WHEREAS, the American Federation of School Administrators acknowledges that safety is a fundamental right of all students, families, staff and community members across the United States, especially at their schools; and

WHEREAS, school shootings have become a far-too-common occurrence, jeopardizing the physical and emotional safety of all stakeholders at schools; and

Ernest Logan, AFSA Executive Vice President issued a statement in response to Education Secretary Betsy DeVos' budget testimony:

March 14, 2018 marks the one month anniversary of the mass shooting at the Marjory Stoneman Douglass High School in Parkland, Florida. Students around the country united to call for changes in gun policy and walked out of class at10 amlocal time. The walkout, with the tagline #EnoughIsEnough, lasted 17 minutes one minute for each person murdered in Parkland. The walkout is partly a protest to push lawmakers to pass gun reform and partly a memorial to honor victims killed by firearms.

AFSA urged the Trump Administration to establish a National Task Force on School Safety to develop best practices and offer real solutions to schools.

We cannot afford to wait for Congress or state legislatures to pass legislation in this area, wrote Ernest Logan, executive vice president of the American Federation of School Administrators (AFSA), in a letter to Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos. Let's have a frank conversation with Americas parents, educators and students about ways to keep our kids safe.

By Daniel Ducassi

TALLAHASSEE Survivors of the Feb. 14 school shooting in suburban Fort Lauderdale descended on Florida's capitolWednesdayas the Republican-majority Legislature normally friendly territory for the National Rife Association considered whether to advance new limits on gun access.