Protecting our Children from Violence at School

The recent wave of school shootings, while rare, is frightening to anyone who has school-aged children.  It is not too much for parents to expect that their children go to schools that are safe. That is why I believe that states have a responsibility for school safety and should set minimum safety standards for each school.  This includes 1) Doors that lock from the inside during the school day; 2) A single entry point with a buzzer system; 3) A school-wide intercom system that teachers can use to communicate possible trouble in different parts of the building.

These standards require only a small investment of funds, but will have a tremendous impact to secure the school.  Should states fail to enact these requirements, the federal government should step in. As a member of the committee that oversees national education policy, I will be closely monitoring how states respond to these incidents and, if they do not act appropriately, I will work to institute federal standards that require stricter safety standards that protect our children.

Throughout my career in Congress, I’ve been a strong supporter of the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Program, which provides money to schools so that they can implement drug abuse and violence prevention programs.  I’ve fought each year to fully fund this program, despite significant opposition from the Administration.  I also support providing schools with additional funding to implement anti-bullying and harassment prevention initiatives through this program, so that school administrators can step in and stop problems from escalating before they lead to violence.

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