BREAKING: Supreme Court Will Take up Connecticut Assault Weapons Ban Case; Reaction from Teachers Unify to End Gun Violence

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Abbey Clements, survivor of the 2012 Sandy Hook School tragedy, executive director and co-founder of Teachers Unify to End Gun Violence, released the following statement after reports that the U.S. Supreme Court will consider a case that could overturn the assault weapons ban in Connecticut and other states:

“Far too many school shootings, including the tragedy that took place at Sandy Hook, are made more deadly by the easy availability of assault weapons. The simple fact is that we had fewer mass shootings and mass shootings were less deadly when we had a federal assault weapons ban in place. With the Supreme Court opening the door to striking down more state bans, we know what the result will be – more mass shootings and more gun deaths.”

Background: A 2024 study found continuing the federal assault weapons ban could have prevented as many as 38 public mass shootings. 

Abbey Clements is the executive director and a Co-Founder of Teachers Unify to End Gun Violence. She is a survivor teacher of the Sandy Hook School tragedy in 2012, and was an elementary educator for over 30 years. She was a strategic consultant on gun violence issues for the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and a member of the ENOUGH! Plays to End Gun Violence National Advisory Council. Abbey has been featured in various events, publications, and documentaries, including the 2024 DNC, Newtown, If I Don’t Make It, I Love You, Bullets Into Bells, AFT Voices, USA Today, AARP, Share My Lesson, The Hill, among others.

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Teachers Unify to End Gun Violence envisions a future where every school in the United States is a safe haven and a safe learning environment for every child, and where all citizens live without the fear and trauma of gun violence.