CT town votes on naming school after Victoria Soto, slain teacher

The mayor of a Connecticut town is recommending that a new elementary school be named after Victoria Soto, one of the teachers who died protecting her students during the Sandy Hook school shooting in December.

"In the days since the tragedy in Sandy Hook, the stories of bravery and heroism by Stratford's own Victoria Soto have been both heart-wrenching and abundant," said Stratford Mayor John Harkins in a statement, according to NBC News.

"She gave her life protecting children, and we must make sure her sacrifice is never forgotten."

Soto, 27, was killed along with five other adults and 20 first-graders at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., on Dec. 14. She was able to hide some of her own students.

As The Hartford Courant wrote:

"She ushered special education teacher Anne Marie Murphy and several children under her desk. She moved other children behind a bookcase or barrier. When Lanza came in, Soto was the only one he saw. She faced him. He killed her, and then he killed the children and Murphy under the desk. Murphy died shielding a child in her arms. Other children escaped the classroom. Soto's actions saved children's lives."

The vote to decide whether to name the Stratford school after her is set to take place at 8 p.m., on Monday.

Meanwhile, Connecticut Gov. Dannel P. Malloy has announced a $500,000 Small Town Economic Assistance Program grant for Newtown, helping local businesses which were negatively impacted by the flood of media and visitors in the aftermath of the shooting.

"Many area businesses were adversely impacted by weeks of road closures and having entrances blocked by excessive traffic and parking," said a press announcement, according to The Newtown Bee.

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