As part of the final rush to pass a state budget and related legislation by June 30, the state Senate passed a controversial bill that would arm educators in schools and put the safety of students and staff at risk.
Senate Bill 383 passed the Senate by a vote of 28 to 22, even though PSEA, law enforcement organizations, and teachers who witnessed the Sandy Hook massacre strongly opposed it.
“Our Association opposes arming teachers, education support professionals, and other school staff whose primary responsibility should continue to be educating students, not policing school buildings and grounds with firearms,” PSEA President Jerry Oleksiak said.
Oleksiak reiterated that PSEA is not opposed to the use of appropriately trained and armed school safety personnel in schools, such as school safety officers that some districts employ.
However, the bill the Senate passed clearly makes schools less safe.
“PSEA will continue to support strategies to keep students safe,” Oleksiak said. “This bill endangers students, and we remain strongly opposed to it.”
Read Jerry Oleksiak’s full statement here.
