The STOP School Violence Act passed the U.S. House yesterday by a vote of 407-10. The bill would give students and educators tools to recognize and prevent violence in their schools. It follows a model advocated for several years by Sandy Hook Promise, formed in response to the shooting on 12/14.
5th District Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty cosponsored the legislation.
The bill would invest in programs to train school personnel, students, and law enforcement to identify signs of potential violence and prevent it before it happens. It also makes key investments in reporting and threat assessment systems for schools, as well as security equipment.
Esty says the passage is a testament to the hard work that Mark Barden, Nicole Hockley, and all of the parents of Sandy Hook Promise have put in to collaborate with school officials and law enforcement to come up with real solutions and save lives. Esty acknowledged that the STOP School Violence Act will not save every life threatened by gun violence, but it will save some.
Barden, whose son Daniel was killed at Sandy Hook School, says the bill will teach multiple generations of students and adults to be upstanders in making their communities safe from gun violence.
