The Education Trust Responds to the Passing of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act
Statement from Denise Forte, interim CEO of The Education Trust, on the bill passed that addresses some protections for students in school
“On the heels of mass shootings in Buffalo, Uvalde, and other cities across the nation, we continue to grieve for the communities and families impacted by America’s gun violence epidemic. While we are encouraged that Congress has taken a significant step to help protect students with the passing of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, we are disappointed that parts of the legislation seek to harden schools and won’t help to dismantle the school-to-prison pipeline. The Biden-Harris administration should act to ensure that these new resources don’t increase the criminalization of Black and Latino students, students from low-income backgrounds, and students with disabilities.
“The Education Trust has worked to uplift evidence-based practices that improve school climate and support the social, emotional, and academic developmental needs of students, especially those who continue to be underserved due to the misplaced priorities of policymakers.
“We urge the Biden-Harris administration to drive increased investments toward strategies that promote a sense of belonging and safety for all students and ensure robust student and community input into how these new resources will be allocated and used. We look forward to working with the administration on these efforts.”
