Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/107698
AT THE CAPITOL Focus Needs to Be on Investments in Mental Health Services, Reasonable Gun Safety Legislation NEA President Dennis Van Roekel pays tribute to the heroic educators of Sandy Hook at a service at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Waterbury, CT. AFT, NEA: Arming Educators Won't Keep Schools Safe This past December, NEA President continue to do more to prevent bullying in our Dennis Van Roekel and AFT President Randi schools. And we must dramatically expand our Weingarten reacted to proposals by Virginia investment in mental health services. Proper Gov. Bob McDonnell, U.S. Rep. Louie diagnosis can and often starts in our schools, Gohmert, and William Bennett to arm teachers yet we continue to cut funding for school as a way to prevent school violence. counselors, school social workers, and school "Our duty to every child is to provide safe psychologists. States have cut at least $4.35 biland secure public schools. lion in public That is the vow we take as mental health educators. It is both astound"We must continue to do more to spending from ing and disturbing that, fol2009 to 2012, lowing this tragedy, Virginia according to Gov. Bob McDonnell, U.S. the National in our schools. Rep. Louie Gohmert, Bill Association of Bennett, and other politicians And we must State Mental and pundits have taken to the Health our investment in Program airwaves to call for arming our teachers. As the rest of Directors. It is mental health services." the country debates how to well past time — Dennis Van Roekel to reverse keep guns out of schools, some are actually proposing this trend and bringing more guns in, turning our educators ensure that these services are available and acinto objects of fear and increasing the danger in cessible to those who need our support. our schools. "Greater access to mental health services, "Guns have no place in our schools. Period. bullying prevention, and meaningful action on We must do everything we can to reduce gun control—this is where we need to focus the possibility of any gunfire in schools, and our efforts, not on staggeringly misguided concentrate on ways to keep all guns off school ideas about filling our schools with firearms. property and ensure the safety of children and Lawmakers at every level of government should school employees. dismiss this dangerous idea and instead focus "But this is not just about guns. Long-term on measures that will create the safe and supand sustainable school safety also requires a portive learning environments our children commitment to preventive measures. We must deserve." 2 prevent bullying dramatically expand Spring.13advo.indd 17 AEA Advocate x Spring 2013 17 1/29/13 10:53 AM