What will it take to prevent gun violence in Wisconsin schools?

Dr. Tony Evers, Wisconsin’s Superintendent of Public Instruction, has put together a list of the resources schools need now to ensure that every student is safe and to prevent incidents of violence in our schools.

We join Dr. Evers in calling on Governor Walker and members of the Wisconsin State Legislature to take these needs seriously and convene a Special Session on School Safety that does not simply respond to recent acts of violence with knee-jerk defensive measures that we know won’t work,. Instead, Wisconsin demands legislators produce proactive, productive, preventative measures that not only have proven results, but allow us to address both safety and the root causes of school violence as we meet the social and emotional needs of our students to support safe and thriving schools.

Our children deserve safe schools and our full investment in ensuring their success.

Please take time today to contact your lawmakers and call on them to take our responsibility seriously in meeting the immediate needs of our schools to provide the resources that matter most to our students. Whether through a Special Session or as part of the current legislative session that has not yet wrapped up, the time is NOW to do the right thing for our students and the public schools at the heart of our communities. 

HERE ARE FIVE EASY THINGS YOU CAN DO TO STAND UP FOR SCHOOL SAFETY IN WISCONSIN:

1. Stay informed. Stay connected to Wisconsin Public Education Network to receive updates on legislation, proposals, and opportunities for action. Bookmark our Stand Up for School Safety page. Click here for a map of groups planning actions for May 14. Click here for information about the national day of action on April 20.
2. Be an ambassador for public schools. SHARE what you know with your lists, community social media pages, and as you talk to friends and neighbors. Share your concerns and opportunities to take action.
3. Contact lawmakers and demand common sense reforms. Click here for the proposal put forward by Dr. Evers today outlining what schools need. And be sure to connect your concerns about safety to your larger funding concerns when you testify (in person or in writing) before the Blue Ribbon Commission on School Funding.
4. Join us on March 16 for a special discussion of school safety at our next Wisconsin Public Education Network meeting. Guest speakers include representatives from the Wisconsin Anti-Violence Effort (WAVE), Southeast Wisconsin Schools Alliance (SWSA), and DPI.  Click here to RSVP
5. Bonus item for School Board members: you might also consider passing a resolution to support sensible school safety efforts and “make it local.” Here’s a sample resolution the Sun Prairie School Board has been working on (the board will vote on this resolution at their March 19 meeting).