“School safety is a shared responsibility we all share,” said Robin Harris, deputy director of communications for the Dallas Independent School District.
DALLAS — It was a call for peace and a call to action.
“No one is exempt. Education and safety must be prioritized,” said Keesha Williams Lankford, a Dallas resident and former Cedar Hill Independent School District board member.
A series of threats against schools across North Texas this week has drawn community leaders to Oak Cliff to discuss reforms.
“His mother died in prison, and his father is a former dealer,” said Veronica Wilson, community resource director for Urban Specialists, who helps connect residents with community resources.
“I am a product of what’s going on, and because I’m a product, I am now also a solution,” Wilson said. “It takes a village for us to come together and have these conversations and then actually translate those conversations into action and implementation.”
Wilson is also a former student of Williams-Lankford, and the two joined members of the local NAACP chapter and other community groups in calling for change.
“We’re asking for a ceasefire,” Lankford said, “and we’re asking parents to be more involved and more involved in their children’s lives.”
The petition was also shared by the Dallas Independent School District. In the past week, two Dallas Independent School District students have been killed. One died from gun violence. Two other students were shot in separate incidents and are currently recovering.
“It’s been a tough week for the Dallas Independent School District,” said Robin Harris, deputy director of communications for the Dallas Independent School District.
Harris said while these incidents did not occur on a school or district campus, they have sent shock waves throughout the district.
“These are our students. When one student is hurt, when one family is hurt, we all hurt,” Harris said.
The district has made changes to some athletics due to concerns about online threats.
“The police department is changing some of its roles and responsibilities and missions to really hone in and focus on the legitimacy of claims,” Harris said.
They told WFAA those threats were determined to be not credible.
“School safety is a shared responsibility we all share,” Harris said.
Many said responsibility requires a joint response.
“If Dr. Lankford said if you hurt people, hurt people, then you need to be part of the healing side, you need to be part of the healing side,” Veronica said.
The Dallas Independent School District said it was identifying those responsible for spreading the online threats and would hold those responsible accountable, and reminded parents that such behavior is punishable by law.
