National PTA and Michigan PTA Statement on Shooting at Oxford High School

National PTA President Anna King and Michigan PTA President Tracey Troy issued the following statement on the fatal shooting at Oxford High School in Detroit: 

“Tuesday afternoon, there was a shooting at Oxford High School, during which three students were fatally shot and eight other people were injured, including a teacher. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident in our country. One school shooting is too many, but there have been over 25 school shootings this year alone. This violence against students, teachers and faculty must end. 

“Schools should be safe havens for our children. Families should feel confident that when their children enter the school building, they will return home unharmed. Our students should be focused on learning and making their dreams a reality. Instead, many leave their homes feeling scared and unprotected. This is unacceptable. 

“PTA will continue to raise its voice to urge Congress to address the critical gun and school safety issues we are facing as a country. We extend our support to Oxford High School, and all those impacted by this senseless act of violence. 

“Those in need of mental health support can visit PTA.org/HealthyMinds for free resources and services.”

National PTA Position Statement: Expectations of Civility

EXPECTATIONS OF CIVILITY

National PTA recognizes that we can only achieve our mission through ongoing conversation,
collaboration and partnership with other interested parties within the education system,
including educators, students, school staff and administrators, parents, guardians, school
boards, community organizations, and policymakers. Such partnerships are critical to ensuring
that our association’s mission and priorities are meaningfully advanced at the local, state, and
national level.

In the course of discussion and decision making, disagreements will inevitably arise between
parents and other individuals and groups who are invested in our education system. It is
essential that every person is treated with common courtesy and civility and that all parties
conduct themselves in a polite, appropriate and respectful manner, including tolerating
differences of opinion and disagreeing respectfully. National PTA strongly condemns any and all
acts of incivility, hostility and harassment, and encourages our constituent associations to take
an active stand opposing any attempts within their community to threaten, intimidate, and/or
commit violence against educators, students, school staff and administrators, parents,
guardians, school boards, community organizations, and policymakers with whom they
disagree. It is critical that constituent associations actively work to maintain a culture of
cooperation and partnership in their community that fully reflects PTA’s core values of
collaboration, diversity, commitment, respect and accountability.

National PTA recognizes that community collaboration and family engagement are key to
achieving our mission to make every child’s potential a reality. Strategic partnerships that are
grounded in our values will enhance our ability to serve and advocate for all children and
families and will create the strongest future and direction for PTA. When we respect our
differences and work together to identify shared commonalities, PTAs can unite their
communities, speak with one powerful voice, and secure meaningful and lasting change.

Adopted: by the 2021 Board of Directors

National PTA Statement on the Passing of Colin Powell

National PTA President Anna King issued the following statement on the passing of General Colin Powell:

“National PTA and our millions of family, students, educators and community leaders share in the mourning of the loss of General Colin Powell—a veteran, statesman and ardent advocate for the success and well-being every child in this country. We extend our deepest condolences to Mrs. Alma Powell and the rest of the Powell family.

As the first African American to be Secretary of State, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and National Security Advisor, General Powell lived his life with honor and dignity—showing many of us that we can achieve any position or career we set our minds to, regardless of race, ethnicity or cultural background.

National PTA is proud to have partnered with his organization, America’s Promise, on the key issues affecting our children. We will honor General Powell’s legacy by continuing to provide every child with the tools and opportunities they need to learn and grow so that they can thrive.”

National PTA Statement on School Shooting at Timberview High School

When this school year began, many families focused on readjusting to a new normal and making sure our students and teachers were healthy and ready for the new school year. We were optimistic and up for the challenge. Instead, our students are facing weekly threats of gun violence and active school shootings. Yesterday, a high school student shot four people in Arlington, Texas and now our entire nation is yet again reminded that our schools are not safe. When does it end?

 

National PTA extends its deepest condolences to Timberview High School, its community and all those impacted by this tragedy. The safety of our schools is one of our association’s top priorities. We will continue to work hand-in-hand with elected officials and education advocates to provide students with mental health support while leading the call to urge Congress to pass legislation on gun violence prevention and increased school safety measures.

National PTA and Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids Team Up to Reduce and Prevent Tobacco and E-Cigarette Use Among Youth

National PTA and the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids announced today a new collaboration to raise awareness of and help prevent e-cigarette and other tobacco use among youth. With 3.6 million kids using e-cigarettes, including nearly 1 in 5 high school students, youth e-cigarette use is rampant, and as kids return to school in person—many for the first time in 18 months—the problem could become even more serious. Through their collaboration, National PTA and the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids will develop resources for PTAs across the country to educate parents and support the elimination of flavored tobacco products, which surveys show are widely used by youth.

“Since our founding, PTA has been the conscience of the country when it comes to issues that affect children and youth. Our mission is to improve the education, health, safety and well-being of children and help them reach their fullest potential,” said Anna King, president of National PTA. “This mission and our collaboration with the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids is more important than ever to protect our nation’s youth.”

As part of the effort and with support from the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, National PTA will provide $10,000 in grant funding to local PTAs. Local PTAs will use the funding to host events for families in their school communities to help them learn about e-cigarette use among youth and what they can do to prevent their children from using e-cigarettes and other tobacco products. National PTA and the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids will also provide local PTAs with resources and advocacy tools to lead anti-tobacco efforts within their communities. Further, National PTA and the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids will survey parents and families to collect perspectives on parent, school and community impacts and experiences with tobacco use, with a focus on vaping and flavored tobacco.

“We are thrilled to partner with National PTA to provide resources needed to educate parents and teachers about the dangers and prevalence of youth tobacco use, with a particular focus on e-cigarettes,” said Portia Reddick White, vice president of strategic partnerships at the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.  “We also look forward to working with parents and teachers to advocate for the policies needed to protect kids’ health, including the elimination of flavored e-cigarettes and other flavored tobacco products. As National PTA is such a trusted resource for parents, this is a unique opportunity to broaden the coalition of advocates needed to address the continuing threats to our kids from tobacco use.”

National PTA adopted a resolution on Electronic Cigarettes and Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) and Individuals Under 21 in 2016. National PTA and PTAs nationwide have been advocating in support of legislation, regulation and/or other national, state and local measures to address the manufacturing of and ingredients in e-cigarettes and other ENDS; to prohibit the advertising, marketing and sale of e-cigarettes and other ENDS to individuals under the age of 21; and to prohibit the use of e-cigarettes and other ENDS in public places and on school grounds. National PTA’s collaboration with the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids builds on the association’s commitment to educating individuals under the age of 21, parents, school boards and local officials on the dangers of e-cigarettes and other tobacco products.

“National PTA and PTAs nationwide work hard every day to solve problems facing our children, families and schools; bring knowledge, tools and resources into the everyday lives of families; raise our voices at the national, state and local levels; and make sure students are safe, healthy and have what they need to thrive,” added Nathan R. Monell, CAE, National PTA executive director. “Addressing and protecting our nation’s youth from e-cigarette use is an important part of this work.”