(05/26/2022) “The Arc of Texas extends our deepest condolences to all affected by the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas on May 24, 2022. With heavy hearts we mourn the lives of the 19 students and 2 teachers lost to this mass shooting. Their families, and the community of Uvalde, will forever be impacted by this tragedy.

“We celebrate the memory of Eva Mireles, a bilingual special education fourth-grade teacher, and her co-teacher, Irma Garcia, whose lives were dedicated to inclusive education and selflessly lost protecting their students from this senseless incident of violence. The Arc of Texas promotes, protects, and advocates for the well-being and inclusion of Texans with disabilities, and our hearts break for the families of these two teachers whose lives were lost doing the same.

“We stand beside members of the Robb Elementary School community, and we urge our state leaders to put aside their differences to address the growing problem of gun violence that threatens the lives and safety of those within our state, and affects all of us, including people with disabilities and their families. The Arc of Texas will continue to advocate for safety, equity, and inclusion inside Texas classrooms, and we call on our state leaders to advocate for these basic human rights as well.”