AACTE Commends Congress for Passing Gun Control Legislation

(June 30, 2022, Washington, D.C.) On behalf of AACTE (American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education), President and CEO Lynn M. Gangone issued the following statement after Congress passed, and President Biden signed into law, the first gun control measures in approximately 30 years in response to the recent school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, in which 19 students and two teachers were killed, and due to other gun violence in our communities:

“The actions of Congress since the Uvalde school shooting on May 24 are long overdue. According to the Washington Post, at least 185 children, educators and others have been killed by gun violence at U.S. schools since the Columbine massacre in 1999, in which two teenagers killed a dozen students and one teacher.

We hope the passage of this modest, bipartisan legislation will help keep our students and educators safe from future violence. The legislation will improve background checks for those under the age of 18 years seeking to purchase guns, provide roughly $15 billion in new federal funding for mental health programs and school security upgrades, provide resources to states to help ensure deadly weapons are kept out of the hands of individuals whom a court has determined to be a significant danger to themselves or others, and make it more difficult for criminals to illegally straw purchase and traffic guns.

While AACTE is pleased that Congress took these steps, we believe that more must be done to ensure schools and college campuses are safe learning environments for students, and that educators do not have to put their lives on the line while working in a profession they love.”

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About AACTE: The Leading Voice on Educator Preparation

AACTE (American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education) elevates education and educator preparation through research, professional practice, advocacy, and collaboration with over 650 member institutions and strategic partners. Through its focus on diversity, equity and inclusion, inquiry and impact, and quality and innovation, AACTE seeks to revolutionize education for all learners. Learn more at aacte.org.