AFT President supports executive order on firearms and school safety

WASHINGTON—In response to a new executive order aimed at addressing emerging threats from firearms and improving the implementation of school-based active shooter drills, Randi Weingarten, President of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), issued a statement highlighting the administration's efforts in enhancing safety measures.

Weingarten emphasized that President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are committed to ensuring safety both on the streets and within schools. She noted that their administration has actively worked to reduce gun violence, with FBI data indicating a decrease in murder and violent crime. The implementation of measures such as increased background checks and community violence intervention programs has been pivotal in this effort.

Despite these advances, Weingarten pointed out that further actions are needed, including a ban on civilian access to military-style weapons, to prevent mass school shootings. She acknowledged the pioneering initiatives of the Office of Gun Violence Prevention, overseen by Harris, in helping communities recover from gun-related incidents.

The newly signed executive order marks an additional step by the administration to safeguard lives, focusing not only on the direct threats posed by firearms but also on the indirect effects, such as the stress caused by poorly conducted active shooter drills. These drills can be distressing for students, teachers, and parents when they involve extreme simulations, which is why the AFT, along with Teachers Unify to End Gun Violence, opposed such practices in 2020.

According to Weingarten, "This executive order will help ensure that the safety measures taken in response to gun violence are effective and do not have unintended consequences."

The AFT represents a diverse group of 1.8 million members, including pre-K through 12th-grade teachers, paraprofessionals, higher education faculty, government employees, healthcare workers, and early childhood educators.