Quinta Brunson, the creator and star of “Abbott Elementary,” is shocked that fans of the show are asking her to write an episode about school shootings.
Brunson, 32, took to Twitter on Wednesday — just one day after a gunman entered a Texas elementary school classroom and killed 19 children and two teachers — to question why viewers are reaching out to her — and not their elected officials — to address the mass shootings.
“Wild how many people have asked for a school shooting episode of the show I write,” wrote Brunson in a series of tweets.
“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,’” she continued.
“please use that energy to ask your elected official to get on Beto time and nothing less. I’m begging you,” she went on, referring to Texas gubernatorial contender and gun control advocate Beto O’Rourke.
“I don’t want to sound mean,” Brunson added, “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.”
Brunson shared a screenshot of an unidentified viewer’s message to her, which she called “Example A: one of many,” that asked her to center the hit ABC comedy’s future series finale around a school shooting.
“Formulate an angle that would get our government to understand why laws need to pass. I think Abbott Elementary can affect change,” wrote the viewer.
In another tweet on the same day, Brunson wrote that she was “Sick to my stomach tonight over the love affair America has with guns.”
She also asked followers to use their vote to “demand more from the people you elected to change laws.”
“Abbott Elementary,” ABC’s highest rated comedy since “Modern Family,” was inspired by Brunson’s mother, a kindergarten teacher for 40 years, although Brunson named the series in honor of her former sixth-grade teacher, Ms. Abbott.
The mockumentary-style sitcom is set at a public elementary school in Philadelphia, where Brunson’s character teaches the second grade.
While “Abbott Elementary” is a public valentine to the inspiring educators in her life, Brunson also believes in giving back behind the scenes.
During an interview with NPR in March, Brunson revealed that the show’s production team and ABC agreed to redirect some of the show’s marketing money to help real-life teachers in need.
“It’s about being able to make those kinds of decisions that really excite me, things that can really materially help people,” she said.
This article was originally published on Today.com.
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