Dear Members of the TC Community,

We are deeply saddened, horrified and outraged by the racist shooting attack on Saturday in Buffalo, New York, that claimed the lives of 10 people and injured three more, 11 of them Black. We mourn for the grieving families and friends of those murdered and extend our condolences to all those affected by this devastating act of violence.

This attack is a symptom of a profoundly distressing tide of extremist hate that has been increasingly visible in recent years. We strenuously condemn speech and behaviors seeking to legitimize and propagate white supremacy, white nationalism and other vicious ideologies that contribute to acts of racist domestic terrorism like this one.

Saturday’s despicable attack inevitably erodes feelings of safety and causes trauma to members of our community. We want to remind you of resources that are available if you need support or a place to talk (see respective links for students and employees and spiritual resources). Please also remember that if you or others you know have experienced bias, you can report it to the College here.

We stand in solidarity with our Black students, faculty, employees, friends and neighbors in NYC, across the nation and around the world. And we are grateful for the work our TC students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members do—through practice, policy, research and advocacy—to build a world that rejects white supremacy, radicalization, misinformation and access to guns and weapons of war.


Thomas Bailey
President, Teachers College