DANBURY, CT — Teachers Unify to End Gun Violence, a grassroots movement of teachers pushing for a future where every school in the United States is a safe learning environment for every child, and where all citizens live without the fear and trauma of gun violence, has filed an amicus brief in the Supreme Court’s case, Viramontes v. Cook County, which is consolidated with Grant v. Higgins and which could lead to Connecticut's assault weapons ban being struck down as unconstitutional.
In 2013, after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, Connecticut strengthened its assault weapons ban to make it illegal for anyone to possess an assault weapon that they did not possess before April 2013. As Teachers Unify notes in its brief, numerous school shooters have used assault weapons, including the shooters at Sandy Hook, Parkland and Uvalde, among others.
“This case is so critical because we know that if these lifesaving laws are struck down, there will be more assault weapons on our streets and more gun violence in our schools and communities,” said Abbey Clements, Co-Founder of Teachers Unify to End Gun Violence and a survivor teacher of the tragedy at Sandy Hook School. “I’m proud that teachers have a voice at the Supreme Court to make sure the court understands the stakes and these laws save lives.”
Key Points from the brief:
-Gun violence in American schools is a grievous problem and has spawned ubiquitous active shooter drills exacerbating schoolchildren’s trauma.
-Firearms violence in schools, often perpetrated with assault weapons, is a serious and growing phenomenon.
-A prominent reaction has been to mandate active shooter drills, which are pervasive and often required by state law.
-Active shooter drills can be traumatic and add to a culture of fear.
-The trauma resulting from active shooter drills is reflected in the experience of teachers, school nurses, and school psychologists.
-The experience of teachers illustrates the ill effects of active shooter drills on our nation’s schoolchildren.
-The experience of school nurses and school psychologists further confirms the point.
With guns the leading cause of death for children in America, Teachers Unify to End Gun Violence is taking an all of the above approach to solving our nation’s public health crisis. Last year, Teachers Unify launched the only crisis intervention team for schools that is led by clinicians and teachers who are survivors of gun violence. Teachers Unify also fights for leveraging the power of teachers and school communities to educate parents about the importance of secure storage as part of responsible gun ownership. According to a study by the U.S. Secret Service, as many as 66 percent of school shootings involved a gun in the home that was not secured.
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 school educator for over 30 years. She was a strategic consultant on gun violence issues for the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and is a member of the States United to Prevent Gun Violence (SUPGV) Board of Directors. 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.
