Frank DeAngeles, longtime director of Columbine High School, was seen at his home in Arvada, Colorado on Thursday, March 17th. (Hyoung Chang / MediaNews Group / The Denver Post / Getty Images)
Frank DeAngeles, who was director of Columbine High School in Colorado in 1999 when two gunmen killed 13 people on campus, told CNN that a network of educational leaders who have experienced gun violence is available to help of those at Rob Elementary School after Tuesday’s shooting.
“There are about 29 of us who have actually been involved in shootings in our community. So we turn to them and have leaders, just to help them where we can. And it’s not a one-time phone call, “DeAngelis told the group, the main recovery network. “I will be there every step of the way to help them, just as people helped me in our community.”
DeAngelis said that after the shooting at Columbine, Bill Bond, then director of Heath High School in Kentucky, when a gunman opened fire and killed three classmates in 1997, called him to offer his support and guidance.
He said, “Frank, you don’t even know what you need right now, but just keep my number.”
Since then, DeAngelis has called many schools after mass shootings to provide the same support, he said, and has reached out and left a voice message to elementary school principal Rob.
“I made a comment right after Columbine – I said, you know, I just joined a club where no one wants to be a member. And I just want to get in touch.”
As part of the National Association of High School Principals, members of the Principal Recovery Network “turn directly to their colleagues to provide much-needed support, to share the combined wisdom of their experience with the larger community of principals through various points. , support schools during reconstruction and advocate for improving national safety in schools and violence prevention programs, “according to his website.
DeAngelis attributed the improved response time to police and the introduction of blockade exercises over the past two decades, but stressed that more needed to be done.
“I’m going back to Parkland, which happened on Valentine’s Day 2018 and everyone got excited and we have to do things. And the students said, “You adults have disappointed us, we need to do something.” Four years later, we are having these same discussions. It’s time to stop talking and start doing things. “And I know last night, every parent who hugged their child when he came home last night put him to bed was just wondering, you know, there are no guarantees. And we can’t allow that. to defeat this evil. “
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