(Seguin) — Texans remain stunned beyond belief as the details behind the tragic shooting in Uvalde continue to surface.
At least 19 children were killed in the attack at Robb Elementary in Uvalde just two hours away from Seguin west of San Antonio.
The shooting also left two staff members dead.
The shooter, an 18-year-old male, was killed by responding law enforcement.
Authorities say he shot his grandmother earlier in the day before heading into the school and opening fire.
Meanwhile just four hours after the elementary school shooting in Uvalde, Seguin ISD officials who came together for their regular school board meeting couldn’t help but acknowledge this tragedy — a tragedy that was too close to home not only in distance but in their own daily efforts to educate and keep each child safe.
Horrified by what had happened was School Board President Cinde Jimenez who made a call for action.
“So, write letters, make phone calls and write emails, do anything you can to try to make sure that this never happens again to another school in this country,” said Jimenez.
Seguin ISD Superintendent Matthew Gutierrez says his heartfelt thoughts and prayers certainly go out to the Uvalde community – for he says they are experiencing their worst nightmare.
“It’s not something that any community should ever have to endure. It’s been a very emotional afternoon listening to the footage and thinking about the community that I serve and how it’s happening in our state. It’s happening in our region. It’s a neighboring school district and I think that we are becoming numb to these occurrences that are happening frequently. Never did I imagine 20 years ago going into education that this would be something that we have to think about every day. Our teachers, our principals, our receptionists, our attendance clerks, — that we have to be on the front lines and that we are willing to put our own lives on the front lines to protect the children that we serve,” said Gutierrez.
Like Jimenez, Dr. Gutierrez says something must be done to prevent such a tragedy from happening again.
“Parents drop them off just like they drop our kids off to be loved, to be safe and to be cared for. I think it’s time our state wakes up and truly recognize the work that is being done in our schools because we are under attack every single day and we come every day and we are willing to risk our own lives for our students and it’s time that they take action whatever it may be whether it’s gun reform, or it’s providing funds for mental health or safety and security, we need help and if every single one of us tonight can go home and write our legislators that would be powerful but we cannot any longer just sit back and wait for our policy makers to take care of it because they are not. During my senior year, Columbine happened, and we are still dealing with these incidents,” said Gutierrez.
During the start of the meeting, Jimenez also called upon Rev. Stephen Shortess of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church to share a few words of comfort. Shortess who happened to be in the audience to receive a special award for his work with students at Jefferson Elementary says he felt like everyone else as the events unfolded.
“Today around 2:45, I sat down on a bench at Jefferson Elementary. I am a mentor, and I was waiting for my mentee, and he went home early today. He was sick and I was scrolling through my phone and the news came up and I immediately was thankful that he was at home and then I thought about my kids. They attend Vogel and couldn’t wait to get to them. I was a panic as I’m sure all of you at school today, you on the board, you parents at home or at work felt. It’s a fleeting feeling and emotion. It’s scary and we’ve been through so much with all of this COVID and all of this to have this happen so close to home, it’s really a dagger,” said Shortess.
Shortess says he hopes the Seguin community embraces –even more — the challenges and sacrifices that are made by those in our own local community.
“And that teacher and those students didn’t deserve what we’ve seen today. So, I just want to encourage you all to actually grieve this moment. Tomorrow does come. The words that I again share don’t take away any of that pain but all of you are dear and certainly the teachers and the school board and principals all across the school district and so I especially give thanks for you teachers, you principals, you school board that show up here tonight and continue on for the life of our school district and for the life of our children,” said Shortess.
While prayers and deepest sympathies go out to the Uvalde community, the Seguin ISD along with the Navarro and Marion ISDs also immediately addressed the safety and wellbeing of their students and staff.
Each confirmed increased patrols and presence with local law enforcement through the remainder of the school year.
They have also each asked that students, staff and families be vigilant.
They say if you see something, say something.