Herbart: ‘We must be united’
FROM MEA PRESIDENT PAULA HERBART
MEA members,
Throughout the day, MEA has been monitoring the situation around the shooting at Central Michigan University that locked down that campus and the surrounding K-12 school systems.
While the shooter has not been apprehended as of this writing, we know that law enforcement has been helping to ensure that the students and employees of both the university and the surrounding school districts are safe and are getting home to their families. We know today has been a terrifying and trying experience for both our members and students, but we believe all are safe, which is the most important thing.
Earlier, I emailed our members affected by today’s events and offered whatever assistance they and their students need moving forward. We’re asking members who need help, either for their students or themselves, to reach out and let us know how we can be of service – if we don’t have the resources they need, we will do everything we can to help find them.
NEA President Lily Eskelsen Garcia contacted me earlier today and committed whatever help our national affiliate can provide as well. For starters, NEA has resources available for all members online at www.nea.org/safeschools to help in talking with students about the all-too-common instances of school violence we’ve been experiencing.
If there are things our members across the state can do to help our colleagues in the Mt. Pleasant area, we will let you know.
As I told our local members earlier, there aren’t words to express the sadness that I and others feel when these violent events happen at places dedicated to student learning. Together, we will work to bring an end to these school shootings – but for now, our attention is firmly on what our colleagues and their students need…and we are deeply thankful they are safe.
In solidarity,
Paula Herbart
MEA President
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