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Action to Protect Students, Not Platitudes and Hollow Excuses

Writer's picture: Jim MercerJim Mercer

Dear SAM teams and friends,

 

The first school shooting of 2025 happened yesterday at Antioch High School in Nashville.  Those of you who attended the National SAM Conference last week may have met the school’s remarkable principal, Nekesha Burnette, and her dedicated SAMs, Daniyah Johnson and Gayle Merkerson. 

 

The 17-year-old shooter, an Antioch student, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound after killing one classmate and injuring two others. 


According to Education Week, there have been 222 such shootings since 2018. There were 39 school shootings with injuries or deaths last year. There were 38 in 2023, 51 in 2022, 35 in 2021, 10 in 2020, and 24 each in 2019 and 2018.

 

These facts do not bring clarity to why these senseless killings happen in our US schools.

 

We offer our prayers for the staff, students and families at Antioch and know Principal Burnette will lead her school community through an impossibly difficult time with grace, empathy, care and love.

 

Perhaps our elected leaders will do more this time than offer platitudes and hollow excuses for inaction.

 

I’ve included the school’s mailing address below, if you would like to send a written message.  NSIP will send a floral arrangement and card on behalf of Time Change Coaches, staff and SAM teams nationally.

 

Antioch High School

Principal Nekesha Burnette

SAMs, Daniyah Johnson and Gayle Merkerson

1900 Hobson PikeAntioch, TN 37013

 

May this first school shooting of 2025 be the last.

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