SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio-area school districts and Texas politicians are honoring the Robb Elementary School victims with tributes on social media.
Wednesday marks one year since the shooting at the Uvalde campus, where 21 fourth-grade students and two teachers were killed in the deadliest school shooting in Texas history.
Northside, Southwest, North East and San Antonio ISDs are among the San Antonio-area districts sharing posts of remembrance online.
“One year later, we remember and send continued strength and comfort to our neighbors in Uvalde,” SAISD posted on Facebook.
“Our hearts are with Uvalde CISD and the entire community as we continue to remember and honor the 21 lives lost,” NISD posted.
The school districts showed solidarity by also posting an image of Texas in Uvalde’s school colors of maroon and white, including a heart where the city is located.
Superintendents from 12 Bexar County school districts also packed the donor pavilion at the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center this week to donate blood.
Texas politicians are sharing their tributes and asking people across the state to remember the lives lost.
Gov. Greg Abbott ordered flags in Texas to be lowered to half-staff and asked for Texans to participate in a moment of silence at 11:30 a.m.
He released the following statement on Tuesday:
“One year ago, the Uvalde community and the entire state of Texas were devastated to our core by the tragedy at Robb Elementary School,” said Governor Abbott. “Our hearts remain with the families and members of the community, with whom Cecilia and I met in the weeks and months after as they grieved and began their journeys of healing. As we lower Texas flags today in remembrance, I ask all Texans to join Cecilia and me in a moment of silence in honor of those who lost their lives, the families who lost a loved one, the survivors who are forever changed, and the entire Uvalde community as they continue to heal. May we also remember that Texans, uniting in our darkest days, will rise above to forge a brighter path forward.”
On Twitter, Sen. Roland Gutierrez, who represents Uvalde, asked politicians to use this time to pass gun safety laws.
“We cannot allow the lives lost to be in vain,” Gutierrez said. “It is crucial that we ensure our communities are protected and that the safety of our children remains a top priority.”
We cannot allow the lives lost to be in vain.
We must demand that @GovAbbott and @DanPatrick take immediate steps to pass common-sense gun safety laws.
It is crucial that we ensure our communities are protected and that the safety of our children remains a top priority…. pic.twitter.com/kWxGPMuDyF
On Tuesday, House Rep. Joaquin Castro delivered a speech on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives to honor the victims and call for gun reform.
I rise to honor the families of Uvalde, Texas. One year ago this week, 21 souls walked through the doors of their classrooms for the very last time. They were teachers, artists and athletes, aspiring police officers and honor roll students. Hours later, they were dead, gunned down by a teenage shooter with weapons designed for the battlefield. At the morgue, their bodies were so ravaged they had to be identified through DNA testing.
I have three children: nine, seven and one. When I drop my older children at school, I think of the families in Uvalde who never had a chance to say goodbye to theirs.
Over the last year, those same families have held back tears in our committee rooms as they begged Congress to end America’s gun violence epidemic. We know how to stop school shootings. We know that assault weapons bans, universal background checks and a higher age for gun purchases will save American lives.
The teachers and children who died cannot change the law. But we can honor their memories by having the courage to act.
Congressman Tony Gonzales issued the following statement on Wednesday.
A year ago today, an unspeakable tragedy occurred in Uvalde, and the small town of just over 15,000 people was forever changed. No words can lessen the grief and sadness that remains within the Uvalde community.
I remain unwavering in my commitment to deliver tangible results that will help Uvalde rebuild. Over the past year, I have continued to meet with community leaders to deliver improvements for Uvalde. We secured funding for a new mental health facility and an updated emergency operations center within the community. The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act(BSCA), which was signed into law in June of last year, has resulted in millions of dollars for school security and mental health assistance – I am proud to have worked with my colleagues to get this life-saving legislation passed into law. This bill is a generational investment, and I will continue to lead the way in ensuring BSCA funding makes its way back to Uvalde and communities across TX-23.
We are Uvalde Strong, and we will never forget the 21 souls who left our world far too soon.
Makenna Elrod, 10
Layla Salazar, 11
Maranda Mathis, 11
Nevaeh Bravo, 10
Jose Flores Jr., 10
Xavier Lopez, 10
Tess Mata, 10
Rojelio Torres, 10
Eliahna Garcia, 9
Eliahna Torres, 10
Annabell Rodriguez, 10
Jacklyn Cazares, 9
Uziyah Garcia, 10
Jayce Luevanos, 10
Maite Rodriguez, 10
Jailah Silguero, 10
Irma Garcia, 48
Eva Mireles, 44
Amerie Jo Garza, 10
Alexandria Rubio, 10
Alithia Ramirez, 10
On Wednesday, May 24, at 9 p.m., KSAT will air “One Year In: Uvalde,” a special tribute honoring victims’ legacies and highlighting their families’ unwavering pursuit of change and accountability.
“One Year In: Uvalde” is dedicated to telling the story of the Uvalde community one year after the tragedy changed its identity forever.
KSAT also has an interactive narrative to supplement the special. You can view that here.
The in-depth report will air at 9 p.m. on May 24 on KSAT 12, KSAT.com, KSAT’s YouTube channel and KSAT Plus. You can download the free KSAT Plus streaming app on your TV or phone here.
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