The U.S. Department of Education on Thursday urged all school principals and district leaders nationwide to "educate the whole school community about the importance of safe firearm storage" by sharing information with parents and families, engaging with groups like parent organizations, and teaming up with local leaders to spread the word.
The call came in a Dear Colleague letter that included a template letter for school leaders to send to their communities.
"As school principals and district administrators, you have credibility in your community and trust in your schools and districts that uniquely position you to help save lives," said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona in the letter.
Senior Biden administration officials noted on Wednesday, in a press call ahead of the announcement, that grants are available for schools to fund awareness efforts, such as through the U.S. Department of Justice's STOP School Violence Program.
Their call to action is part of the administration's push to curb gun violence, including in schools. In 2020, firearms became the top cause of death among children in the U.S., outpacing motor vehicle deaths. Just over three-quarters of school shooters carried out attacks with guns brought from the home, according to a 2019 review of targeted school violence between 2008 and 2017 by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's National Threat Assessment Center.
"It's not the whole picture of student safety, but it's a crucial component that every education leader can use their trusted voices to elevate this issue to parents and to communities," said Cindy Marten, deputy secretary for the Education Department and former superintendent of San Diego Unified School District, during a call with reporters late Wednesday.
'We need accountability'
The recommendations come a week after the Justice Department released a comprehensive and damning incident review of the 2022 mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. In the report, the department found "cascading failures" in first responders' handling of the attack, including by school law enforcement. The report also took issue with how the school handled safety measures leading up to the incident, for example circumventing door locks.
On Wednesday, senior administration officials, including some from the Department of Justice, also called for responsible gun ownership through safe storage laws, which it is encouraging states to pass in absence of other congressional action on gun violence.
"And when there's tragedy, we need accountability," said one senior administration official.
One such situation is playing out now in a Michigan courtroom. Following the 2021 school shooting in Oxford, Michigan, the shooter's parents were each charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter after the attack that left four students dead and seven others injured.
On Thursday, the same day the department called on educators nationwide to mobilize for safe gun storage, opening statements kicked off in the trial for the mother, Jennifer Crumbley.
"Even though she didn’t pull the trigger on Nov. 30 [2021], she's responsible for those deaths," said Oakland County assistant prosecutor Marc Keast, per news coverage. The parents "didn't do a number of tragically small and easy things that would have prevented this from happening," Keast said.
A trial for James Crumbley, the Oxford shooter's father, is tentatively scheduled for March.
Educators have 'enough on their plates'
Education leaders have had mixed feelings about their role in promoting safe firearm storage and spreading awareness to parents and the broader community.
On one hand, educators have expressed wanting to play their part in curbing gun violence and keeping students safe.
"We're really following the lead of principals all across the country who have already reached out to families and sent letters to their communities about safe storage of firearms," said a senior administration official on Wednesday.
However, working with parents to urge the safe storage of firearms can be challenging for a variety of reasons, including all that is already on educators' plates.
"We often hear from principals that they want to do everything they can to keep their students and educators safe," said Stefanie Feldman, director of the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention. "But they shouldn't have to be experts on safe storage of firearms, and they have enough on their plates."
In 2021, shortly after the Crumbleys were charged, school safety and mental health experts noted that parents can become defensive if they feel they or their child are being treated unfairly. Or they might share information with school authorities and feel their concerns aren't taken seriously.
"I was a school principal myself. I know how it can feel, 'Here we go. Just another thing now that we have to do,'" said Cardona in a White House town hall with principals on Thursday afternoon. "But … you are the messenger. You have the leverage."
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