BSCS Statement on Gun Violence

BSCS remains committed to students, teachers, and their communities, and to the ongoing work of building science education for a more just and sustainable world. But learning cannot happen if teachers and students don’t feel safe. No teacher should ever have to consider how they would react if a murderer walks into their classroom with a weapon aimed at their students. Columbine, Sandy Hook, Parkland, Uvalde – these are not isolated events, they are symptoms of an urgent public health epidemic. Gun violence has surpassed vehicle collisions as the leading cause of death among schoolchildren in our country. This statistic is shocking. On top of this, the anxiety and fear instilled in this generation of students and teachers has created a cascade of mental health crises that will be with us for decades. We cannot remain silent as teaching and learning becomes untenable. We urge policymakers to make the health and well-being of students and teachers their priority.