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Dear School District of Philadelphia Parents and Families,

Like so many others, I was outraged and horrified by the disgraceful events that unfolded in Washington D.C. this week as armed rioters violently stormed and rampaged the U.S. Capitol. Civil protest is a constitutional right. Storming the capital with guns is not. In fact, it is the very opposite of what we try to teach and model for our students when it comes to resolving conflict.

Our children have been through and lost so much over the past year, and now they must try to reconcile what they have been taught about the ideals of our democratic nation with the criminal attacks they have witnessed in our Capitol. As educators, we will continue to support the social-emotional needs of our students as we try to help them understand how this happened, what it means and how our nation must work together to move forward. In the days and weeks ahead, our teachers will take the time they need in their virtual classrooms to create safe spaces for students who want to express what they are feeling. We have shared resources to support our educators and school leaders in this work.

Here are some resources you can use at home to help your child process these events and begin to heal from yet another trauma:

• Helping Children Cope with Terrorism
• Age Related Reactions to Traumatic Events
• Talking to Kids about Tragedies (Such as Shootings and Terror Attacks) in the News
• How to talk to your kids about violence at the U.S. Capitol            
• How To Process A Scary Day For The Nation With Your Kids
• How to talk to your kids about the chaos at the Capitol

Please know that we are here to support our students and families as we all work toward a better tomorrow. If you feel you or your child need additional support, you can find resources on our Healing Together website and receive free counseling services by calling or texting the Philly HopeLine at 833-PHL-HOPE (833-745-4673).

Sincerely,

William R. Hite Jr., Ed.D.
Superintendent