BROOMALL, PA — In the wake of a tragic school shooting in Georgia, which claimed the lives of four individuals, the CeaseFirePA Education Fund organized a pivotal roundtable this past Tuesday, September 10th, at the Marple Township Library. Gathering educators, health experts, youth, and community leaders, the forum aimed to explore evidence-based strategies for safeguarding students from gun violence in schools.
The dialogue was driven by a shared commitment to implementing preventative measures, such as Extreme Risk Protection Orders and secure firearm storage, rather than resorting to controversial tactics like arming teachers or distributing bulletproof backpacks. Grant Maurer, CeaseFirePA Education Fund’s Southeast PA Organizer, underscored the urgency of legislative action: “Students should be free to learn, teachers should be free to teach, and schools should be safe places where there’s no fear of getting shot. Sadly, that’s not yet the reality for too many of Pennsylvania’s 1.7 million kids who have gone back to school.”
Dr. Joel Fein, co-director of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Center for Violence Prevention, reinforced the consensus on gun safety, stating, “Proper gun storage can save lives and create safer communities and schools.” Echoing this sentiment, PA State Representative Jennifer O’Mara emphasized the collective responsibility to ensure that schools are havens of safety, not places where students fear for their lives.
The roundtable featured poignant testimonies, including that of Bella Deanhardt, a student activist from Swarthmore College, who shared her distress over students needing to learn life-saving measures like using tourniquets due to the prevalence of school shootings. “It makes me sad that too many students feel it is necessary to learn how to keep their friends alive in the event of a shooting,” she lamented.
The discussions at the roundtable reflect a broader call for comprehensive policy changes to protect students and staff alike. By focusing on preventive strategies, the CeaseFirePA Education Fund and its allies aim to foster an environment where education thrives free from the shadow of violence, ultimately advocating for a legislative focus on life-saving gun safety measures.
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