Editor,

The Oak Harbor School District Community is saddened and shocked to once again find ourselves, as a community and as a nation, bracing with the reality of yet another school massacre.

The recent shooting in Uvalde, Texas that resulted in the deaths of 19 students and two staff members is an awful reminder of how quickly the simple norm of school can be fatally upended by gun violence. In the last five months of 2022 alone, there have been a total of 27 separate school shootings nationwide. Which community is next? Is Oak Harbor?

How many more families have to face the reality of a student or a school employee that doesn’t return home? How many more students and staff have to walk into a school, only to never walk out? Our children/staff have a right to live and learn in a safe environment. If these tragedies do not serve as a serious wake-up call to our community, our state and our nation to take action, I regret there probably is nothing that will.

The Oak Harbor Educational Community is devastated by recent events at Robb Elementary School and are sending our heartfelt love and prayers to their community.

We are appreciative of our relationship with our families, students, staff, police department, Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, and the love and support of those in our community that help us keep our schools safe.

Superintendent Karst Brandsma

Oak Harbor Public Schools