Biden tells TX state senator in Uvalde, ‘We’re going to look to raze’ Robb school and build a new one

President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden traveled to Uvalde, Texas, on Sunday and paid a visit to Robb Elementary School, the scene where 19 school children and two adults were killed by a disturbed 18-year-old gunman who would eventually be killed by law enforcement.

Among the actions Biden spoke of was a suggestion to raze the school where so many died, according to a state senator — this being a familiar reaction to mass shootings of this nature.

The president’s visit evoked outrage from some in the community who saw the traveling circus that accompanied Biden’s appearance as a distraction for parents still grieving the murder of their children mourn.

Even CNN reported that some parents said “now is not the time for him to come here.”

“Well, I think some people are worried… are concerned about politicizing this event and there, I’ve heard a lot of outrage from people, but I’ve also heard from folks who say, you know, I don’t want to focus on that, on what could have happened, what should’ve happened, I just want to focus on the kids,” Stella Chavez, a reporter for the North Texas NPR outlet KERA News, told the network on air.

Democratic state Sen. Roland Gutierrez, who represents Uvalde, told KSAT that Biden vowed to “bring” resources into the community.

“He said, ‘I’m not going away. I’m going to bring you resources. We’re going to look to raze that school, build a new one,’” Gutierrez said.

“I can’t tell you how many little children that I’ve talked to that don’t want to go into that building,” he added. “They’re just traumatized. They’re just destroyed.”

Biden also told the lawmaker he was committed to bringing mental health resources to the community, the New York Post reported.

Other sites of mass shootings have been demolished in recent years.

Sandy Hook Elementary School, located in Newtown, Conn., was torn down and replaced by a new $50 million school on the same property after 26 people were shot and killed there in 2012, according to the Post, whereas Columbine High School was not razed after 13 people were killed in 1999. School officials in Colorado considered tearing the high school down in 2019 because of a “morbid fascination” but ultimately decided against it.

Tom Tillison

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