OPINION: This cannot wait: We need concrete solutions to fight scho...

In an opinion piece, Michelle Kefford, principal of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, addresses the urgent need for concrete solutions to combat school shootings. Drawing from her experience as a witness to the devastating school shooting at Stoneman Douglas, Kefford emphasizes the ongoing impact of gun violence on school communities. She recounts her involvement in a congressional roundtable on gun violence after the Lewiston, Maine shooting, advocating for immediate and comprehensive actions to prevent such tragedies and support those affected.

Kefford stresses that school shootings have become distressingly routine, with three deaths already reported in 2024. Last year witnessed 136 incidents of gunfire on school grounds, resulting in 66 deaths and 158 injuries. These numbers, Kefford notes, represent torn communities, lost futures, and an increasing demand for resources to aid recovery.

She highlights the importance of federal programs like Project SERV, designed to provide critical support to schools affected by violence. However, Kefford deems the funding for Project SERV, with only $5 million allocated last year, grossly insufficient. She urges an increase in resources, emphasizing their importance for both immediate response and long-term healing.

Kefford also emphasizes the crucial role of School Resource Officers (SROs) trained to work in educational environments. At Stoneman Douglas, SROs have played a pivotal role in preventive measures and recovery efforts, offering security, stability, and guidance in an environment marked by threats and trauma.

As discussions in Congress regarding fiscal year 2024 appropriations unfold, Kefford expresses concern over proposals for drastic cuts in federal education funding. She argues that maintaining, if not increasing, funding for programs vital to professional development, mental health support, and school safety is essential.

In conclusion, Kefford urges Congress and stakeholders to prioritize the safety and well-being of students and educators, emphasizing the need for policies preventing gun violence and adequate resources for trauma response, recovery, and resilience. She calls for collaborative efforts to ensure that no more school communities experience the horror faced by Stoneman Douglas.

Michelle Kefford, a longtime educator, is principal of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. She is a member of the National Association of Secondary School Principals Recovery Network. This story about school shootings was produced by The Hechinger Report, a nonprofit, independent news organization focused on inequality and innovation in education. Sign up for Hechinger’s newsletter. The post OPINION: This cannot wait: We need concrete solutions to fight school shootings right now appeared first on The Hechinger Report.

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With the assist of AI