“We believe that schools must be safe and welcoming for all students and that fear is the enemy of learning. Recent shootings on school campuses have elevated public concerns about the fear our communities are experiencing as well as about student safety. Unfortunately, for many of us, concerns about gun violence and student safety in general are not new.
We do not believe that arming teachers will solve this problem, and we oppose legislation that would do so.
We call on lawmakers and leaders across the nation to help us solve this serious and urgent problem. They can and should consider the full range of levers to address it, including improvement in school safety technology and infrastructure, increased support for and better coordination of mental and behavioral health services, and laws that would keep the most dangerous weapons out of the hands of the most dangerous people.
Lastly, we encourage continued dialogue on this issue, especially dialogue across party lines and dialogue involving young people, whose safety is our society’s greatest responsibility.”
Chiefs for Change is a nonprofit, bipartisan network of diverse state and district education Chiefs dedicated to preparing all students for today’s world and tomorrow’s through deeply committed leadership. Chiefs for Change advocates for policies and practices that are making a difference today for students, and builds a pipeline of talented, diverse Future Chiefs ready to lead major school systems.
