Increased Patrols At Livermore Schools Following Texas Shooting

LIVERMORE, CA — Following a mass shooting that killed at least 19 children and two teachers in an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, on Tuesday, the Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District sent employees and parents a message of support.

Superintendent Dr. Kelly Bowers said Tuesday night:

“As your Superintendent and as a mom, I am personally sending my sympathy and deepest condolences to the families of all who tragically lost their lives to senseless violence on the Robb Elementary School campus in Uvalde, Texas today. As educators and parents, we can’t help but feel closely connected to the children, teachers, staff, families, and community who are so devastated by this loss of innocent lives.

Like many of you, I ask myself, how can this happen yet again, and when will this end? It is difficult to comprehend such a catastrophic event. I don’t pretend to have the answers, but I am confident that our Board of Trustees, our leadership team, and all of our staff members will continue to do everything possible to ensure our students–your children–are nurtured, loved, and lifted up to be the best selves that they can be. In doing so, maybe they will be the ones who lead the way to a better, less violent world.

Rest assured, our primary focus is always to keep our children safe, and schools continue to be one of the safest places for children. We are extremely fortunate to have a strong team of LPD School Resource Officers who prioritize building positive relationships and providing safe and secure campuses for our students and staff.

There is no doubt that the emotional effect of a traumatic event of this magnitude directly impacts all of us, including our children. The National Association of School Psychologists notes there are effective ways to help students cope and process their feelings. You may access resources at the following link: Talking to Children About Violence: Tips for Parents and Teachers

Today’s devastating event is a sobering reminder of just how precious life is. Let’s all hug our loved ones a little tighter tonight and continue to keep the community of Uvalde and the students, teachers, staff, and parents of Robb Elementary School in our hearts."

The Livermore police department had an increased presence at the city’s schools Wednesday morning.

“While there’s no direct threat to our campuses, we will continue to be vigilant. Protection of our community & our students are our top priorities. Our thoughts & prayers are with #Uvalde,” the police department said.

"Every available officer from patrol, school resources officers to detectives from our criminal investigations unit were at schools Wednesday to help ease concerns," Public Information Officer Azenith Smith told Patch. Smith said every school in the district had a police presence.

"Our officers are working hard to keep our community safe," Chief Jermay Young said.

Congressman Eric Swalwell (D-CA), California’s 15th congressional district representative, issued this statement Tuesday night:

"I wish I could look at my three small children and promise them they will always be safe at their schools. But, that would be a lie. America continues to arm the most dangerous people to the teeth -- leaving every innocent child vulnerable to being shot inside their classroom.

America has a mass shooter problem. And it’s not a policy defect. It’s by Republican design. GOP policies have allowed the most dangerous people to access the most dangerous weapons. Passing background checks and an assault weapons ban is long overdue."

Golden State lawmakers took swift action Wednesday to pass a bill to allow private citizens to file suits against manufacturers of illegal assault weapons or untraceable ghost guns.

Below are additional resources for families.

• American Psychological Association (APA): Helping your Child Manage Distress In The Aftermath Of A School Shooting
• National Association of School Psychologists: Talking to Your Children About Violence
• Commonsense Media: Explaining The News To Our Kids
• Commonsense Media: How To Talk To Kids About School ShootingsChildmind.org
• Anxiety Over School Shootings

See also: 'Enough!' Warriors Coach Steve Kerr Gives Impassioned Plea On Shooting