RESTON, VA — Today, the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) lauded the U.S. Senate’s passage of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act:

“For years, we have asked leaders to help end gun violence in our schools. Today, the Senate listened,” said George Roberts, former principal of Perry Hall High School in Baltimore, MD, and a member of NASSP’s Principal Recovery Network. “As educators who have experienced school shootings, we’ve long carried the burden of helping other school leaders navigate gun violence in their communities. This bill is a step toward making our network unnecessary, and I hope it’s the start of a movement to end gun violence in our schools.”

“In the wake of the Uvalde tragedy, members of NASSP’s Principal Recovery Network led a call for elected leaders to do something – anything – to stop children from being murdered in our schools,” said Ronn Nozoe, CEO of NASSP. “It’s heartening that Members of Congress listened and have taken action. While this bill isn’t perfect, it is a major step in the right direction. If it saves even one life, it should be passed into law immediately.”

NASSP’s Principal Recovery Network (PRN) is a national network of current and former school leaders who have experienced gun violence tragedies. In response to the Uvalde shooting, NASSP’s PRN published this letter in The Washington Post calling on their representatives to take action. Since the network’s founding in 2019, members have reached out directly to their colleagues to provide support, share the combined wisdom of their experience, assist school leaders during recovery, and advocate for change at the national level. Members include current and former school leaders from public schools across the country, including Columbine High School, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, and Sandy Hook Elementary School.

###