WASHINGTON 鈥� U.S. Rep. Steny Hoyer said in the wake of Tuesday鈥檚 school shooting in Great Mills, Maryland, that 鈥渁 moment of silence is not enough. We need a day, a week, a month, of action.鈥�
Hoyer, D-Maryland, whose district includes Great Mills, where a student died after shooting two other students Tuesday morning, said his first reaction was 鈥渁 deep sense of loss.鈥�
After that, he said, came 鈥渁nger. Anger that we have been unable to take action which will stem 鈥� the likelihood of unsafe areas in our country.鈥�
The congressman suggested universal background checks, which he said 97 percent of Americans favor 鈥� 鈥渟o that when you go to buy a gun, we know who you are. We know that you鈥檙e not a criminal; we know that you鈥檙e not mentally unstable; we know you鈥檙e not on the terrorist watch list; we know that you鈥檙e not a spousal abuser. You don鈥檛 eliminate the risk, but you reduce the risk.鈥�
Hoyer recalled last week鈥檚 National School Walkout, and mentioned that he was particularly struck by the 鈥渟earing鈥� comment of Matthew Post, the student member of the Montgomery County School Board.
鈥淚 understand there may be constitutional right to have a gun,鈥� Hoyer recalled him saying; 鈥渂ut I have a constitutional right to live.鈥�
After reports that the school鈥檚 armed resource officer engaged with the shooter, Hoyer said it was 鈥渧ery possible that the school resource officer鈥檚 response saved lives.鈥�
Gov. Larry Hogan shared similar sentiments Tuesday. At a news conference, he said,聽鈥淥ur hearts are broken.鈥�
“Our thoughts and prayers are always with the victims and their families,鈥� he added, but 鈥渨e need more than prayers.鈥�
He had scathing criticism for the state legislature, saying that an emergency bill written after the Parkland, Florida, school shooting was 鈥渙ne of the most aggressive school safety plans in America 鈥� and the legislature has failed to take action.鈥�
With three weeks left in the session, Hogan said, 鈥淚t鈥檚 outrageous that we haven鈥檛 taken action yet on something as important as school safety.鈥�
He added, 鈥淚 wish I could tell you that it鈥檚 not going to happen again.鈥�
Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Maryland, also released a statement saying 鈥淢y heart is with the students, parents, teachers, and the entire St. Mary鈥檚 community. But while words can express our feelings, only action will reduce gun violence and save lives. That鈥檚 why Congress must take common-sense steps to stop the epidemic of gun violence. The GOP leadership must respect the American people and allow the Senate and House to vote on sensible gun-safety measures.”
He added that he would be part of the March For Our Lives on Saturday in D.C. “We cannot allow the cries of survivors and students to be drowned out by the gun lobby,鈥� he said.
Education officials
Lily Eskelsen Garc铆a, president of the National Education Association, said in a statement that聽鈥渙ur hearts are broken yet again by a senseless and tragic shooting in our nation’s public schools. The NEA is steadfast in our support of the students, staff and families of Great Mills High School.
“We join the Maryland聽State Education Association and Education Association of St. Mary鈥檚 County in calling for policy changes that will end these preventable and traumatic events. Enough is enough. We all have a responsibility to create safe schools and communities. We can and must do more [to] ensure that everyone who walks through our school is safe and free from the threat of violence.”
Betty Weller, president of the Maryland State Education Association, also expressed gratitude to the first responders, and added, “as we learn more details from this morning鈥檚 shooting at Great Mills High School, one thing is clear: it is far past time for gun violence in our schools to end. Students and educators deserve days filled with learning and discovery, not with fear and lockdowns.”
And Jill Morris, president of the Education Association of St. Mary’s County, said, 鈥渨e are heartbroken that gun violence in schools has now touched our community, and we pray for the full recovery of the students who were shot. Simply put, it is devastating that for the students of Great Mills, their memories of school will now include this traumatic day.”
She added, “We are resolved to provide all the support and comfort we can to our colleagues and neighbors in the Great Mills community while we work together towards a day when no school community ever has to experience this type of tragedy.”
