Yonkers Assemblymember Shelley B. Mayer introduced a new bill in the State Assembly which prohibits teachers and others in New York State schools from carrying a weapon on school grounds unless they are a school resource officer, law enforcement officer, or security guard. The bill takes aim at suggestions that teachers and administrators should be trained and armed on school grounds to prevent gun violence.
“With this bill, we are putting an end to the offensive proposal of arming teachers, and we are bringing the focus back to substantive measures we can take to prevent tragedies like the Parkland, Florida shooting from happening again,” said Assemblymember Shelley B. Mayer. “We know that the conversation around arming teachers and other school personnel was an attempt to delay substantive action on gun violence prevention and deflect attention from real policy proposals. Enough is enough on delaying, deflecting, and thoughts and prayers. The time for action on gun violence prevention is now. I would like to thank State Senator Todd Kaminsky for first introducing this bill in the State Senate.”
In the wake of the deadly shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, the 18th school shooting to occur in the U.S. in 2018, many have attempted to focus the debate on the possibility of arming school teachers and other school employees as a way of deterring and preventing future school shootings. A10011/S07874 expressly prohibits teachers and other non-law enforcement professionals from being armed in schools.
The Assembly Democratic majority passed a legislative package of bills that included a ban on bump stocks; the creation of “Extreme Risk Protection Orders,” prohibiting a person who is adjudicated to be a threat to themselves or others from purchasing or possessing a firearm; and the Domestic Violence Escalation Prevention Act, which prevents those convicted of domestic violence from purchasing or possessing a firearm.
“We should not expect teachers or other members of school staff to also serve as armed guards,” said Nicole Lesser, volunteer co-leader with the New York chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. “We know that the presence of guns on school grounds heightens the risk of gun violence and potential tragedy. Research has shown that arming civilians does not help stop active shooters. In fact, it has been shown to put law enforcement and innocent bystanders in danger. We appreciate Assemblymember Mayer’s proactive leadership on this issue.”
“We applaud Assemblymember Mayer and Senator Kaminsky for putting the safety of New York’s teachers and school personnel first,” said Rebecca Fischer, Executive Director of New Yorkers Against Gun Violence. “Arming teachers would not prevent or reduce gun violence and would instead put our educators and children at grave risk. We are grateful to have state lawmakers who step forward with sensible gun safety legislation that will actually protect New Yorkers.”
“Teachers have enough to worry about between lessons, grading, managing their classroom, and the actual work of educating our children. We shouldn’t be adding school security to their workload,” said Jessica Meller of the Million Mom March/Brady Campaign Westchester Chapter. “This legislation will help refocus our priorities in this important moment where they should be – common sense efforts to keep guns out of schools and out of dangerous hands.”
