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<title>Michigan Department of Education Press Release</title>
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<p><span style="mso-bookmark:gd_top">Please see below a press release issued yesterday by MDE about the Texas school massacre.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="mso-bookmark:gd_top">I wanted to send this out to remind our library community of the program and resources you can find on the OK2SAY website. Schools, students, educators, and community members are encouraged to report any instances of threats,
bullying, or harmful behavior to Michigan’s OK2SAY hotlines. If you are not already familiar with OK2SAY you can find full details below.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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Press Release</span></b></em><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p style="margin:0in"><span style="mso-bookmark:gd_top"><span style="font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif">Contact: Martin Ackley, Director of Public and Governmental Affairs, 517-241-4395</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in"><span style="mso-bookmark:gd_top"><span style="font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif"> Bill Disessa, Spokesperson, 517-335-6649</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<strong><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif">State Superintendent, SBE President Respond to</span></strong><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif"><br>
<strong><span style="font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif">Texas Elementary School Massacre</span></strong></span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
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<span style="font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif">May 25, 2022</span><br>
<br>
<span style="font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif">LANSING – Nineteen elementary students and two teachers were murdered by a teenage gunman inside Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas on Tuesday. It was the 27<sup>th</sup> school shooting in the United States
so far this year.</span><br>
<br>
<span style="font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif">State Superintendent Dr. Michael Rice and State Board of Education President Dr. Casandra Ulbrich expressed their call for urgent action in response:</span><br>
<br>
<span style="font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif">“On an afternoon when we were celebrating Potterville Elementary School, discussing children’s mental health with school and district staff, community, and children, and promoting the value of children’s mental
health supports, a tragedy struck a Texas elementary school,” said State Superintendent Dr. Michael Rice. “Six months ago, it was Oxford. A week and a half ago, it was Buffalo. Where will it strike next?</span><br>
<br>
<span style="font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif">“At a time when we have increased, and need to continue to increase, mental health screenings and supports in Michigan, including passage of the governor’s proposed $361 million in additional children’s mental
health investments in the fiscal year 2022-23 state budget, we also need to reduce dramatically the availability of weapons for those who are underage and those who have been found to be a threat to themselves or others. Congress needs to act…and if Congress
doesn’t have the collective courage and wisdom to do so, our state legislature must,” Dr. Rice added.</span><br>
<br>
<span style="font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif">Dr. Ulbrich said schools must be sanctuaries of learning and growth and not targets for people with ready access to weapons intent on killing children and terrorizing our communities.</span><br>
<br>
<span style="font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif">“Families should not fear sending their children to schools dreading that they may not be coming home at the end of the day,” Dr. Ulbrich said. “What happened in Texas yesterday, in Oxford earlier this year, and
in dozens of other schools across our nation over the past 10 years is infuriating as much as it is sad.</span><br>
<br>
<span style="font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif">“While legislatures focus their attention on trying to make our schools fortresses against these senseless invasions by killers, greater focus needs to be narrowed to passing stronger gun laws and providing more
mental health services for people struggling with their inability to live and function in a civil and peaceful society. This needs to be done quickly so no more communities and families suffer the painful loss of their children.”</span><br>
<br>
<strong><span style="font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif">OK2SAY</span></strong><b><span style="font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif"><br>
</span></b><span style="font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif">Schools, students, educators, and community members are encouraged to report any instances of threats, bullying, or harmful behavior to Michigan’s OK2SAY hotlines. Anyone can report tips confidentially
on criminal activities or potential harm directed at students, school employees, or schools.</span><br>
<br>
<span style="font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif">OK2SAY is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week by calling 8-555-OK2SAY (855-565-2729); texting OK2SAY (652729); or emailing
<a href="mailto:OK2SAY@mi.gov">OK2SAY@mi.gov</a>. <br>
<br>
Specially trained technicians receive the tips and filter the information to the appropriate agency to provide a timely and effective response.</span><br>
<br>
<span style="font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif">For more information, go to: <a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flnks.gd%2Fl%2FeyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDAsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjA1MjUuNTg0NDk1NTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vd3d3Lm1pY2hpZ2FuLmdvdi9vazJzYXkifQ.YYcKQkrX1rU-COO9K-iGnfL5dlL-voDVKD89LQxEv_8%2Fs%2F270212470%2Fbr%2F131895461598-l&data=05%7C01%7Cwhites29%40michigan.gov%7C7d4dcf7e13c24efcf3e208da3e79e49b%7Cd5fb7087377742ad966a892ef47225d1%7C0%7C0%7C637890990488776270%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=fwDBTe3himt0R2dTpBDc7mYQh4METq9Pn0ci5JxXpSw%3D&reserved=0">
www.michigan.gov/ok2say</a>.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
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