This just in from Mike Stevens, Salem communications director:

In light of today’s tragic events in Mumbai, India – the much anticipated trip that educators from across the Commonwealth, including Salem School Superintendent, Dr. Alan Seibert, were scheduled to take to the country has been cancelled.”We pray for those injured and grieving and for the hearts of those so misguided and lost that they could perpetrate such acts on innocent people,” says Seibert. “As people who have answered the call to teach, our hearts go out, especially to the children.”

Seibert and seven other members of the traveling party took part in a conference call this afternoon after the events in Mumbai began to come to light. They immediately decided that it would be prudent to cancel the trip and turn their attention to helping those directly affected by the terrorist acts in India’s largest city.

“We will reach out to the schools and Indian educators who were planning to host us and offer assistance,” says Seibert. “As one of the trip sponsors, I will ask the Salem Rotary Club to consider offering assistance via Rotary International or perhaps directly to the Queens Necklace Rotary Club in Mumbai that I was scheduled to visit on Monday, but most importantly, I will pray that God’s comfort and peace will be with those in need.”

Seibert, Virginia Secretary of Education Thomas Morris and twelve other Virginia school division superintendents were scheduled to stay at the Taj Mahal hotel and visit businesses and schools in India from November 28 to December 8 to learn about how India’s economy is tied to Virginia’s and what they can do as education leaders to help Virginia’s students become more globally competitive.