WHEREAS, the American Federation of School Administrators is both outraged and deeply saddened by the rash of school shootings that have devastated our nation for the past two decades; and
WHEREAS, AFSA asserts that the appropriate response to school gun violence is legislation that supports the provision of appropriate mental health services to help identify and treat students who are at risk for perpetrating acts of school gun violence; and
WHEREAS, AFSA asserts that a comprehensive response to school gun violence calls for legislation that supports the provision of appropriate mental health services for students and educators who survive school gun violence episodes; and
WHEREAS, AFSA asserts that a comprehensive response to school gun violence requires legislation that limits the sale and/or transfer of guns to minors; and
WHEREAS, AFSA continues to object to the arming of teachers as a solution to school gun violence, consistent with a resolution adopted at our 2015 Constitutional Convention opposing the arming of educators; and
WHEREAS, many of AFSA's affiliates have vast experience with addressing safety issues, and already have developed commonsense solutions to ensure the safety of their schools;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that AFSA calls on Congress to provide additional funding for the Student Support and Academic Enrichment grant program (Title IVA of ESSA), which provides funding for school-based mental services; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that AFSA supports state and federal legislation that limits the sale or transfer of guns to minors; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that AFSA calls on the U.S. Department of Education to form a real and meaningful National Task Force on School Safety to develop best practices and offer real solutions; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that AFSA be a part of such a national task force, and be intimately involved with developing its recommendations.