A Message from the President
Statement on Robb Elementary School Shooting
Days after celebrating our 157th commencement exercises with our graduates and their families and friends, I am saddened by the tragedy at the Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas that took the lives of 19 children and 2 teachers.
Tuesday’s events demonstrate the need for leaders in our nation to revisit gun laws and work harder to provide the necessary resources to address the mental health crisis.
Last week, I attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the opening of the Lt. Richard Collins III Plaza at the University of Maryland. Lt. Collins’ life was stolen from him in an act of violence five years ago. During the ceremony, the mother of Heather Heyer – a victim of violent protests in Charlottesville, Virginia – noted that many murder victims in our country are mourned for about three weeks before the news cycle changes and our focus turns elsewhere. We cannot continue to let mass shootings and other heinous acts take the lives of promising individuals, especially our children.
Children are our hope for a brighter tomorrow. We owe it to the devastated parents and families to do more to protect them. We owe it to our teachers, who we prepare and send to classrooms across our nation, to ensure a safe environment to educate and promote learning for our children.
It’s time we send more than thoughts and prayers.