They Survived a School Shooting. And They Have Advice for Educators Who May Experience the Same

The reverberations of a school shooting are widespread. Victims. Survivors. Their families. The wider community. All are impacted in their own ways.

In the days, weeks, and months after a shooting, schools and districts typically respond by providing resources they think might be needed to help their students and staff process and recover from the trauma. It’s an arduous and unenviable task.

Members of the campus community may still be in shock. Many may not know exactly what they need, or when. Even a school that, from the outside, seems to have provided all they could, might miss vulnerable groups.

In the aftermath of the Santa Fe High School shooting that left 10 people dead, and 13 injured in Santa Fe, Texas, the school and district provided a multitude of resources. Some of what they offered included counseling services both within the school and beyond, bringing in support dogs, and providing a liaison to those most impacted. After the shooting in May 2018, the school spent the summer training teachers on how to meet the needs of students dealing with trauma, identifying those students and staff closest to the shooting who might be the most affected, and facilitating groups for survivors. The principal also offered open meetings.

Here, some of the survivors of that shooting share their experiences and offer insight and advice for current and future school and district leaders grappling with similar tragedies in their communities.