Statement on Oxford High School Shooting in Michigan

December 3, 2021

Statement on Oxford High School Shooting in Michigan

In response to the school shooting at Oxford High School in Michigan, GLSEN and GLSEN’s Interim Executive Director Melanie Willingham-Jaggers issued the following statement:

“GLSEN is devastated by the news of the shooting which took the lives of four students and injured others at Oxford High School in Michigan.

“While some may be numb to another gun-related shooting at school, the inescapable fear and trauma that is placed upon our students because of violence is unconscionable. This year continues to be challenging for young people, especially those who are BIPOC and LGBTQ+ students. They are readjusting to in-person schooling and reviving their social connections while living in a pandemic in the midst of another wave. They are continuing the fight for racial justice as their reproductive and LGBTQ+ rights are being challenged at both the highest and local levels.

“School should be a safe place where these young people can flourish. Students deserve a place where they can build a support system of peers and adults who encourage their personal and educational growth without fear. School should never be a place where students and educators feel unsafe and scared, both mentally and physically, while fearing for their lives due to gun-related violence. We know that our students and young people are resilient, but we must do everything we can to keep them safe. School violence must end.

“GLSEN extends our support for the victims and their families, as well as all the students and educators who will forever be changed by this tragic event. GLSEN will continue our mission and work to ensure that every member of every school community is supported, valued, and respected and for all school environments to be places of affirmation, inclusion, and growth.”