must stop and we must continue to advocate for safety. I urge citizens of all backgrounds and political views to get involved in helping to curb gun violence in the United States. As we approach National Gun Violence Awareness Day, consider ways to advocate for safety in our community with #WearOrange.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and I believe it is incredibly important to check on each other. While studies show that only 11% of mass murderers (which includes mass shooters) have serious mental illness, we cannot overlook that perpetrators of mass shootings are troubled. 

If you or someone you know has been affected by this incident and needs support, there are several resources available to CCS community members. Any CCS Community member – students, adjuncts, part-time and full-time staff, and faculty – can call the MySSP Crisis Support Line 24/7 at 1-877-757-7587 or connect online at https://myssp.app/ca/home.  By contacting MySSP individuals will receive professional emotional support and/or referral to community resources. 

In addition, students can contact CCS’s  Wellness Center and full-time employees can use our free Employee Assistance Program-Ulliance.

As we move into our summer break, I hope that all of us do something to help move this conversation forward and let our voices be heard by those who can make the needed changes to protect all of us. 

I urge you to please contact your elected officials with your views.

Take care.

Don