Schools Superintendent Responds to Capitol Riots

The Park City School District building in Park City, Utah. Photo: TownLift // Bailey Edelstein

PARK CITY, Utah. — Park City School District Superintendent Dr. Jill Gildea addressed Wednesday’s riots at the United States Capitol in a statement released yesterday.

“Civic engagement is the foundation of our democracy,” she said. “PCSD respects and supports the right to demonstrate and peacefully protest. We strongly condemn all attempts to incite violence and do not tolerate acts of hate that counter our shared democratic principles.”

In the letter, Gildea said students should have a support network of people who lead by example and exercise non-violent approaches to the right to protest.

This is “a time to help, a time to model, a time to teach,” Gildea said of recent events that add to the already significant challenges of a school year occurring during a global pandemic.

The letter included resources for parents and teachers from the American Academy of Pediatrics on “Responding to Children’s Emotional Needs During Times of Crisis” and the National Association of School Psychologists on “Talking to Children About Violence: Tips for Parents and Teachers.”

“This is a time for our Country to stand together and promote peace, hope, and optimism for the future,” Gildea said. “We encourage everyone to use this moment to remember the foundational values that our Country was built on and what we stand for as a Nation.”