I’m Tired of Hearing #Crickets

I am devastated and heartbroken by the news of more young lives lost to gun violence at a school today in Santa Fe, Texas, this time with the added horror of explosives. Mere words are inadequate to express the sadness and outrage we should all feel at this news. We must do more to stop these senseless acts of violence.

Following the school shooting in Parkland, Florida earlier this year, the American School Health Association formed a School Violence Taskforce. That group of past ASHA presidents is meeting now to explore and discuss long-range solutions and to develop resources and support for schools. That’s great, and I am enthused by the awesome conversation that group of leaders is having. But, long-range plans aren’t good enough, kids are dying today! I simply don’t know what I can do right now. Others must be feeling the same way!

Sure, I can call my elected leaders in Congress, again, and implore them to pass meaningful, bipartisan public policy on this issue. Yet somehow, no matter how many times I call, no matter how many times I beg for action, no matter how many times I hear my elected leaders say they too are upset and frustrated…#Crickets. I remain optimistic about the youth-led activism from Parkland, Florida. I was overwhelmed with emotion seeing student-led walkouts earlier this year. Even these efforts seem to be fading from memory as the media moves on to cover other news. There’s always so much momentum in the days following these tragic events, but the action quickly dies down and no permanent solution to the problem sticks.

I’m tired of hearing #Crickets on the issue of gun violence in schools. We have to keep talking about it, not just after a shooting, but every day, until we see meaningful action. How long will we wait before real action happens? What does real action even mean? What can we do RIGHT NOW? Let’s not allow one more day pass without taking action. Let’s do something meaningful TODAY!

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