Quinta Brunson Says No To Abbott Elementary Shooting Episode

Just say no to bad ideas about how to address gun violence…

Source: Temma Hankin / Getty

Quinta Brunson, who leveraged viral video fame into a fruitful career as a comedy writer addressed fans via Twitter after being inundated with requests for a “school shooting” episode following the Uvalda Elementary School massacre that took place May 24, 2022.

Quinta Brunson Reveals Multiple Requests For “Abbott Elementary” School Shooting

The shooting, which claimed the lives of an entire 4th-grade class and 2 adult staff members, prompted some misguided fans to feel like the show’s writer and creator should include a school shooting at the beloved Abbott Elementary to bring awareness to the issue.

Premiering in December 2021, “Abbott Elementary,” centers on a public elementary school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where the teachers are outnumbered, underfunded, and struggling to keep afloat under the poor leadership of a district that could care less about the safety, education, and well being of the students. The show boasts a cast of colorful characters portrayed by Sheryl Lee Ralph, Lisa Ann Walter, Tyler James, and Quinta herself, who plays a passionate, sprightly 2nd-grade teacher. Janelle James is hysterical as Principal Ava Coleman and the show has been renewed for a 2nd season.

Following requests that she write the season finale to include a school shooting, Quinta wasted no time firing back in a series of tweets stating:

“wild how many people have asked for a school shooting episode of the show I write. people are that deeply removed from demanding more from the politicians they’ve elected and are instead demanding ‘entertainment.’ I can’t ask ‘are yall ok’ anymore because the answer is ‘no.'”

Quinta Brunson Tweets About Need For Public To Demand Change From Public Officials

The comedy queen continued the thread by encouraging viewers to turn their request to their local politicians who have a better chance to make lasting change.

“please use that energy to ask your elected official to get on Beto time and nothing less. I’m begging you,” she added citing former US Congressman Beto O’Rourke, who interrupted Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s press conference about the shooting, demanding gun reform.

Quinta closed her Twitter thread by asking viewers to consider why they believe a shooting at “Abbott Elementary” would be appropriate or helpful in enacting change in the following tweet, “I don’t want to sound mean, but I want people to understand the flaw in asking for something like this. we’re not okay. this country is rotting our brains. im sad about it.”

Congratulations to the cast and production crew of Abbott Elementary on the series renewal and kudos to Quinta for keeping the violence out of our favorite fictional educational facility.

Do you think fans are out of line for wanting Abbott Elementary to shine a light on school violence or do you think this could ultimately prove to be helpful?