Education

National PTA Releases Gun Violence Priorities

By Michele Molnar — January 11, 2013 1 min read
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After yet another school shooting—this one Jan. 10 at Taft Union High School in Taft, Calif.—the National PTA today released its top three advocacy positions on preventing gun violence.

The organization favors:


  • Universal background checks for the sale and possession of firearms;
  • A ban on non-sporting ammunition in high-capacity magazines; and
  • Reenactment and expansion of an effective federal ban on the sale and possession of military-style assault weapons.

“National PTA is hopeful that these two recent tragedies will persuade the nation‐especially parents, teachers, school officials, community leaders, and Congress—to make meaningful changes to protect all children and ensure a safe learning environment,” said National PTA President Betsy Landers in a release after the incident in California and last month’s shootings in Newtown, Conn.

To assist students, families, schools and PTAs coping with school violence, National PTA has resources available for download here.

A version of this news article first appeared in the K-12 Parents and the Public blog.