Worcester superintendent, bishop respond to Nashville school shooting
WORCESTER — Schools Superintendent Rachel H. Monárrez Monday evening published a letter in response to the shooting at the Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee, earlier that day.
In the letter, which was published on the Worcester Public School District's website and shared on social media, Monárrez shared her condolences and also offered families advice on how to help their students process the incident.
"Like you, I am incredibly saddened to learn of the disturbing events that took place today at the Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee," she said. "Schools should always be places where everyone feels safe."
More:Who is the Nashville school shooter who killed six at private Christian school?
Three children and three adults were killed in a shooting by an ex-student at the Christian elementary school in Nashville, The Associated Press reported. The shooter was fatally shot by two responding officers at the school.
Monárrez said students could speak with a counselor or another "trusted adult" to help answer any questions or process any feelings they may have about the incident.
She also recommended that families visit the National Association of School Psychologists website for resources in helping support their students.
The district is also "consistently reviewing safety and security measures" to ensure that students and staff are properly protected.
"The safety of our students is always our top priority," Monárrez said. "We also urge everyone to speak up if they see or hear anything that could represent a potential threat to school safety."
Bishop Robert J. McManus of the Diocese of Worcester and David Perda, the superintendent of Catholic schools, responded to the shooting.
In a statement, Perda said that school safety is "of paramount importance" and that the schools have been "appropriately trained" with a plan of action put in place in coordination with the police to be "as prepared as possible.
"The news of any school shooting is of great concern and we want our students, teachers and staff to feel safe in our schools," Perda said. "The reality today is that we must continually be vigilant regarding school safety."
McManus called on politicians to "accelerate civil discussions across party lines" about creating broader access to mental health services for people, as well as who should and should not possess firearms in his statement.
"Freedom to carry firearms cannot be guaranteed in isolation of a responsibility to protect our citizens, especially the most vulnerable," McManus said.
The nation, he said, needs to stop viewing this type of violence against students and educators as "simply random acts beyond anyone's control.
"The horrific news of the shooting at the Covenant School in Nashville moves us to pray that God will welcome those who have died into his loving embrace while asking for the grace to comfort those who mourn the loss of their children, their family members and friends in the days and weeks ahead," McManus said in a statement.
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This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Worcester Supt. Rachel Monárrez responds to Covenant School shooting
