Author: Jen Easterly, Director, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency
Last month, it was six years since a mass murderer opened fire at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, senselessly killing 17 students and faculty and wounding 17 others. Since that terrible day, there have been 189 school shootings on campuses across the country, killing 124 more Americans and wounding 331 others. That's nearly three shootings a month since Parkland. This is completely unacceptable and must stop.
Last month, I joined Secretary of Education Cardona to not only remember those who lost their lives in Building 1200 of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, but to walk in their shoes. I had the privilege of speaking with Alex Schachter's parents, Gina Montalto. , Luke Hoyer, Jaime Guttenberg, Alyssa Alhadeff are beautiful students with the brightest future ahead of them, and Debbi Hixon, the wife of Athletic Director Chris Hixon, who gave his life by jumping into the building to save hundreds of students that day.
The families of these victims acted out one of the most devastating and traumatic experiences imaginable with tremendous courage and grace. They have founded organizations such as Stand with Parkland, Safe Schools for Alex, Make Our Schools Safe, and Orange Ribbons for Jaime, and have worked with local school districts, district attorneys, law enforcement, state and local officials, and the federal government to raise awareness about school safety. Not only that, but we are also working to make our schools safer.
There have been notable improvements since the Parkland disaster, but work continues. This visit reinforced our belief that all students and educators have the right to learn and teach in an environment that is safe, supportive, and free from the threat of violence. CISA, in collaboration with the families of the Parkland victims, took steps to formalize and strengthen its commitment to school safety following the tragedy by establishing the School Safety Task Force (SSTF) in 2019. Products designed to address the most pressing issues and threats facing the K-12 community. Through the SSTF, we manage the Federal School Safety Clearinghouse, an interagency collaboration between the Departments of Education, Health, and Human Services. Department of Homeland Security; And justice that brings together all resources from across the federal government to strengthen the security of our schools.
As part of our work with the Clearinghouse, we maintain SchoolSafety.gov, a comprehensive repository of more than 600 federal and state resources, programs, tools, evidence-based practices, and actionable recommendations across key school safety topics. Many of our discussions during our visit to Parkland were about the buildings. safety culture Within the school and community is the main focus of the resources provided on the website.
School safety is not just the job of school administrators or school resource personnel. We need to think about how we can truly empower and engage all members of our community in safety efforts by creating a positive, safe, and trusting environment. Improve physical security measures in schools. Provide appropriate training in emergency procedures and protocols; Increase mental health support and resources; Implement a trauma-informed approach to educational settings.
Hearing the stories of students and staff who were at Parkland, who were there that day, and what their experiences are every day, highlighted how important it is for a school culture to support students in coming forward if they have safety concerns. Once schools are aware of these potential threats, they can intervene effectively with appropriate resources and support. To help schools foster this culture, CISA partnered with the U.S. Secret Service's National Threat Assessment Center to develop a K-12 Bystander Reporting Toolkit. Launched last May, the toolkit provides simple strategies and guidance that K-12 schools can use to implement and strengthen safety reporting programs and encourage bystander reporting.
We also focused on the physical security of the nation's schools. We have developed an evidence-based tool that can be used to assess and improve physical security in K-12 schools. Our suite of K-12 School Security Guides helps schools assess their unique needs and identify and prioritize actions to enhance physical security. This approach integrates the various parts of school security that have traditionally been isolated to detect, delay, and respond to threats and risks, so there is no single point of failure. CISA's Protective Security Advisors, subject matter experts, help schools assess security vulnerabilities and develop plans to better prepare for emergencies.
Finally, at a roundtable after the school tour, we talked about the impact financial resources can have on a school's security posture. However, the grants environment can be difficult to navigate. To help schools find and access available federal funding, SchoolSafety.gov has developed the Grants Finder Tool. This tool compiles existing federal school safety-related grants in one central location and provides guidance to help schools find which grant programs are best suited or applicable to their individual needs.
My visit to Parkland had a profound impact on me as a parent, public servant, and member of the broader school safety community. I will carry this experience and this conversation with me for the rest of my life.
For those affected by school violence, we honor the memory of loved ones who have tragically passed away too young, and we work with you to ensure that families and communities across the country never experience this pain and loss again.
We speak to the survivors and families who lost loved ones at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School six years ago today. We remain inspired and deeply moved by your actions and your efforts to transform suffering into progress and purpose. We also thank the dedicated state and local officials who are doing invaluable work on the front lines of school safety. We are honored to work with you for a safer and more secure country.
As I reflect on all we have accomplished in the six years since the Parkland tragedy, I also realize that we have much more work to do. All of CISA has an unwavering commitment to making K-12 schools safer and more secure every day.
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