Washington, DC - "We must also work together to create a culture in our country that embraces the dignity of life, that creates deep and meaningful human connections, and that turns classmates and colleagues into friends and neighbors." President Donald J. Trump
PROVIDING A SAFE ENVIRONMENT: President Donald J. Trump’s Commission on School Safety examined ways to make our schools safe for all students and teachers.
- President Trump’s School Safety Commission (Commission) is releasing its report and recommendations on how to address school safety and violence.
- The President established the Commission following the tragic shooting in Parkland, Florida, and placed it under the leadership of Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.
- The President directed the Commission to make a comprehensive assessment of the issue of school violence and to make policy recommendations to keep our schools safe.
- The Commission listened to students, parents, teachers, administrators, counselors, law enforcement, mental health professionals, security personnel, and others.
- The Commission hosted meetings, field visits, and listening sessions across 8 States and the District of Columbia and reviewed more than 1,500 comments from the public.
- Understanding that each community has a unique set of school safety needs without a one-size-fits-all solution, the Commission offered recommendations, to be adopted as appropriate.
PREVENTING SCHOOL VIOLENCE: The Commission offered a number of recommendations to improve school cultures and help prevent acts of school violence.
- Schools and communities must take a comprehensive approach to making sure school campuses are safe places for learning and growth.
- The Commission’s report emphasizes the importance of improving access to mental health services as a vital means of reducing school violence.
- This includes identifying youth at risk for mental illness and connecting them with needed treatment, services, and support.
- The Commission advocates the development of model State legislation on compelling treatment for individuals with serious mental illness.
- One analysis found that up to 25 percent of mass shooters had been treated for mental illnesses, and more than 75 percent had prior symptoms of mental illness.
- The Commission endorses Extreme Risk Protection Order laws, which give authorities a temporary way to keep those who threaten society from possessing or purchasing firearms.
- The Commission encourages media to consider adopting the principles of the “No Notoriety” campaign, which calls on media coverage to not use names or photos of killers.
PROTECTING STUDENTS: The Commission laid out recommendations to improve the physical security of schools and ensure trained personnel are in place to respond to threats.
- While all schools have different needs for physical security, there are common principles that should be applied, such as identifying security gaps and using layers of security.
- The primary responsibility for the security of schools rests with States and local communities, which are best able to tailor solutions to fit their own unique needs.
- The Commission supports a number of methods to fund training, planning, personnel, and equipment to improve school security.
- The Commission recommends that the Federal Government develop a clearinghouse to assess, identify, and share best practices related to school security measures.