Heads of School Stand Out Against Gun Violence

3/13/2018

In response to the recent tragedy in Parkland, I am proud to include my name with a letter to be published in the Tampa Bay Times and Miami Herald on Friday, March 23, the day before the national march against gun violence.

This letter reflects the sentiments of fellow Heads of nearly 80 independent schools in Florida, and I have included the letter in this blog.

As we continue to mourn the lives lost and so many others affected, please know how grateful I feel to live, work, and play in this amazing Community. I look forward to continuing to work with each of you to find ways to make our School always be a place where Love truly conquers all.

Patrick

Heads of Private Schools Speak out against Gun Violence

As Heads of independent schools in Florida, responsible for the education and physical safety of tens of thousands of children, we are heartbroken over the recent massacre in Parkland. We stand in support of the Parkland survivors and their efforts to affect change.

Five years ago, our country suffered the horrible shootings in Newtown, CT at the Sandy Hook School. Sadly, we have seen too many school shootings since then cut short too many innocent lives with little to no change in gun laws. The horrific dimensions of the Parkland tragedy are so profound that we are compelled to rise up and say, “Never Again.” As the recent events in Parkland and the scenes of other mass shootings teach us, the easy and virtually unrestricted availability of highly lethal semiautomatic weapons and ammunition places our schools, most especially our children, in jeopardy.

We implore our national and state legislative leaders to do everything necessary to stem this tide of senseless gun violence. Address, and ultimately deny, unrestricted access to weapons and ammunition that have no legitimate sporting, recreational, or protective purpose. Recognize that the proliferation of military grade guns and ammunition leads to more gun violence and gun deaths. The statistics are compelling and cannot be ignored.

The United States leads the world in guns per capita. It leads in homicides, suicides, and accidental deaths involving guns and it leads the world in the number of children killed by guns every year. In these grim statistical categories, no nation comes close to our level of violence and gun-related deaths. The United States of America can and must do better. Now is the time to take action. As educators, we believe in the United States Constitution. We also believe our country need not choose between the protection of responsible gun ownership and the prevention of gun violence and that both can be achieved through thoughtful and forceful legislation. Furthermore, we do not believe that arming teachers is a reasonable solution to this problem.

Never before have so many independent school leaders spoken with one voice on behalf of a single issue. We are moved to do so out of our duty to our students, their families, and our staff members, as well as all of our nation’s children, their families, and the people who devote themselves to providing education for our most precious resource and our future. We find inspiration in the voices and actions of the students who are refusing to go about business as usual. We stand ready to help in the effort and encourage our colleagues leading schools across the country to join us. We thank our colleagues in New York State for initiating this effort. Above all, we demand that reason and compassion prevail.

We are Heads of School serving children from preschool through high school. We are Republicans, Democrats, and Independents. We are parents and grandparents, aunts and uncles. We are responsible for the education, safety, and welfare of children each and every day and know that the time for action is now.

Respectfully, (Heads of School listed alphabetically)

