ASHA Statement on School Shooting at Apalachee High School in Barrow County, Georgia
September 5, 2024
The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) extends heartfelt condolences to the Apalachee High School community in the wake of the tragic shooting that occurred yesterday. In moments like these, words feel inadequate. The lives lost and the injuries sustained are devastating, with repercussions that extend far beyond the walls of the school.
During this incredibly difficult time, ASHA stands in solidarity with the victims and their families, Apalachee school staff, and the entire town of Winder, Georgia. We have contacted our colleagues and friends at the Georgia Speech-Language-Hearing Association to offer assistance and are working to identify any members who have been affected by this tragedy.
ASHA Stands United Against Hate, Intolerance, and Violence.
More than half of ASHA’s members work in schools, making school safety an issue of upmost importance to our association. Our nation’s schoolchildren deserve to be educated in an environment free of violence and fear, as do the adults who dedicate their lives to serving them. Nothing is more sacred.
To the Apalachee High School and Winder communities, please know you are not alone. ASHA will continue to support efforts to protect our students, educators, and communities.
ASHA provides the following resources to its members:
ASHA Resources
- Safety in Schools (asha.org)
- School Safety: Supporting Specific Populations (asha.org)
- Gun Violence and School Safety (asha.org)
- ASHA Voices: In the Schools, an SLP Responds to Trauma
- Connecting Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists With Mental Health Resources
- Helping Students Cope With Loss and Grief
- Working Through Grief: Two SLPs Share Their Stories
