DALLAS — It was a call for peace and a call to action.
“Nobody is exempt. We need priority of education and safety,” said Keisha Williams Lankford, Dallas resident and former Cedar Hill ISD Trustee.
School threats across North Texas this week brought community leaders together in Oak Cliff to discuss change.
“My mom died in prison. My dad is an ex-dealer in the world,” said Varonika Wilson, Urban Specialists Community Resource Director. She helps connect residents to resources in the community.
“I’m a product of what’s going on, and because I'm a product, I'm now a solution,” said Wilson. “It's going take a village for us to collectively come together and have these conversations and then from the conversations actually go out and create that implementation.”
Wilson is also a former student of Willams Lankford. The two joined members of local NAACP chapters and other community organizations in demanding change.
“We’re asking for a cease-fire,” said Lankford. “We're asking parents to do more in terms of being engaged and involved in their children's lives.”
It was a plea that Dallas ISD also shared. In a week, two Dallas ISD students were killed. One died as a result of gun violence. Two other students are now recovering after being shot in separate incidents.
“It has been a grim week in Dallas ISD,” said Robyn Harris, Dallas ISD Deputy Chief of Communications.
Harris said although these incidents did not occur in schools or on district campuses - it hits home to the entire district.
“They are our students. When one student hurts, when one family hurts, we all hurt,” said Harris.
The district made changes to some athletic games out of concern for the online threats.
“Our police department is shifting some of their roles and responsibilities and tasks to really focus and hone in on the validity of the claims,” said Harris.
They told WFAA that those threats were found not credible.
“School safety is a shared responsibility of all of us,” said Harris.
Many also said that responsibility requires a shared response.
“If Dr. Lankford said hurt people, hurt people, then you need to be a part of the healing people, healing people,” said Varonika.
Dallas ISD said they have identified some involved in circulating those online threats, and those involved will be held accountable. They are also reminding parents that actions such as threats are punishable by law.