The Pennsylvania School Counselors Association is deeply saddened and heartbroken by yet another senseless mass shooting, this time killing 19 innocent fourth graders and two heroic teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. In just this school year alone, 27 school shootings have injured or killed students and staff in what should be safe spaces for our students where they can learn and grow. Our deepest condolences go out to the families and community of Uvalde, while we plead with policymakers to take the necessary preventive action to protect our nation’s children.
PSCA in its on-going commitment to support students and schools in their continued healthy and safe development recognizes the evident and rising risk for youth regarding gun violence. The CDC (2020) stated that firearms are the number one cause of death among American kids, and children also suffer from the secondary impact to children as witnesses of intimate partner and or community-related violence. Most of all we know that gun-related violence and death is preventable.
To support PA school counselors, we commit to the following.
Advocate - for policies that promote a safer and healthier school community.
Train - school counselors to provide leadership to design and support healthy school climates and the tools to support students at-risk, in crisis, or recovering.
Research - partnering with counselor educators and other educational institutions of the best practices and policy positions.
Change - we will continue to learn, adapt and grow uncompromisingly to ensure PSCA and school counselors can lead in supporting the needs of students, schools and communities harmed by gun violence.
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