Kendall Massett is the executive director of the Delaware Charter Schools Network.
An incident Thursday at Newark’s Las Américas ASPIRA Academy — one of our dual-language charter schools — was a difficult moment for its community, as a firearm was accidentally discharged by a staff member. The individual involved in the discharge is not a constable or a school resource officer. The academy, like all schools, follows the law and policy that only police officers or constables are allowed to carry firearms on campus.
We are incredibly grateful that no students were hurt and that the one staff member injured received the medical assistance needed.
In moments like this, it’s natural to ask, “How did this happen?” or “What went wrong?” But it’s just as important to focus on what went right — and to lift up the people and preparation that kept students and staff safe. This was a moment when we saw the best of what preparation, training and community can look like in a crisis. The on-site constable, a retired New Castle County police officer, with emergency response training, acted at once and provided lifesaving care to the injured employee. The constable’s quick response quite literally saved the staff member’s life.
This was an emergency — but, because of a trained professional, it did not become a tragedy.
That action, combined with the calm and steady leadership of the school’s staff, allowed students to be safely moved to classrooms, held and protected, while safety was restored. This is exactly why schools have emergency protocols and practice them — to respond with clarity and care when the unthinkable happens.
Unfortunately, over the last decade or so, schools have had to create comprehensive crisis response plans to deal with any number of scenarios. Included in these plans is a process to reunite students with their parents. ASPIRA’s reunification process was well executed, efficient and effective. As executive director of the network of Delaware’s charter schools, it fills me with pride to share that ASPIRA was the first charter school in Delaware to conduct a full-scale reunification exercise in summer 2023 — and its response is a model of what thoughtful preparation can look like in a crisis.
When I visited the school Friday, what I saw was clear — the academy is a family. The culture and climate are rooted in love, community and care — and that foundation is what carried it through and will continue to sustain the facility as it moves forward.
It reminds me of the words of Mister Rogers: “Whenever there would be any real catastrophe — either in the movies or on the air — my mother would say, ‘Always look for the helpers; there will always be helpers, even on the sidelines. Because, if you look for the helpers, you’ll know that there’s help.’”
During this incident, the helpers stepped up. The school’s community stepped up. And we are grateful and proud.
And, while we talk about safety and emergency response, we also have to remember what Mister Rogers said children need the most from us as adults: “What children probably need to hear most about us adults is that they can talk to us about anything and that we will do all we can to keep them safe in any scary time.”
That’s our job — every single day.
As we turn toward healing, we know there is still hard work ahead. Traumatic events like this have lasting effects — for students, for staff, for families. We will continue working with the academy and its partners to make sure resources are available — mental health support, victim services and spaces for students and families to grieve, heal and move forward together.
The investigation is ongoing. But what I’m choosing to focus on are the positive aspects of what I know happened — people doing their absolute best to protect and care for students in an unthinkable moment — and the resilience, love and community I saw the next day that will carry this school forward.
That’s what community looks like. That’s what preparation makes possible. And that’s what we will continue to support moving forward.
Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at civiltalk@iniusa.org.
