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Press Release

NEA President Becky Pringle issues statement regarding the mass shooting in Apalachee High School

WASHINGTON—NEA President Becky Pringle issued the following statement in response to the mass shooting that took the lives of at least four people today and injured many more at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia.
Published: September 4, 2024

“All students deserve safe and welcoming learning environments free from gun violence.  Schools should be the safest places in any community. But just as the new school year gets underway, lives have been shattered by yet another tragic mass shooting – this time at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia.

“We grieve for the students, educators, and families in the Winder community. We cannot – and will not – normalize mass shootings. We remain committed to ending gun violence and to demanding our elected leaders enact gun safety measures that make it safe for everyone to walk to school, attend church, or shop at a grocery store without fear of violence. We owe that to our children.”

Follow the National Education Association on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @BeckyPringle and @NEAToday

The National Education Association is the nation's largest professional employee organization, representing more than 3 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support professionals, school administrators, retired educators, students preparing to become teachers, healthcare workers, and public employees. Learn more at www.nea.org.

National Education Association

Great public schools for every student

The National Education Association (NEA), the nation's largest professional employee organization, is committed to advancing the cause of public education. NEA's 3 million members work at every level of education—from pre-school to university graduate programs. NEA has affiliate organizations in every state and in more than 14,000 communities across the United States.