WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05) and U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) introduced legislation to reaffirm federal funds should not be used to arm school personnel with firearms. Additionally, the resolution states no federal dollars should be used to train school staff in the use of firearms. Congresswoman Hayes was also joined by Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee, and Congressman Jerrold Nadler (NY-12), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, in introducing the House resolution.
Teachers are not trained law enforcement officers—their purpose is to be educators. Additionally, existing research demonstrates arming teachers will not make students safer. A recent survey of gun violence on school campuses showed that out of 225 incidents of gun violence between 1999 – 2018, trained armed personnel or school resource officers failed to disarm an active shooter 223 times. Furthermore, when more guns are put in schools, it creates an unnecessary risk of children and raises the likelihood of unintentional and unwarranted shootings. Not only does this put students and school communities at higher risk, it also jeopardizes the safety of law enforcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation recently found that casualties for trained law enforcement during active shooter incidents increased from 2021 to 2022.
"The safety of students and educators is deeply personal for me and so many Americans,” said Congresswoman Hayes. “Teachers should not be responsible for having a firearm in the classroom or be expected to respond with deadly force in an emergency. This resolution builds upon my work to keep guns out of schools and communities. More guns will not solve the gun violence epidemic. We must invest in common sense solutions to keep guns out of schools and improve safety.”
“For years, the gun lobby has tried to push this narrative that putting more guns into our schools and arming our teachers will make our kids safer. That’s ridiculous. There is zero evidence to support this idea, and plenty of evidence that shows more guns just lead to more gun deaths. Parents, teachers, and kids don’t want guns in school, and we should listen to them. This resolution makes clear that guns do not belong in our classrooms and the federal government shouldn’t be in the business of arming teachers,” said Senator Murphy.
This resolution has been endorsed by the National Education Association (NEA), Newtown Action Alliance, National Association of School Psychologist (NASP), American Federation of Teachers (AFT), Everytown for Gun Safety, Council of Administrators of Special Education, National Association of School Nurses, National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), and Giffords Law Center.
"The people who are in classrooms every day—teachers, school staff and students—don’t want more guns in schools. Educators, parents, administrators, counselors and students want teachers to teach, not engage in a shootout with AR-15s. Especially now, as kids are soon headed back to school with more stress and trauma, and teachers are facing interference from politicians trying to ban books and single out certain students—we want to be focused on solutions, not sharpshooting. Arm us with books and resources, not guns. I applaud Representative Hayes for her resolution, which clearly states that arming educators is not the answer," said Randi Weingarten, President of the American Federation of Teachers.
“School psychologists are essential members of school safety and crisis response teams, so we understand the challenges facing our schools and the evidence-based practices that can help to solve them. As our nation continues to feel the devastating impacts of gun violence in our schools and communities, it is imperative that our leaders focus on practical solutions that will address this urgent need. Congresswoman Hayes’s resolution, Keeping Guns Out of Classrooms, rightly reminds us that federal funds cannot – and should not – be used to arm educators. Such proposals would only undermine school safety and divert vital resources, all while school psychologists and other school-based providers struggle to address our youth mental health crisis amidst crippling workforce shortages. We thank Congresswoman Hayes for her leadership and for working together with NASP and our members to help children thrive in school, at home, and in life,” said Dr. Peter Faustino, National Association of School Psychologists President.