Carlos Aballi - Atlantis Academy, Miami

Carolyn Baldwin - All Saints Academy, Winter Haven

Suzanne Barry - St. Andrew’s Episcopal Academy, Fort Pierce

Arvi Balseiro - The Cushman School, Miami

Kim Bednarek - Discovery School, Jacksonville Beach

Gregory B. Blackburn - St. Philip’s Episcopal School, Coral Gables

Gina Tanase Burkett-Academy Prep Center of St. Petersburg-St. Petersburg

Carla Brandt - Willow School of Winter Springs, Winter Springs

Samantha Campbell-St. Paul’s-Clearwater

Alicia A. Casanova - Highpoint Academy, Miami

Dan Ceaser-Hershorin Schiff Community Day School, Sarasota

Christina Chase Simonds - The Academy at Ocean Reef, Key Largo

Omar Chatila - Al-Furqan Academy, Jacksonville

Angela Ciocca - La Prima Casa Montessori School, Miami

Ed Costello - Episcopal Day School, Pensacola

Rick Cuenca - David Posnack Jewish Day School, Davie

John Davies-Miami Country Day School-Miami

Lois DeLaney - Tampa Day School, Tampa

Jack Delman - Lake Mary Preparatory School, Lake Mary

Diane M. Dodds - Amelia Island Montessori School

James Dwight-Florida Prep, Melbourne

Danelle Evans - Parke House Academy, Winter Park

Tammy Ferguson - The Weiss School, Palm Beach Gardens

Robert Fine - Admiral Farragut Academy, St. Petersburg

Jason Flom - Cornerstone Learning Community, Tallahassee

Adam Gaffey - Robert F. Munroe Day School, Quincy

Paul Garcia-

Theodore N. Gillette - Country Day School, Largo

Robert S. Goldberg-The Benjamin School-

Dr. Edwin P. Gordon-Palm Beach Day Academy, Palm Beach

Mac Hall - Canterbury School of Florida, St. Petersburg

Jim Hoye - Good Shepherd Episcopal School, Tequesta

Lillian Issa - St. Thomas Episcopal Parish School, Coral Gables

Emilyn James - Greenwood School, Jacksonville

Olen Kalkus - Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart, Miami

Dr. Ryan Kelly - Carrollwood Day School, Tampa

Dr. Kasey Kesselring-Montverde Academy, Montverde

Rick Kirschner - Canterbury School, Ft. Myers

Clifton L. Kling - Gulliver School, Miami

Nikki Koski - Parkway Christian School, Davie

Scott D. Laird - St. Mary’s Episcopal Day School, Tampa

Silvia Larrauri-St. Stephen’s Episcopal Day School, Coconut Grove

Ryan Lehman - Sarasota Christian School, Sarasota

Amanda Linton-Evans- The Montessori Children’s House of Hyde Park-Tampa

Chris Locke-IMG Academy-Bradenton

Tom Marcy-Windermere Preparatory School-

Harold Maready-The Vanguard School, Lake Wales

Dr. Joyce McGhee and James McGhee II - Alexander Montessori School, Miami

Christina Miller - Millhopper Montessori School, Gainesville

Cindy Moon - Park Maitland School, Maitland

Mike Murphy - Shorecrest Preparatory School, St. Petersburg

Allison Oakes - Hillel Academy, Tampa

Robyn Pepitone-Westlake Preparatory School and Academy-Cooper City

Amie L. Pitts-Glades Day School-Belle Glade

Kevin Plummer - Tampa Preparatory School, Tampa

Dr. Janet Pullen - St. Stephen’s Episcopal School, West Bradenton

Art Raimo - Academy of the Holy Names, Tampa

Patrick Roberts- Palmer Trinity School, Miami

Joi Robertson/ Reverend Gary Jackson - St. Mark’s Episcopal Academy, Cocoa

Melinda Robinson-Safety Harbor Montessori Academy, Safety Harbor

Nicholas Rodriguez - Brandon Academy, Brandon

Alan Rusonik-Jewish Academy of Orlando, Maitland

Ginger Sauter - The Village School of Naples, Naples

Raquel Scharf-Anderson - Martin J Gottlieb Day School, Jacksonville

Joe Seivold - Berkeley Preparatory School, Tampa

Farhat Siddiqui-American Youth Academy, Tampa

Denise Spirou-The Greene School-West Palm Beach

Frank Steel - Gulliver School, Miami

Louis St-Laurent-Unity School

Deborah A. Strainge - St. Mark’s Episcopal School, Palm Beach Gardens

Dr. Joyce Burick Swarzman - Corbett Preparatory School of IDS, Tampa

Lincoln J. Tamayo-Academy Prep Center of Tampa-Tampa

Pam Tapley-Pace Brantley School- Longwood, Florida

The Reverend Robert G. Trache - St. Mark’s Episcopal School, Ft. Lauderdale

Chris Wester - Saddlebrook Preparatory School, Wesley Chapel

Jacqueline Westerfield - Grandview Preparatory School, Boca Raton

Otis Wirth - Miami Shores Presbyterian Church School, Miami Shores

Joseph Zaluski - Gulf Stream School, Gulf Stream

Back

Main:	305.251.2230
Admission:	305.969.4208