Princeton Schools Share Resources In Wake Of Capitol Riots

PRINCETON, NJ — Princeton Public Schools joined other school districts in New Jersey sharing resources to help students deal with trauma and fear after Wednesday’s violence at the U.S. Capitol.

Superintendent Barry Galasso acknowledged the events that unfolded on Wednesday, in a message to the school community. He called the week “turbulent” in terms of the national news and COVID-19.

"Many of your children have seen the images and news stories about the protestors entering the Capitol building in Washington, D.C. This can be confusing and cause distress to students who may not know how to process this event,” he said.

“Our principals have reached out to teachers and provided resources for the emotional wellbeing of our students and a framework for age-appropriate discussions.”

According to district officials, all six principals from the school district sent out resources and links to teacher to help them talk to students, who are trying to process events from Wednesday.

Bob Ginsberg, who heads the Curriculum Department, spearheaded the effort to get teachers the resources they needed for discussion.

Here are some of resources shared:

• Explaining The News To Our Kids
• Peaceful Transfers Of Power
• When Bad Things Are Happening
• Creating Civic Spaces In Troubling Times
• The 1876 election was the most divisive in U.S. history.
• Responding to Tragedy: Resources for Educators and Parents

Talking about the violence at the U.S. capitol, Galasso called on the school community to condemn the actions, saying the county has valued people’s rights to express dissatisfaction, but one should never resort to violence and destruction.

“This behavior should be acknowledged for what it is: unlawfulness. We as a nation must set aside our differences and come together to address the issues that divide us and, at the same time, celebrate what makes us Americans,” he said.

Superintendents from other school districts like East Brunswick and Metuchen have taken similar steps, to help children cope with images from the day.

Metuchen superintendent Vincent Caputo pointed out that school superintendents "have been thrust into a new reality."

"You probably shouldn't need to get political and government updates from me, but just as it has been with sharing accurate information about COVID-19, it's my responsibility to inform our community of events, especially those that will have traumatic effects on staff and students," he said.

Read More Here: Metuchen Schools Share Resources In Wake Of Capitol Riots

East Brunswick school superintendent Victor Valeski said he was committed to create safe spaces for students to discuss the “unsettling” topic.

"Above all, we want our students to feel safe and know that they are supported by the entire East Brunswick Public Schools community," Valeski said.

Read More Here: East Brunswick Schools Share Resources In Wake Of Capitol Riots

Pro-Trump rioters stormed the U.S Capitol on Wednesday, trying to prevent the Electoral College certification of Joe Biden as the next president.

The riot produced stunning images of chaos and mayhem that left five people, including a Capitol Police officer, dead.

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