Following the horrific mass shootings at Robb Elementary Faculty in Uvalde, Texas, and at Tops Pleasant Markets in Buffalo, NY, the Pennsylvania Commissions for Girls, African American, Latino, LGBTQ+, and Asian Pacific American Affairs launched a joint assertion calling for quick motion from the Common Meeting and Pennsylvania’s Congressional Delegation to move widespread sense gun security laws.

“The continued mass gun violence in the USA exhibits that our insurance policies are ineffective and can’t be tolerated. This violence impacts us all. It doesn’t discriminate by group and is completely mindless,” stated Randi Teplitz, chair of the Pennsylvania Fee for Girls. “It’s time to put politics apart and move widespread sense gun legal guidelines that shield our faculties and communities or maintain our elected officers accountable on the voting sales space for his or her inaction.”

“It appears apparent that households ship their youngsters to high school to obtain an training, to not be harmed. But, too many faculty shootings have occurred lately. Tragedies resembling what befell at Robb elementary faculty trigger anxiousness and concern for households who simply need to shield their youngsters whereas they obtain an training,” stated Dr. Damary Bonilla-Rodriguez, chair of the Schooling Committee of the Governor’s Advisory Fee on Latino Affairs. “As a nation, we should proceed dialogue and take quick motion to handle the underlying causes resulting in repeated mass shootings, particularly in our faculties. GACLA denounces violence and hurt in the direction of youngsters. We’re working with state businesses, faculty districts and companions throughout the commonwealth to make sure a protected and equitable academic expertise is accessible to each baby in Pennsylvania. Our kids deserve higher.” 

“I can’t even start to course of this week’s tragic faculty taking pictures in Uvalde, Texas. My coronary heart mourns for the households,” stated LaDeshia Maxwell, govt director of the Governor’s Advisory Fee on African American Affairs. “We’re nonetheless mourning the lack of 10 Black individuals within the horrific mass taking pictures in Buffalo, NY, so we’re all feeling a bit overwhelmed by the violence on this nation. After I heard concerning the lack of 19 youngsters and two schoolteachers in Texas, it felt, and nonetheless feels, like we can’t course of one tragedy earlier than the following occurs. My fee and I are working to seek out holistic methods to fight gun violence in each group and pray that nothing like this occurs once more. I’m praying for everybody who has been affected by gun violence.”

“Our ideas and prayers are with the households and workers from the elementary faculty in Uvalde, Texas. It breaks our hearts to listen to the information about so many deaths ​at Robb Elementary faculty in Uvalde Metropolis. These victims are primarily harmless youngsters underneath 10 years outdated,” stated Stephanie Solar, govt director, Governor’s Fee on Asian Pacific American Affairs. “Three mass shootings in 9 days – together with Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian church in southern California – it have to be stopped! We share all of the ache, grief and anger with the households of youngsters and adults who had been killed and injured. We hope all of us will commit sufficient to struggle in opposition to the gun violence and to not let this occur once more.”

“As an individual who has skilled gun violence the trauma and ache is one thing you always remember; the sounds of gunfire will probably ceaselessly provoke deep emotions of terror and harm. These tragedies proceed to occur whereas our leaders do little to alter the situations that result in mass shootings – entry to excessive powered weapons,” stated Rafael Alvarez-Febo, Govt Director of the Governor’s Advisory Fee on LGBTQ+ Affairs. “Over the past yr we now have seen legislators throughout the nation swoop in to enact politically motivated laws to “shield youngsters” when the truth is the epidemic of gun violence is certainly what our youngsters want defending from.”

The Commissions will proceed to work carefully with group stakeholders and Governor Wolf to handle gun violence in Pennsylvania. The Commissions stand with Governor Wolf’s name on the Common Meeting to move significant gun security laws:

• Require reporting for misplaced and stolen weapons inside 72 hours.
• Shut loopholes and require background checks on all gun gross sales.
• Require protected storage of firearms to maintain weapons out of the fallacious hand sot forestall unintended damage/demise and suicides.
• Create pink flag legal guidelines to guard those that could also be a hazard to themselves or others.

The Commissions additionally be a part of the Pennsylvania Division of Schooling in offering sources to help discussions round security in our faculties:

Nationwide Affiliation of Faculty Phycologists:

Pennsylvania Division of Schooling:

The Commissions additionally acknowledge that these occasions could also be triggers for college students, dad and mom, and others who’ve skilled trauma previously and assist is obtainable 24/7 by textual content at 741-741 or by calling 1-800-273-8255.