Leaders from the Jefferson County Education Association (JCEA) and the Colorado Education Association (CEA) have released a joint statement following a shooting at Evergreen High School in Jefferson County, Colorado. The incident has renewed calls for action to address gun violence in schools.
In their statement, Brooke Williams, President of JCEA, and Kevin Vick, President of CEA, expressed sorrow and frustration over the recurring issue of school shootings. They said: “Today, our hearts are broken as we grieve with the Evergreen High School community in the wake of yet another school shooting. No student, no educator, no family should ever have to endure the terror and trauma of gun violence in a place of learning.
“As leaders of Colorado’s educators, we are outraged that this continues to happen in our schools. Educators dedicate their lives to helping students grow and thrive, not to shielding them from active shooters. Students come to school to learn, not to fear for their lives. Families send their children to classrooms trusting they will return home safely each day.
“Jefferson County is the home of Columbine. Every time another school shooting occurs here, in our state, or around our country, our communities are retraumatized. The wounds never fully heal, and each tragedy reopens the pain for survivors, students, families, and educators.
“We join our entire state and nation in asking: how much more of this can we take? How many more children must be traumatized? How many more educators must carry the burden of keeping their students safe from gunfire instead of focusing on their futures?
“Colorado has lived through this pain too many times. We cannot become numb. We cannot accept this as normal. We demand that our leaders at every level—local, state, and national—take real, meaningful action to end the epidemic of gun violence in our schools.
“Today, we stand with the Evergreen community. Tomorrow, and every day forward, we will continue to fight for safe schools where students and educators can focus on teaching and learning, not survival.”
The statement reflects ongoing concerns about safety within educational environments after multiple incidents across Colorado and elsewhere.
