Parkland Survivors Offer Solidarity in Support of Santa Fe Shooting Survivors

Less than a month ago, students at Santa Fe High School outside Houston walked out in solidarity with the survivors of the school massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Many of the Texas teens held signs demanding gun-control reform and an end to school shootings.

Well, another one happened. At Santa Fe High School, a gunman today killed at least nine students and one teacher. And now the survivors of the Parkland tragedy are offering condolences and support to students who stood by them at the April 20 walkout.

"We are deeply saddened by the tragedy at Santa Fe High School and send our love and support to the families affected as well as the entire community," the official March for Our Lives Twitter account read today. "Though this is the 22nd school shooting this year, we urge those reading this not to sweep it under the rug and forget. This is not the price of our freedom. This is the most fatal shooting since the one at our school, and tragedies like this will continue to happen unless action is taken."

Today is the last day of school for students at Stoneman Douglas — instead of simply enjoying their graduation day or transition to summer break after the worst school year of their lives, many students have instead been forced to relive the trauma they experienced only three months ago.

I should be celebrating my last day of high school, but instead my heart is broken to hear of the tragedy at Santa Fe. We cannot let this continue to be the norm. We cannot.

— Delaney Tarr (@delaneytarr) May 18, 2018

To everyone at Santa Fe high school ,I hope youre safe, I’m so sorry this is happening, and I’m so sorry that it continues to https://t.co/zLRbrizYiD one should be in the situation that youre all currently in. Im not going to say thoughts and prayers but instead policy and action

— Sarah Chadwick (@Sarahchadwickk) May 18, 2018

My heart is with everyone at Santa Fe High School. No student should have to fear for their life. No student should have to run from a shooter. No student should have to bury their friends. We are here for you.

— Sofie Whitney (@sofiewhitney) May 18, 2018

Others, meanwhile, are telegraphing that they're jaded with the current political system. Prominent gun-control advocates at the school, including Emma González, David Hogg, and Cameron Kasky, each sent condolences to Santa Fe students today. But they also warned that the shooting will spark the same exact response from politicians and the media: prayers and condolences, conspiracy theories (which have already begun to proliferate), partisan bickering, watered-down bills and general nonsense from Republican legislators and weak-sauce Democrats, and a whole bunch of insane misinformation from the National Rifle Association.

At least 8 students have been shot and killed at Santa Fe High School.

Prepare to watch the NRA boast about getting higher donations.

Prepare to see students rise up and be called ‘civil terrorists’ and crisis actors.

Prepare for the right-wing media to attack the survivors.

— Cameron Kasky (@cameron_kasky) May 18, 2018

Get ready for two weeks of media coverage of politicians acting like they give a shit when in reality they just want to boost their approval ratings before midterms.

— David Hogg (@davidhogg111) May 18, 2018

Santa Fe High, you didn’t deserve this. You deserve peace all your lives, not just after a tombstone saying that is put over you. You deserve more than Thoughts and Prayers, and after supporting us by walking out we will be there to support you by raising up your voices.

— Emma González (@Emma4Change) May 18, 2018

To the students and faculty of Santa Fe High School, we are with you. #MarchForOurLives pic.twitter.com/3DYXOhmwsP

— March For Our Lives (@AMarch4OurLives) May 18, 2018

So here we are again, America.

"Santa Fe, we are with you," the March for Our Lives account posted, "and we will do whatever we can to support you as the days go on."