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Once again, we are left with an overwhelming sense of grief that is so deep and so raw we can hardly begin to process it. We grieve for the innocent lives taken so cruelly in this incomprehensible act of violence and hatred. We grieve for the injured, their families and loved ones, their neighborhoods, and communities. And we grieve for a society that has witnessed too much violence – particularly targeted violence.ÌýÌý

Students in Buffalo and around the State and nation will need help understanding and coping with what has happened. New York’s entire educational community will be there to support our students’ social and emotional needs;Ìýto teach and model the values of fairness, inclusiveness, and respect for all;Ìýand, in the end, to demonstrate that goodness, compassion, and open-mindedness will always prevail over hatred and ignorance. That is why our schools are more important than ever.