Probe of Parkland shooting overlooks ‘inexcusable failures’

On Mother’s Day, 17 heartbroken mothers from our founding families again faced the stark reality that their child was murdered in a Broward school.

Today, we are again reminded of the failures that led to those deaths and the troubling lack of accountability of Broward County schools. District officials announced last week that two former administrators at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School have been cleared of all wrongdoing in connection with their response to the mass shooting on February 14, 2018.

Sadly, the results of its investigation into former Principal Ty Thompson and former Assistant Principal Denise Reed, overlooked the inexcusable failures from that horrific day.

A gunman gained access to the high school campus, opened fire and murdered three staff members and 14 students. In addition, 17 others were shot and wounded in the mass shooting.

Despite these facts, the School District’s Professional Standards Committee chose to take no action in regard to most of the administrators. The self-serving results of this investigation demonstrate the Broward School District’s efforts to avoid responsibility rather than safeguard the lives of the staff and students in their care.

You don’t have to just take our word for it. The Marjory Stoneman Douglas Public Safety Commission collected many hours of public testimony and investigated the actions of these administrators. The Commission questioned the truthfulness of some administrators and exposed the failures of others.

For those who haven’t had a chance to read it, the full report can be accessed at StandwithParkland.org on our Resources page.

Perhaps Broward’s families should take great solace in the fact that their students are safe so long as they are involved in distance learning due to the current COVID-19 pandemic. Otherwise, they would be subject to the same incompetence that led to the 17 fatalities in Parkland more than two years ago.

Most believe our children should be taught about responsibility and that they are accountable for their actions. Yet, when the fact that 17 innocent lives were terminated, during school hours and on school grounds, is juxtaposed with the lack of accountability in the District’s reports, it is clear we need change at the highest levels in the Broward County School District.

This is why we encourage all of Broward’s citizens to get out and vote for a change to the members of the School Board in August.

You have the power to demand that your children are protected.