Congressmen Chuck Fleischmann and Tom Graves issued the following statements in support of H.R. 4909, the STOP School Violence Act.
“Plain and simple, no child should ever have to question their safety or security while at school," said Rep. Fleischmann. "As lawmakers, we have the responsibility to do everything within our power to harden our schools, and this legislation takes essential steps for increasing school safety through a proactive, multi-layered approach to better identify and prevent violence. In our schools, training students, faculty, and local law enforcement to recognize and address threats before they escalate is a key element in fostering a safe school environment. In our communities, increasing the awareness and efficiency of anonymous tip reporting channels allows for those who witness suspicious behavior, both in and out of school hours, to alert the proper authorities. As a father of three, I understand the urgent need to stop school violence and do all we can to protect our children.”
“No child should ever fear for his or her safety at school,” said Rep. Graves. “This bill will help school districts across the country identify, prevent and stop violent behavior. It’s an important step in ensuring every child feels – and is – safe at school.”
H.R. 4909 authorizes $75 million annually for grants that state and local schools can use to improve security. For example, recipient schools could use the grant funds to implement an anonymous reporting system for students, train students and staff to identify early signs of violence, and improve the school’s physical security features.