We can’t keep waiting: How parents are leading the fight for safer schools

Across the world, parents manage a lot of anxieties when they send their children to school each morning: Will my son make friends? Is my daughter keeping up with school work? Are we doing enough to set our child up for success?

But in America, parents kiss their babies goodbye and whisper an extra prayer: please keep my child safe from a school shooting. 

It’s a uniquely American crisis—one fueled by the abundance of firearms available to kids. (America has the most guns per capita in the entire world; Everytown For Gun Safety found that an estimated 4.6 million children in the United States live in homes with at least one gun that is loaded and unlocked.)

In the wake of yet another act of preventable violence—a murder at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin, where a 15-year-old student fatally shot a teacher and fellow student before taking her own life—the responsibility falls squarely on our society and political leaders who have failed to act. 

The Abundant Life shooting occurred nearly exactly 12 years after the shooting at Sandy Hook, where twenty innocent children and six brave educators were gunned down. The latest shooting induces a sickening sense of déjà vu, leaving families to wonder if their child’s school could be next.

And so, as they always do, parents across the United States are stepping up because they can no longer wait for lawmakers, administrators, or those in power to prioritize the safety of their children. This failure to address gun violence, mental health gaps, and school security has left ordinary parents no choice but to drive tangible change themselves.

From advocating for mental health resources to promoting secure gun storage and fostering better communication between students and schools, here are some powerful ways parents are leading the fight for safer schools. 

Five impactful ways parents are stepping up to make schools safer

1. Advocating for Secure Firearm Storage

One of the most effective ways to prevent school shootings begins at home. Parents are partnering with advocacy organizations like Moms Demand Action to promote safe gun storage practices, ensuring firearms are kept unloaded, locked, and out of the reach of children and teens. These initiatives aim to reduce unauthorized access to weapons, which is a leading factor in many school shooting incidents.

More than 2 million students nationwide now attend schools with policies that raise awareness about secure firearm storage, thanks to parental advocacy efforts. These programs emphasize that preventing access to guns can save lives. 

Related: 5 steps to protect more kids from gun violence, starting now

2. Pushing for Increased Mental Health Resources

A generation of parents raised in the wake of Columbine is now advocating for schools to prioritize students’ mental health by increasing access to counselors, social workers, and early intervention programs. Research shows that mental health challenges by potential shooters often go unaddressed, and parents are determined to break that cycle by encouraging schools to treat mental health as seriously as physical health.

For example, districts like Los Angeles Unified School District have expanded their mental health support systems after significant parent and community advocacy. Early intervention and ongoing support can help identify students in crisis before it escalates into violence or self-harm. 

3. Launching School Safety and Security Committees

Parents are actively working alongside administrators, teachers, and law enforcement to ensure schools have up-to-date safety protocols. From conducting risk assessments to advocating for secure entry systems and organizing lockdown drills, parents are taking leadership roles on school safety committees to create proactive solutions.

In my own children’s school, an increased focus on school safety among parents and administrators has led to the expansion of security programs, including armed guards on campus. While I wish we lived in a country where this wouldn’t be necessary, I’m grateful this step has been taken.

In states like North Carolina, initiatives like the Center for Safer Schools are engaging parents directly to connect them to local resources working to make schools safer. These collaborative efforts help bridge gaps between schools and families when it comes to safety concerns. 

4. Leading Advocacy for Stronger Gun Control Legislation

Grieving parents have turned into leading advocates: Parents who have lost children to school shootings are turning their grief into action by pushing for stronger gun control laws, including universal background checks, red flag laws, and restrictions on high-capacity weapons. Their voices have been instrumental in state-level reforms and federal legislation proposals aimed at preventing further tragedies.

Following the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, parent and student advocates have led movements that resulted in significant policy changes across several states, proving that their advocacy can drive impactful change. 

Related: U.S. Surgeon General emphasizes the seriousness of gun violence: ‘It’s a kids’ issue’

5. Promoting Reporting and Threat Awareness Programs

Parents are championing programs that empower students, staff, and families to recognize and report signs of potential violence. Tools like Safe2Tell, an anonymous reporting system in Colorado, have successfully prevented violent incidents by identifying threats early. 

It takes a village to raise a child, and it takes a thousand small actions to keep our children safer. While they deserve absolute safety to learn in peace and security, incremental change can truly make a difference. 

And as I wrap up a morning of work to start the morning dropoff routine with my kids, a familiar anxiety washes over me: I hope they are safe today. I hope more is done to protect all children and educators. I hope I can help make a difference.

The tragedy in Madison serves as a devastating reminder that we can’t afford to wait.

Sources:

1. Parkland survivors turned into activists and inspired a wave of new gun safety laws. 2019. CNN. Parkland survivors turned into activists and inspired a wave of new gun safety laws.
2. Statement from President Joe Biden. 2024. The White House. Statement from President Joe Biden Marking Twelve Years Since the Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting.
3. Center for Safer Schools. North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. Center for Safer Schools.
4. School Safety During an Emergency or Crisis. American Academy of Pediatrics. School Safety During an Emergency or Crisis: What Parents Need to Know.
5. New laws impacting education. 2024. Ed Source. New laws impacting education go into effect as the school year begins.
6. Mass Shootings in the United States. 2023. Ballard Brief. Mass Shootings in the United States.
7. Two Million Students Attend Schools With Firearm Storage Awareness Policies. 2021. Moms Demand Action. Major Milestone: More Than Two Million Students Nationwide Now Attend Schools With Secure Firearm Storage Awareness Policies.
8. How Can We Prevent Gun Violence in American Schools? 2023. Everytown Research & Policy. How Can We Prevent Gun Violence in American Schools?
9. Abundant Life Christian School shooting. 2024. ABC News. Abundant Life Christian School shooting latest: Motive under investigation.