Trump School Safety Commission Launched Amidst Walkouts & School Gun Accidents

What’s the story?

It’s another big day in the national conversation on guns and schools.

• Hundreds of thousands of kids of all ages walked out of school this morning to protest gun violence.

• A California teacher has been put on administrative leave pending an investigation because he discharged a loaded firearm in the classroom, injuring three students.

• The administration has published a school safety plan, which includes arming some school personnel and forming a school safety commission to study the best course of action to protect students.

What will the school safety commission do?

On the White House website the focus of the commission, which will be chaired by Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, is outlined as follows:

• Age restrictions for certain firearm purchases.

• Existing entertainment rating systems and youth consumption of violent entertainment.

• Strategies to advance the science and practice of character development in youth and a culture of connectedness.

• Effects of press coverage of mass shootings.

• Repeal of the Obama Administration’s "Rethink School Discipline" policies.

• Best practices for school buildings and campus security from Federal Government components, including the Department of State’s Bureau of Diplomatic Security, and also from other State, local, and private sector sources.

• A plan for integration and coordination of Federal resources focused on prevention and mitigation of active shooter incidents at schools.

• Opportunities to improve access to mental health treatment, including through efforts that raise awareness about mental illness and the effectiveness of treatment, reduce barriers to the recruitment of mental health professionals, and provide training related to violence prevention.

• Best practices for school-based threat assessment and violence prevention strategies.

• The effectiveness and appropriateness of psychotropic medication for treatment of troubled youth.

• Ensuring that findings are sufficiently supported by existing and additional Federal, State, and local funding sources.

What are the responses to the planned commission?

Responses are mixed. Many want action on a federal level to improve school safety and enact gun controls, but two particular concerns have been raised about the president’s plans.

• The plan to repeal Obama-era guidance on school discipline, which was aimed at addressing racial disparities in rates of punishment, seems unrelated to the present moment, according to some critics.

• Though, as evidenced by the incident in California, arming even trained teachers in the classroom is potentially dangerous for all students, there are particular concerns that arming teachers or other school personnel could be especially dangerous for students of color.

The administration isn’t the only group studying school safety, either. The Council of Chief State School Officers is also convening a working group, and some states, like Georgia, are forming their own study groups.

What do you think?

What are your thoughts in the midst of this developing conversation? What do you think of the president’s commission? Are there parts of their mission you support and others you don’t? What do you think about arming school personnel? What about the walkouts happening today? What needs to happen, if anything, to keep students safe or address gun violence more generally?

Tell us in the comments what you think, then use the Take Action button to tell your reps!

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— Asha Sanaker

(Photo Credit: Lorie Shaull via Flickr / Creative Commons)