Texas School Slaughter: Delmarva Reaction

Delmarva lawmakers are starting to react to Tuesday’s massacre at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas.

U.S and State of Delaware and Maryland flags are flying at half-staff until sunset Saturday in memory of the child victims and a teacher who was also killed.

At least one police department on Delmarva plans to have officers on hand for arriving students at school, as a sign of security and not in response to any threat.

“While we are all devastated over the horrible tragedy in Texas, we want our students to feel safe and secure. You may see an increased uniform presence at and around your children’s schools during the days to follow. This is NOT due to any threat to our schools, but simply to provide comfort and support,” Easton,” Maryland Police said in a Facebook post.

U.S. Senator Ben Cardin, D.-Md. released this statement Tuesday:

“Fifteen people are dead, 14 of them children, at their elementary school. Children. I feel sick that this keeps happening. My heart goes out to all of the parents who sent their sons and daughters off to school this morning, a supposed safe space, never to see them again. 

“How many children have to die before enough is enough? My thoughts are with the victims and their families, but words and prayers are insufficient. Doing nothing about the epidemic of guns across this country is killing our children. We must work together to translate our grief into collective action. Congress and lawmakers at every level of government must make changes to ensure our neighborhoods are safer for every American, regardless of who they are or where they live. We must break through the gridlock and finally do something that will save lives.”

U.S. Senator Tom Carper, D-Del. released the following statement Tuesday:

“Families across our nation are hugging their children a little closer this evening and weeping for the community of Ulvade, Texas. Though my own boys are now grown adults, I am thinking of when I used to tuck them into bed and help them with their homework. I am thinking of when they were the age of the 18 elementary school children gunned down at their school today. Instead of planning their summer vacations, these families are now planning their children’s funerals. Martha and I are overwhelmed with sadness, and pray for the families who have had their most precious gift taken from them by a gunman. 

“As I am mourning this tragedy, I refuse to accept inaction. I refuse to accept that the mass slaughter of children in their 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th grade classrooms is normal. I refuse to believe that Congress can’t reform our gun laws in a way that the American public broadly supports. 

“Tonight, President Biden outlined what we can do—as citizens and as legislators— to stand up to gun lobby and say, ‘Enough.’ We are long overdue to make commonsense reforms to our nation’s gun laws. Congress must now do its job and vote on gun safety legislation that will reduce gun violence and prevent these tragedies from reoccurring in the future.”